Strategies to Increase Social Media Engagement After Recent Algorithmic Changes

In June of 2018, Facebook changed its algorithm to provide a more personalized experience for users.

For most people who use the social media site, this was a positive change. It meant more authentic engagement with users who mattered to them – more content from family and good friends. Seeing more relevant, personally-meaningful content is something that users directly asked for, so when it was announced by company founder Mark Zuckerberg, users largely rejoiced.

However, the change in Facebook’s algorithm has had a major impact on the way businesses market with social media. Strategies to increase social media engagement that has once been fool-proof no longer worked. What was once an easy avenue for creating contact with consumers has become a much trickier proposition. How do you utilize Facebook to stay in touch with your consumer base without invading their carefully-crafted personal bubble that the site has gone to such length to help them create? Here are some strategies to increase social media engagement that work, even after Facebook’s major changes:

Engagement Bait is no longer a sound strategy to increase Social Media engagement.

Engagement bait – or the use of phrases and posts to entice engagement where it might not otherwise exist – is no longer a sound strategy to increase social media engagement. Because of Facebook’s recent push toward more authentic, meaningful content being presented on users’ news feeds, businesses will be forced to create more organically engaging content to remain relevant to their consumers.

Video as a Source of Meaningful Engagement

Facebook’s new setup limits the amount of text that can be presented with advertisements. This obviously limits the amount of information that can be shared with consumers. However, using video is one smart and sensible way around this rule, as text presented through video is not limited this way. Videos are also great for encouraging engagement in a natural way, as people are simply more likely to watch and respond to a video that they might be to a text or photo advertisement.

Understand the Engagement Drop

It can be very disheartening to receive the information regarding your company’s Facebook engagement and see that your numbers have drastically dropped. However, because of the changes in the algorithm and presentation of your content to users, this is completely normal and to be expected. Since previous numbers were artificially inflated – they reflected the number of users on whose timelines ads appeared, rather than who actually saw these ads – your new numbers will naturally be much smaller. However, you can use the new numbers as a way of seeing who is actually interacting with your content and create strategies to increase social media engagement that will actually impact the target audience your company is focusing on.

Create Better Content

It may seem like common sense, but content is king when marketing online. Work together with your marketing team to create posts that pose thought-provoking questions or offer topics that inspire real discussion among those who see them. Creating timely, relevant posts regarding how your brand fits into the discussions of the day will show consumers that you’re aware of and care about the role your company plays in the world around you – and about how those consumers perceive you. Invest the time to create real, engaging content and your readers will return your investment with authentic responses that help you grow your business naturally.

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About 4 Step Studio

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