It seems like everyone and their mother (literally) is on Facebook these days. This social media platform has become a channel for everything from “selfies” to customer service, as well as a powerful tool for small businesses. “Word of mouth” has taken on a whole new level with the ability to share favorite products, services and businesses with just a few clicks.
Facebook recognized this viral novelty long ago, but only recently changed the way it manages business pages on the back end. No longer does everyone who likes your page see all of your posts unless they are new or interact regularly with your page.
How does that impact your marketing efforts and business decisions? What are your options for moving your page and your posts to the top of your targeted markets newsfeed?
The short answer? Pay for it using a sliding scale based on how many people you are after. Seems simple enough: pay to sponsor a post, get more traction, accomplish a better reach and gain new followers, right? It’s simply, “yes,” and it’s effective. But is it worth it? Not necessarily
The newsfeed currently uses an algorithm to rank content based on user behavior and perceived interests. Essentially, if an individual interacts with (likes or comments) on posts regularly, that content is more likely to show up in their newsfeed. On their advertising page, Facebook promotes two tactics. The first is delivering engaging content – ask questions, request feedback, ask for a like or a share. These actions will ensure that your posts show up in the Newsfeed as a result of the algorithm.
The second option is to pay for promotion. Facebook does not make any guarantees around reach on promoted posts but rather gives you a “budget” based on desired reach for the post. The post can be promoted for 3 days and only new posts are eligible. It will then provide analytics around who saw it organically, virally or paid so you can track how you are reaching your demographic.
In doing research, we have seen mixed reviews around using the promotion feature. While the cost of promoting your posts is low in comparison to some other online advertising costs, there is no guarantee of, as well as no clear definition of, the effectiveness. You could instead focus on providing engaging content to ramp up your views on Facebook instead of paying for promotion.
If you are looking to reach a broader market, Natimark offers services that can help you target individuals on a demographic basis as well as reporting options that will allow you to make calculated marketing decisions to grow your business.
Interested? Contact us today to find out how we can help you!