Facebook/Instagram algorithm changes rolling out

For years, we've wondered how Facebook, which also owns Instagram, sets up users' newsfeeds. Recently, Facebook has been a bit more transparent in informing users on how they see their newsfeeds and why they see certain posts when they do.

A lot more of that transparency, coupled with several changes, are becoming more clear than ever before. It's good and bad from a marketing standpoint.

In an article that posted on techcrunch.com in March, "Facebook denies its algorithms are a problem, but launches a tool to more easily view a non-algorithmic News Feed," it says, "Following years of backlash over its algorithms and their ability to push people to more extreme content, which Facebook continues to deny, the company (March 31, 2021) announced it would give its users new tools to more easily switch over to non-algorithmic views of their News Feed."

When Facebook initially announced nearly 20 years (Yes. That's what I said. It launched in 2004), posts were seen by users in the order of which posts were made chronologically. That held up for several years until Facebook changed that. What was set up was a algorithm formula that calculated how users engaged with posts and pages, and used that data to organize users' newsfeeds.

That practice has been heavily scrutinized in recent years with arguments including swaying elections, pushing agendas and so forth.

Like the article said, Facebook has decided to not only make changes, but also be transparent into what the changes are and what can be expected going forward.

Facebook is focusing on giving the users more control of what they see or don't see in their newsfeed, rather than a computer calculation. Facebook is enhancing the user experience. That's good for users, worrisome for marketers. Among those changes is the creation of a favorites option in your newsfeed settings.

Users are able to set up to 30 favorites of either friends or pages that they want as top priority in their newsfeeds.

Here are some other changes to be aware of:

• The feed filter bar on mobile will be more accessible.
• Give users information about why they're seeing the posts they are.
• Opportunities to reach more people than just your followers organically.
• Users may see suggested posts or business pages based on where they are physically located in real time. (I'm researching how Apple's privacy setting and other cookie tracking changes impact this)
• Suggesting posts and pages to non-followers who have friends who interact with business pages.
• Removing 'like' button to just 'follow'.
• Increased reliance on hashtags in Facebook posts.

These are some big-time changes for Facebook, which also includes Instagram in some capacity. Giving the user more control will be a win for users and their trust in Facebook. As noted in previous blog posts, trust in Facebook is dwindling and doing so rapidly. This is certainly an effort to address that by Facebook.

Here are some other points to keep in mind going forward:

• Organic reach continues to drop to around 2%. Say if you have 1,000 followers (not likes) of your Facebook page, that means only 20 people are seeing your post, on average. Just a few years ago, that number was above 6%. The reason for that is because there is so much traffic on Facebook, the window to see posts is much smaller than it was, say, 10 years ago. That's one reason the algorithm model was created, to try and help users see content believed to be important to them based on engagement history.
• Using engagement-bait copy such as "like this post" or "share this post" is heavily dropping organic reach. Essentially, let the content (which includes video or photo) do the talking. Make it engaging, rather than ask for it.
• Facebook wants users to stay on platform. So, posting outbound links are diminishing a page's organic reach, too.
• When it comes to hashtagging, it appears 1-2 hashtags will be the recommended way to go. 3-5 hashtags will be sketchy. Any more than that will be troublesome and diminish organic reach. It'll be recommended to hashtag location, too.

A couple last-point statistics to keep in mind (Source: G/O Digital June Study):

• 60 percent of consumers visit Facebook page before visiting brick-and-mortar location or website.
• 80 percent of consumers are more inclined to purchase from a business if they find a credible, authentic Facebook page as associated with a business.
• 62 percent of consumers say Facebook is the most important and useful social media channel to research small businesses.

Here is a handy reference guide from Facebook.