302.382.0410
302.382.0410
Facebook didn’t grow into a Goliath like beast by being stupid. They saw an opportunity to capitalize on the massive influx of businesses using their social platform to boost their popularity online.
EdgeRank is the name that was given to Facebook’s new algorithm, or procedure, that determines what content your friends and followers see in their Timeline. If Facebook determines that your post, image, or status update is not relevant to your fans, then your content will not be displayed. This new-found filtering, has led them to introduce the concept of a Promoted Post. A promoted post is when you, the author, pay a small fee to Facebook in order to ensure your information is seen by your fan base.
A smart way for Facebook to create a source of easy revenue, but a not so good tactic for those of us that intend on using Facebook to build brand awareness.
The EdgeRank algorithm uses three factors to score the relevancy of your post.
Affinity – How often are your fans interacting with your post
Weight – Are they showing your posts some love with Likes, comments or shares
Decay – The age of the posting. The older the post, the less relevant your content becomes.
Love it or hate it, the EdgeRank system is here to stay! I for one think it’s a great way to filter content, and ensure the crème rises to the top. Just think of how cluttered your news feed would be, if you had to view every update from every page that you’ve chosen to Like. It also forces business owners to really use the social site as it was designed, and not just post every once in a while because they read on some marketing blog that being on Facebook was a good idea.
You really have to be in it to win it!
But how do you fight the pick and chose selection style of EdgeRank, and continue to build your audience? Well, I’ve come up with a few tactics that you can employ today to combat the fading image of your social identity.
Encourage interaction
Ask your followers to comment, Like or share your posts. Too many of us are scared to command people to do things for our benefit. But in this case, if they choose to ignore your content, it might mean the death of your exhausting social efforts. If your content is worth their actions, then you should have no problem getting your fans to comply with your request.
Example: “If you like this picture, be sure to give us the Thumb-Up and share it with your friends!”
Leaving a question open-ended is an invite for your readers to fill in the blanks. You’ll see this tactic implemented on a ton of business pages, and it always yields great results.
The human mind has to physically resist not filling in the blank. Our natural desire is to see the thought finished. Oh the power of psychology!
Example: “My favorite part about living in Clinton, IA is _________”
Post images often
Still the number one most shared piece of digital content, posting pictures is a great way to help increase your EdgeRank score. But be sure to include images that standout. They have to be funny, weird and amazing! Think about the images you’ve commented on in the past. Were they just random shots of boring stuff?
“But I don’t want people to get annoyed with me?” They won’t! Again, you have to remember that upward of 50% of your fans aren’t even seeing your posts. If you chose to limit your posts to only three or so a week, you can pretty much jack that number up to 99.9%. Posting at least three times a day will increase your visibility. DO NOT post the same thing three times! If you choose to recycle your earlier posts, which is always a good idea, then you should add a new post for every repeat.
You don’t have to follow these guidelines to the letter, but by incorporating these four tactics into your daily Facebook routine you’ll grow your overall EdgeRank score, and plaster your stuff all over your fan’s Timeline! The main reason we started using Facebook, at least for business, was to engage with customers, and build brand awareness.
But don’t forget that it takes two people to hold a conversation. Be sure to reciprocate the favor, and comment back!
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photo credit: Daveybot via photopin cc
photo credit: quinn.anya via photopin cc