Your business just created a Facebook post that your consumers are going to love! So why isn’t it getting any views, comments and likes? Facebook altered its algorithm this year to prioritize posts from family and friends. While this change makes it easier to see what your personal contacts are up to, it also means that businesses are struggling to reach their audiences. What do you do to adapt and grow? Here are five tips to improve your business’ organic reach and get back on top.

  1. Publish videos- Facebook favors videos more than other content. In fact, Social Media Today explains that they have a 135% greater organic reach than photo posts. It’s important to know how people interact with videos. According to Sproutsocial, 85% of Facebook users watch videos with the sound off. To ensure that users don’t skip over your videos, add captions that they can read as they follow along. Live videos can boost engagement even more by helping businesses engage with their followers in real-time. People are interested in what is happening at that very moment and will spend 3 times longer watching a live video compared to one that is prerecorded. 
  2. Run contests– Incentives can easily influence people to engage more.“Receive a FREE coupon when you take our survey,” “Caption this photo for a chance to WIN $100!” There are tons of fun and creative ways to have users interested in becoming involved. Depending on what your goal is, your entry method can help you to gain emails lists, draw traffic to your website, increase the likes and followers on your page, etc.
  3. Promote your Facebook on other channels– Get people searching and connecting with you on Facebook by utilizing the other channels you are active on. Have one of your tweets link to Facebook, put your Facebook account in your Instagram bio, make your social media visible on your website. Sending out an email blast? Remind viewers in the email to follow you on Facebook with a link that redirects them straight to your page. Taking advantage of other platforms can help to build the audience you are looking for.
  4. Use images- Think about it. When you’re scrolling through your newsfeed, what captures your eye, a bold visual or plain text? Although it is not as powerful as video, Facebook still favors photos overs posts with only text. Receive more attention by pairing your content with stock photos, infographics and promo images. You can also use this strategy to show off your brand’s personality by showcasing photos of your business behind the scenes. Include images of the workspace, staff members, events, company outings and anything that gives users a better idea of the organization behind the Facebook page.   
  5. Strategize the time you post- It’s always useful to know what time and days your audience members are the most active as well as what times are the cheapest if you are paying to boost a post. Researchers have found that content posted between 9am and 3pm sparks the most engagement. According to AdEspresso, Sundays are the cheapest days to place ads, while Tuesdays and Thursdays have the highest cost per click. Regularly checking your Facebook insights will help you to determine a schedule that brings the most interaction to your page.

Get started! With changes to the social media environment, there is always the need to adapt and learn what works. These examples will help to improve your organic reach and keep you relevant. If you are just starting out and looking for other ways to increase your follower base, it can also be a good idea to put some of your marketing budget towards boosting posts. Paid Facebook ads guarantee a certain number of users will be reached and increase your chances of receiving clicks, responses and new followers. Now that you have read over some of our tips, it is time to craft some Facebook posts. Contact us if you need help getting started!