There are some major changes at Facebook. Namely, the news feed algorithm has been updated in an effort to improve user experience. It can be time consuming to wade through all the dos and don’ts of the latest best practices. We get it. There are tons of articles out there.
These are five of the most helpful blog posts we’ve read lately.
How to Improve Your Facebook News Feed Visibility
Synopsis: Facebook recently announced changes to their news feed algorithm. Thankfully, they also clearly outlined two best practices that will help your organic reach: utilizing link previews and avoiding click-bait content. Sharing content that meets these guidelines can help your page increase its organic reach.
Takeaways
Text and Automatic Preview Preferred – Links can be shared in three ways: text and automatic preview, link only, and photo with text link. Using the link preview feature may go against the grain. Previously, pages were receiving better organic reach from sharing photos with link text. But, Facebook’s update clearly states they aren’t giving these kinds of shares the same weight. Why? Because they found these shares don’t typically provide the same user value.
Tell Your Audience What They’re Going to Get – The problem with click-bait is your audience doesn’t know what’s in store for them when they click on the link. This is because you’re enticing them with a secret. While avoiding this approach may result in less clicks per status update, the clicks you do receive will be motivated by genuine interest rather than passing curiosity.
Facebook Could Be Losing Its Popularity to Instagram
Synopsis: Facebook’s losing. Instagram is winning. In the past Facebook users were stalking one another day and night. Now, the social media hungry are perusing the latest selfie updates from their BFFs on Instagram.
Takeaways
Streamlined Sharing Makes Users Happy – Instagram allows users to connect their account with nearly every other social media platform including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and foursquare. This streamlined sharing ability means less time and hassle – a commodity users love.
Users Hate Advertisements – Instagram virtually has no ads. Unlike Facebook, there is no side panel of endless promotions… at least for now :)
Worthy of Note
Sharing Value is the Root of Success – The article doesn’t mention that Instagram has begun introducing “Sponsored Posts.” While these posts are definitely advertising, they aren’t often viewed as such. This is for two reasons. First, Sponsored Posts appear infrequently. Second, the privilege of Sponsored Posts was only extended to a select group of brands Instagram felt already organically shared valuable content.
Should Your Use Click Bait to Increase Engagement on Facebook?
Synopsis: Facebook’s recent algorithm changes were designed to help users see content they genuinely care about. The main focus of these updates is to crack down on click-bait, a process of enticing a user to click on a link without really knowing what the article is about.
Takeaways
Create and Share ONLY Quality Posts – Sharing often may seem like a good way for your posts to be seen. But, sharing high quality, valuable posts will help you engage your target audience.
Use Descriptive Titles – The more clear you are about what you’re sharing, the more likely you are to attract your ideal audience.
Post Meta Descriptions with Meat – Facebook now ranks link preview shares higher than all other forms of link shares. A link preview is when both an image and meta description (short synopsis of the link’s content) are displayed.
All Facebook Image Dimensions: Timeline, Posts, Ads
Synopsis: Uploading the appropriate size photo to Facebook depends on where the image will be displayed. Sizes vary wildly. And, using the right one is important if you want to control your brand image and message. This infographic allows you to quickly and easily see the best pixel width and height for any situation.
Takeaways
Upload Your Own Link Preview Image – When you use the link preview feature, Facebook automatically pulls an image from the page you are sharing. (On the infographic this is titled “SHARED LINK.”) This image is then displayed in a 484 x 252 rectangle. Often this means part of the image is cut off. However, you can replace the image with one of your choosing by simply uploading a new one. To ensure the image you upload displays properly, you’ll want to use one with a 484 x 252 ratio.
Worth of Note
Upload an Image 2 - 3 Times Larger – To ensure a high quality resolution across all devices, increase the pixel width and height of the image you upload by two or three times. This will ensure a high quality image is displayed on devices such as an iPhone 6 or retina display iPad.
Why Copyblogger Is Killing Its Facebook Page
Synopsis: Despite being one of the leading websites for content marketing and Internet entrepreneurs, Copyblogger has consistently struggled to utilize Facebook. No matter the tactics, it wasn’t a platform where their fans engaged. Nor was it a space that proved to be a lead generator. And so, October 17, 2014, Copyblogger announced they were leaving Facebook. Additionally, the post very eloquently pointed out that Facebook works for some brands and for those folks, it’s still a great platform.
Takeaways
No One Media Outlet is Right for Everyone – Just because most folks may look at you with surprise if you don’t have a Facebook page, doesn’t mean you have to have one. Not every platform is right for your audience. By taking the time to evaluate what’s working for your business and what isn’t, you’ll be able to focus your time on the areas that provide your best return on investment.
p.s. This is an example of how content curation can indeed be original.
