On January 11, 2018, Mark Zuckerberg made a Facebook post declaring a major change to the way that Facebook is being built. “The research shows that when we use social media to connect with people we care about, it can be good for our well-being,” he said. “We can feel more connected and less lonely, and that correlates with long-term measures of happiness and health. On the other hand, passively reading articles or watching videos—even if they’re entertaining or informative—may not be as good. Based on this, we’re making a major change to how we build Facebook. I’m changing the goal I give our product teams from focusing on helping you find relevant content to help you have more meaningful social interactions.”
So, what does this mean for Houston businesses on Facebook? In his post, Zuckerberg stated, “The first changes you’ll see will be in News Feed, where you can expect to see more from your friends, family, and groups.” With a family-first mindset, third-party organizations will definitely be pushed to the side. This will either be a good thing or bad thing for your business, depending on how you react. Some brands will continue to navigate Facebook as they always have, but by choosing to adapt to these algorithm changes, you will essentially be choosing to stand out from the crowd.
In between the lines, Zuckerberg included a few marketing steps that we can take to stand out in our Facebook posts and, spoiler alert, it’s all good.
An overall theme of how you should be approaching Facebook: Be a creator!
Here’s what we mean:
1) Create relevant content. Facebook will prioritize what people are genuinely connecting with. Clickbait or posts just for the sake of posting will hurt your business. Focus your time on quality over quantity and create a brand presence that is valuable to your followers.
2) Create meaningful interactions. Comments, comments, comments! Facebook wants to see that you are sparking discussion. This does not include engagement bait. Instructing people to comment or react to your post will decrease your value in the Facebook algorithm. Instead, put your effort into finding what excites your followers. Why are they following you?
3) Create Live Videos. Zuckerberg specifically says, “We’ve seen people interact way more around live videos than regular ones. Some news helps start conversations on important issues. But too often today, watching video, reading news, or getting a page update is just a passive experience.” This is a huge red flag for anyone who is not currently creating live videos: You should be! Give people an authentic glimpse behind the scenes of what you do. This will be categorized as meaningful content, no matter how it’s executed.
4) Create and foster a community. This may be the most important focus for businesses on Facebook: Do not talk at your followers. Foster a community that is interactive and meaningful. Consider what your followers have in common and actively seek out ways to make them feel like they are a part of something.
If you aren’t sure the best way to approach becoming a digital creator for your brand, reach out to Studio Brand Collective at 713-863-1141 for a free consultation! We help clients across the Houston area curate meaningful, relevant social media brands.
