If you’re no stranger to social media, you know that these platforms can be pretty picky about who gets seen and who doesn’t. 

Over the years, Facebook has tweaked their algorithm slowly, deciding for you and your audience what shows up on the News Feed.

You can buy ads, which do work under the right circumstances, however – if you’re looking for organic growth and genuine engagement with your audience, you’ll be hard-pressed to find it through Facebook ads. 

So how do you work through the algorithm maze?

Well, there are 4 factors to consider:

Catalog of posts Facebook will potentially feature on your News Feed

Engagement on those posts (likes, comments, shares, clicks to that page)

Forecast for what the algorithm thinks will perform well

Overall reach of each post which is measured by a score. 

Facebook has chosen to promote quality over quantity. 

Because of this, small creators, business owners, and entrepreneurs are finding it more difficult to cultivate those genuine connections because they don’t have the engagement or following that larger entities on Facebook do. Those people, pages, and businesses already have a ton of comments, likes, and organic interactions so the algorithm favorites those entities for the most part (which makes it even easier for them to put out ads on their content that’s already doing amazing). 

It’s pretty much an echo chamber – people like this one thing so that one thing gets an algorithm boost, the new people seeing it due to the boost like it, and we’re stuck seeing the same things on repeat. 

You have to focus on the growth. You have to move back to square one and think about “Well, what gets those companies and people genuinely interested in the first place?”

Start with your content. 

Make it easy to read, easy to share, and worth their time. 

If your goal is to have people purchasing your products, make it fun for them to shop with you. Post product videos, vibrant images, and buyer testimonials.

If you want people to head to your blog or website, share your value in easy to consume blogs, create impactful and informative videos, show them the perks and benefits of what your site has to offer. 

Keep your content catered to the people who you know will find value in it. Don’t worry about what people who don’t love your content might say – you’re not showing up for them. Serve the people who want to see and hear from you. 

Remember that posting often is important, but don’t just post to post. Share with your audience when it’s relatable or valuable. 

Use your hashtags wisely. When you’re looking to tap into the local scene, be sure to equip your posts with 20-30 hashtags that are relevant to your area. Start by researching any local hashtag and see what other hashtags people are using along with it. 

Focus on genuine interaction.

When people interact with a post naturally, that looks great to the algorithm.

• Start a conversation within your post. 

• Create content that resonates with your audience. 

• Look for input or feedback from followers on your business, products, or services.

• Creating groups with like minded people who want to connect over something niched or more specific to what you can offer.

• Making sure all of these pieces are done in video, cohesive colors, authentic copy and as high quality as you can produce. 

Super important tip – reply to those who engage with you. 

When a use responds to something you post, it’s time to jump back in and respond. You can ask a follow up question here, or whatever response feels appropriate. Reply to comments, direct messages, and anywhere else people respond to your content. 

Go live. 

As you know, we’re big fans of video here at Alimond, and for a good reason. Now more than ever, any type of media that’s a video performs better than anything else you may share. 

Videos could become your biggest asset on social media because of how big of an engagement tool they are. 

People connect so much easier to a face and a voice than they do to emojis. 

When it comes to going live on Facebook, you’re more likely to experience the most engagement possible rather than an uploaded video. 

Your audience wants to feel like they’re right there with you, having the conversation person to person. 

Tap into the local scene. 

Local news is now given top status over national and global happenings. If you run a business with a smaller footprint, this should prove a smooth transition as many of your posts may already cater to your local roots.

You can establish yourself as a “local expert” and even create content that is focused on local happenings, businesses, and people. 

CTA – follow us!

Remind your viewers that the best way to never miss anything you share is to like or follow you. This CTA will be important to include in high performing posts, at the end of videos and in articles you share. Be sure to instruct them on how and where they can find you, and if they can turn on post notifications, encourage them to!

Check your insights regularly 

Insights help you keep tabs on how well your page and posts perform, including data points that cover audience demographics, how that audience engages with your content, and the best times to reach those with whom you hope to engage. 

Getting the best engagement and exposure on social media will require a bit of research but mostly paying attention to what performs well and what doesn’t. 

Overview – 

• Focus on content created for your ideal audience that provides value and generates interest in you and what you share

• Cultivate genuine interaction with your followers by using conversational questions and asking for feedback.

• Reply to comments, questions, direct messages, and pretty much anything on any platform where people can interact with you. 

• Utilize live videos

• Go local

• Remind your audience to follow you on any and all platforms

• Stay up to date on your insights and analytics

Thanks for reading our 6 tips to getting noticed despite the algorithm! You can find the Alimond team over on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (all linked below!)

Cheers,

The A Team