During our most recent #SMTLive Twitter chat (and the first one of 2018), I asked the group one timely and important question: Are you planning to change your Facebook strategy with the update? Why or why not? And do you have any advice on how to tackle this change?
Q4 – Are you planning to change your Facebook strategy with the update? Why or why not? And do you have any advice on how to tackle this change? #SMTLive
— Social Media Today (@socialmedia2day) January 16, 2018
Given the uproar Facebook’s latest News Feed update caused, I was expecting a collective “yes, of course we are changing our strategy” from the group. Instead, I saw a well-thought-out “probably not” response from everyone.
A4: Probably won’t change my strategy too much, except utilizing Groups more often & relying on paid posts to reach our audience. #SMTlive
— Cree Jones (@jones_cree) January 16, 2018
I’m going to start going live. I have to stop being camera shy
— Dhariana Lozano (@DhariLo) January 16, 2018
Another chat participant made the important point that Facebook has been a “pay-to-play” game for a while now. Facebook page engagement has been on the decline over the past year, so anyone who’s been managing a brand’s Facebook page has been fighting this battle for quite some time now.
A4: organic reach on #Facebook has been dead a long long times anyways. Less than 1% saw your content, so you have to PAY TO PLAY in the Zuck’s world! #SMTLive
— Joe Gill (@joegill88) January 16, 2018
Most chat participants said the same thing: there is no need to completely reinvent the wheel, but there are other avenues that are sure to increase Facebook engagement that should be explored. In particular, I saw a repeated emphasis on Facebook groups, Facebook Live and Facebook ads.
Q4: Experimenting with FB groups is my advice. Groups will be treated like friends and family in the news feed, as long as there is activiuty without engagement based posts. Do some analysis to see if there’s any big groups in your industry for ideas and differentiators #SMTLive
— Mikey Two Scoops (@MikeTrakalo) January 16, 2018
Shows people are listening to Facebook’s advice. As Adam Mosseri (Facebook’s Head of News Feed) stated:
“Page posts that generate conversation between people will show higher in News Feed. For example, live videos often lead to discussion among viewers on Facebook – in fact, live videos on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos. Many creators who post videos on Facebook prompt discussion among their followers, as do posts from celebrities. In Groups, people often interact around public content. Local businesses connect with their communities by posting relevant updates and creating events. And news can help start conversations on important issues.”
What I took away from this brief discussion is that most of us are aware of what it takes to build and manage a brand presence on Facebook, but how do we actually create those engaging videos and Facebook groups people want to be a part of?
So with all of this in mind, we have another Twitter chat today (1/30/18) to talk about the best ways to win the Facebook marketing game in 2018. We’ll be on Twitter on the #SMTLive stream chatting at the same time as always — 12pm EST.