Facebook Changed The Algorithm AGAIN?
If you're a business owner with a presence on Facebook, you've probably heard the term "algorithm" but have no idea what it means. It's a pretty vague term that basically is a way for Facebook to mathematically, through AI/artificial intelligence, control how the user experiences Facebook. For businesses, part of this means that the algorithm determines their organic reach -- or, in other words, how many Facebook users you can reach without spending any money. So, let me simplify this: if you like to post on your Facebook business page (not your personal page) about your business, you've probably noticed that lately almost NO ONE sees the posts. You could have hundreds or thousands of followers that you've grown over the years and after posting something on Facebook, it could be like 3 people who see your post and maybe 1 person will actually engage with the post by liking/reacting or commenting. Years ago, almost everyone who followed or liked your business page would get to see ALL of your posts in their newsfeed. Now it's a VERY small percentage. That's really frustrating right? That’s the algorithm changing…. Facebook keeps whittling down the amount of people you can reach organically.
So what are you supposed to do?
Just posting to your Facebook business page is always free. But if you want to reach more people now that the algorithm has changed, you can boost Facebook page posts for a small fee so that more of your followers can see more of your posts. For just $5-$10 per boosted post, it's not a huge investment and you can test the waters a little bit. Boosting to your followers is always good because your followers know who you are -- they're not strangers, they might have already purchased from you or are your clients. So you do want to get in front of them as much as possible. The other option is really to venture more into full on Facebook advertising (boosting is just one small part) and this is ultimately part of why the Facebook algorithm keeps changing. The fewer people you can reach organically, means the more money you are likely to spend to reach more people on Facebook...and that’s more money in Facebook’s pocket. Facebook makes money by advertising. And if you use Facebook advertising right, so can you. It can be a win-win situation. I got my start in social media marketing management back in 2011, which basically involved a lot of Facebook page postings. At that time, everyone following a Facebook page would see the posts and you could get a lot of organic, or in other terms, free, exposure. It was great! But I discovered -- even back then when everyone could see the posts and you didn't need to boost them -- that you could only get so far with just organic reach. So I proposed advertising to a few of my clients. With their blessing, I dabbled in Facebook ads, Google adwords, Twitter...you name it! I quickly discovered that Facebook ads were the way to go because you have so much control over who you can target and your message. You can narrow in on location, specific interests, competitors, and demographics. For example, if you’re running a guitar lessons business who primarily teaches middle aged men, you can target those middle aged men who have shown an interest in Gibson, Fender or even specific bands/guitarists. Beyond just the incredible targeting option, anyone can do it. That means you! Google adwords is another great platform and I would put it almost at the same level of Facebook advertising, but the #1 reason it’s not as great is that it’s not that feasible for small businesses to use because it's so much more expensive….even when you do it right.
After discovering how beneficial Facebook ads can be for businesses, I decided to specialize exclusively in Facebook ads….and that’s all I do today. I now help businesses use the changing algorithm to their advantage so they can be more profitable. I help them build, strategize and manage successful Facebook advertising campaigns so they can grow their businesses to new heights. Back in 2013, you could reach most of your Facebook page audience without spending any money. And now you can't in 2019 because of the algorithm. But there’s really no point in getting frustrated...what you need to do is start strategically working WITH the algorithm, stop complaining about it, and instead start using paid Facebook advertising as soon as you can. If you want to do more than just simple Facebook page boosting here and there, then you need to dive deeper in Facebook ads so that you can reach new customers and you can grow your business this year. Start by speaking with a Facebook advertising expert who can help make sure your campaign gets off on the right start.
I've seen Facebook ads take struggling businesses to six figure and multi-six figure businesses. It's really incredible. Check out some of the case studies from the campaigns that me and my agency manage and you might learn a thing or two that could help your business with Facebook ads.
Have you ever had your Facebook ad account analyzed by an expert to see what's working, what's not and to advise you on the BEST next steps to take in order to optimize your campaign?
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