Many companies assume that by posting regularly on their Facebook pages they are engaging consumers to their fullest potential. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Even brands that post five to seven times per week reach only about 16% of their fans, according to a comScore report. Facebook has given its users a “Reach Generator” tool to stay constantly updated on their brand’s Facebook reach.
EdgeRank is an algorithm used by Facebook to present the most relevant content to its fans. It uses three elements to determine the value of the content: affinity, weight, and time. Affinity shows aspects like page visits and how often your fans are engaged with your brand’s content. The weight element determines content’s popularity and fan engagement that your posts receive, for example, likes and comments. Time deals with aging content as it becomes less relevant and fades from users’ new feeds. As a brand, it is important to understand the EdgeRank system and be aware of which content is the most significant to your fans. Start expanding your reach today by following these five guidelines:
1. Know Your Audience
It makes logical sense that the more pertinent information that you provide to your fans, the more likely they are to interact. Therefore, it is more likely that your brand will appear at the top of their news feed. Focusing on the historical consumption patterns of your fans will help your brand improve and create more engaging content in the future. As a brand you are able to see where, when, and how fans are consuming your content. Are your fans using a mobile device at work or their computer late at night? Simple information like this can drastically help a brand decide when to post and what to post in order to attract a response from fans.
2. Practice Brevity
Keeping your posts short, sweet, and to the point is essential in the world of social media. For many fans, Facebook is a recreational website and they are likely to avoid reading a long post about a brand. By providing your fans with brief rather than lengthy content, your brand is less likely to be overlooked on the news feed. Keep your fans interested by posting about current events, holidays, and exciting news consistently written in your brand’s voice. Also, be clear with your fans. Ask your fans to “like” or share a photo and they will be more inclined to follow through.
3. Mind Your Content
Quality content is observably the most successful approach to drive fans interaction. Photos are the most engaging form of content because they are easy to consume and almost unavoidable on the news feed. Ask your fans questions and for their opinions to encourage a response. Using the word “would” in posts proves to generate the greatest interaction because it allows fans to agree with simply a “like”.
4. Engage!
There is nothing a fan appreciates more than knowing their voice is being heard. This is why it is imperative to respond to your fans’ questions, comments, and concerns. Do not overlook a post if a fan is complaining about your brand; show attention to their complaint and attempt to solve the problem. This shows to all of the fans viewing your Facebook page that you are interested in what they have to say, positive or negative.
5. Turn Your Fan’s Friends into Fans
A tool called “Facebook Insights” allows administrators to view the potential reach with the “Friends of Fans” metric. Someone is more likely to visit a brand’s page if they see that their friends are fans. Another way to target prospective fans is with Facebook Ads. With this tool you can reach friends of fans, your competitor’s fans, as well as your own fans.
By learning what types of content your fans are attracted to and delivering this content to them, you can significantly expand your social media reach and the success of your brand.
