source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudumomo/5476683654/
The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly – Facebook News Feed Update Bad for Business?
The most recent update to the Facebook News Feed is getting a lot attention. The brain-trust at Facebook is trying to provide more value to its users while simultaneously combating businesses and users who have cracked the code and are gaming the system to get virality for their posts.
Great Content Still Wins
Many businesses are worried about new News Feed update and what it will mean for the reach, engagement, and overall value of their Facebook posts. But, fear not, if you’re creating great content (not just memes, but actual stories and articles of value), you will be rewarded instead of punished. One way to ensure that your articles stay atop the News Feed is to continue to post things that generate engagement from your users.
According to a recent article by MarketingLand.com, comments will now weigh more heavily into the equation. Of course, engagement is often the wind that marketers are trying to catch, and it can be a fickle thing. Once you get it, don’t forget to have your supporters rate your business on Facebook.
Interview with Lars Backstrom
Peter Kafka at AllThingsD caught up with one of the brain-trust and asked him some specific questions about the impetus for this change and how the Facebook leaders expect it to change things moving forward. Check out his article and interview.
Where’s my Facebook Post? (The Panda Ate It)
Even Matt Cutts couldn’t resist comparing this update to Google’s algorithm change, Panda. His tweet must have set off alarm bells at any business that was negatively impacted when Google first unveiled Panda.
Memes Downgraded
The biggest change I’ve seen discussed with this Facebook update is the fact that memes (the ones not hosted on Facebook) are going to be downgraded in favor of articles with substance and engagement. For now, the type of post will be less influential (if it has any bearing at all) and the source of the post will be what qualifies the post as valuable. So, if your posts suddenly drop from instant viral success to no one but mom saw it, then I guess you know what Facebook thinks of thinks of the work you’ve been doing up this point.
The question is, how difficult will it be to change, and can a business with no reputation really move the needle without buying Facebook ads to help create that engagement. My magic 8-ball says this update will be good for business (for Facebook ad revenue business that is).
Here’s to hoping that this update creates a real relationship between quality content, user experience, and Facebook visibility.
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