Source (Note: This was the most shared image on Facebook in 2012. Food for thought for the Facebook quality team.)
Do you use memes to increase engagement on your Facebook fan page? Have you ever asked fans to like or comment on a post? If so, you might want to rethink your social content strategy. Facebook recently issued a controversial, and characteristically vague, announcement that every small business owner should be aware of. In a nutshell, they stated that they’re tweaking the EdgeRank algorithm yet again in an effort to improve the quality of content on the site. Click here to read the official statement on Facebook for Business.
Facebook vs. Memes
So what’s all the fuss about? This seemingly benign update enraged many marketers for 2 reasons. The statement specifically mentions “low quality post[s] or meme[s]” along with the previously mentioned calls to action. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been using memes on my fan pages for years with considerable success. People connect with memes for lots of reasons, and they’re a great way to show a brand’s personality or sense of humor. As an end user, my newsfeed is literally filled with memes because my friends obviously enjoy posting and sharing them. In fact, there are thousands of community pages who post memes all day long; said pages happen to be some of the most popular on the site (see the George Takei fan page, which currently has over 4.5 million fans and 2.6 million talking about it”). Based on my personal and professional experience, Facebook’s decision does not reflect actual user preference in the slightest.
Since this update contradicts user behavior, marketers are naturally skeptical as to Facebook’s motives. I won’t get into the rumors because I have no idea what motivates Zuck and company besides money. I do know that spammers often “trick” users into spreading affiliate links by asking them to share posts to express support for cancer victims and things of that nature. I wholeheartedly agree that such practices should be banned from the site and humanity in general. I mean, how anyone can exploit leukemia victims is just beyond me. But I’ve seen less of these posts lately, and I presumed Facebook was finally cracking down on this disgusting crap. Some people are indeed defending Facebook and claiming that these pages will be targeted instead of your small biz.
How to Adjust Your Small Biz Social Marketing Strategy
Will this content policy only affect the real offenders or will your brick and mortar business get punished in the process? Only time will tell, but here are 3 things you can do right away to stay within the guidelines:
- #1) Stop Using Calls to Action – I know almost everything you’ve read on the big social marketing sites said to ask fans to like posts, comment on them, etc. From now on, consider that concept totally outdated. Don’t use Facebook action words in your posts until it’s absolutely clear how they’ll be enforcing the quality guidelines.
- #2) Use Photos Without Text – Let me be clear: I seriously doubt that Facebook intends to ban images with words in them. Surely an image about your upcoming Halloween sale should include copy with the important details. But if you’re simply adding a photo to go along with your latest blog post, it might be a good idea to use a high resolution picture without any words for the time being.
- #3) Post More Text Only Status Updates- Facebook already changed its algorithm to give higher weight to text only status updates. I know from my own experience that text posts get more visibility aka reach than pictures, links, and videos. Just be sure to avoid the direct CTAs (see tip #1). For example, ask your fans a trivia question that relates to your brand or industry, but don’t instruct them to answer in the comments below.
Community Sound Off
Do you agree or disagree with Facebook’s content policy? What tips can you add to our list? Tell us in the comments below!