Facebook Algorithm Change: What You Need to Know
Unfortunately, along with this update, Facebook recently changed its algorithm, hurting the overall reach of brand pages. This means the organic reach of brand pages have dropped and that only about 2.5 percent of the larger brand fans will see the brand’s posts.
With constant overhauls, the joke is that Facebook is grasping for air as it sinks in to the depths of social media history right along with Myspace. The website may be hindering company reach, but it certainly is still the reigning king in most used social media platforms among adults 18 and older. This means that while it’s not easy for posts to hit your audience, it is still important to have a great page. Building a case for the importance of recruiting with social media has been done time and time again and if you aren’t using it, then you are really far behind.
The obvious place for recruiters to start is LinkedIn, but Facebook is the second most visited page to Google. Approaching the site as a recruiter looking to gain interest in a company is more of a challenge than selling a product, but still so very important. An intelligently moderated Facebook can take a dull brand image to a whole new, better level.
Get Your Page Up to Par
So you have a page and the gumption to start building a strong brand that encourages interest from applicants. Now what? The answer is 70/20/10. This simple phrase will help give you an idea of what content to include day by day. The majority of your posts (70%) should be brand or business building, meaning that they should be relevant, useful and entice the audience the company is speaking to. The 20 percent should be that of interesting content shared from other sources. This is important for creating both traffic to your page and beginning relationships with others in the industry. The remaining 10 percent is self-promotional.
Post Regularly (But Not Too Regularly)
That sounds daunting, but it really isn’t anything to be too scared of. Simply put, post every day at least once a day and don’t overload your followers with numerous posts within the hour. When to post is important, too. Facebook has higher traffic on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Know the Season
Is the office itching for shorts weather? Is it March Madness? Having posts relevant to the time of year will result in a livelier newsfeed. Who wants to see static conversation and stocky photos accompanying vague descriptions? No one does; especially not on social media where most users are looking for more casual information anyway.
Take a look at pages from companies like Starbucks and look at some of the ways they incorporate the time of the year. You may not be marketing a seasonal drink, but there’s a lot to be using to your advantage just by looking out your window.
Let Loose A Little
As mentioned, people, even professionals, are looking to social media for some casual interaction. If your posts are all business and no fun, there’s a good chance you lose the interest of your followers and struggle to up the fan base number. And let’s be honest, with 48 percent of all job seekers having a Facebook profile and 63 percent of those potential applicants doing social job hunts with the site, recruiters need to be upping those fan numbers. Create a reason to have someone stop by your page with small giveaways, specials or simply asking conversation starting questions.
This whole Facebook thing may seem like a trend some days, but the truth of the matter is that the site is still numero uno and big companies are taking advantage. If you aren’t at least trying to start a little conversation with a profile, you’re missing a big piece of potential. Having an engaging Facebook isn’t hard and can be the difference between a strong brand and that one company who does that one thing.
Has you or your team done something really effective and engaging on Facebook? Tell us what it was!