Just when we seem to get a grasp of our Facebook news feed and its tendencies, they change it on us. But in true form and fashion, we complain and eventually learn to accept the changes. Then we end up forgetting what all the fuss was about.
And lately, they changed our news feed algorithm. Although they kept our beloved design, you might notice the increased frequency of posts from certain people, or a lack of posts from others. So what does that mean for nonprofits?
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The good news is that you have more control over your own news feed. But it also means that your fans have control—which could be a good or bad thing. It all depends on how they feel about the quality and interaction of your posts.
Have no fear. Your nonprofit can only gain loyal supporters from the change. And there are still ways to make sure everybody sees your posts. There are two significant changes for your organization to recognize:
1. The Last 50 Matter
What it is: One of the new features includes what Facebook has coined “Last Actor.” Basically, it means that the last 50 people you interact with on Facebook are the people that you’ll see posts from in your news feed more often.
What it means: Want to get your posts into news feeds? Make your content compelling and clickable. Now more than ever, increasing interaction with your nonprofit’s page is vital. The more people you can get to actively participate with your posts (meaning: liking, commenting, sharing or even just looking through pictures) the more likely they’ll be to see your posts in the future.
And yet, there’s no proven science to making people click or be engaged. But you can help your chances. Simple tactics like adding in visual content or interactive components are more likely to get people to click. Overall, avoid dry posts. As a rule of thumb—if you wouldn’t be engaged, don’t publish it.
2. Your Most Popular Posts Will Prevail
What it is: Worried that not enough people are interacting so your posts won’t be seen? No problem. Your best posts still stand a chance—even if you weren’t on their “last 50” list. Story Bumping means that posts with maximum interaction have the opportunity to be seen by all.
What it means: Once again, this means the more interaction you get, the more people will see your post. Your most popular posts can reach beyond your normal audience interactions. That means you don’t have to be worried about an important post getting lost.
Added Bonus: Other Options to Get Your Posts Noticed
Facebook still offers the opportunity for your organization to use promoted posts, or to pin posts to the top of your page. If you have a particular post that you want to ensure everybody sees without actually promoting it, simply pin it to the top. People will see it whenever they visit your page.
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Above all, these changes shouldn’t mess with your organization’s current plan to get posts seen. If you’re already putting a consistent voice and thought into your posts, you’ll have no problem with the algorithm changes.
Have you been having trouble with the new news feed, or has your organization been loving it? Sound off in the comment section below.
