More than 2 billion people already have a Facebook profile and by now, every grandmother and grandfather probably knows about the platform. With such user numbers, it is almost self-explanatory that many companies also want to use Facebook to reach their customers.
Unfortunately, despite the immense number of users, it is not always easy to reach large audiences on Facebook. This is not least due to the platform itself, which actively treats company content worse through its algorithm.
However, there are many tricks and tweaks on how to stay ahead of the Facebook algorithm and even beat it can use to his advantage. Today we would like to talk a little bit about the inside and give you 9 tips on how to improve your reach on Facebook.
Billions of pieces of content are uploaded to Facebook every day. It doesn’t always help to simply stand out from the crowd because the content must of course also be seen by the users. A simple and guaranteed way to get your content in front of the right people is to use Facebook Ads.
Facebook offers companies to sponsor their content so that it can be seen by as many people as possible. Sponsoring ads has many benefits:
- Precise determination of the target group
- Many different formats
- Advertisements will also be broadcast on other platforms such as Instagram if requested
- Guaranteed range
- Precise planning and budgeting
However, there is also a big disadvantage of ads: They cost money!
For a large reach, depending on the industry and target group, it may well be that you have to dig deep into your pocket, in order to achieve your goal. Our tip: If you want to start placing ads on Facebook, start with one small budget and see if it suits you.
When you decide to advertise on Facebook, the next big question is: “How does it work?” In addition to choosing from numerous formats and defining the target groups, you must also have an understanding of the technical properties of Facebook advertising. Professional campaign planning is essential for advertising success on Facebook.
1. Group Posts
Facebook groups have been around for many years, but have rarely been used by businesses. There is enormous potential in the groups, especially since the Facebook algorithm handles posts from groups better. This is because Facebook thinks users are only members of a group if they are also interested in the topic of the group.
If you want to use Facebook groups for yourself, it is important to understand what the intentions of fans of your company are when they are active in groups. There is usually a lot of interaction in groups, and as the group owner, you should so be prepared that you have to take care of exactly this interaction. To make this possible, you have several options:
- Post interesting articles and links
- Ask open questions
- Ask users about their experiences with your product
- Start polls
- Comment a lot
The advantage of groups is that they take care of themselves after a comparatively high initial effort since members of the group can become active themselves and generate new content for you and your business.
2. User-Generated Content
The holy grail of social media marketing is receiving user-generated content, i.e. content created by users for your company. A good example, which most of you probably know, is the “Ice Bucket Challenge” from 2014. The funny internet trend that saw people dousing themselves with ice-cold water was originally a fundraiser for the nervous disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
There are several reasons why user content is so important. On the one hand, this is content that does not incur any costs. On the other hand, it is very authentic content that is passed on by word of mouth, so to speak.
The big disadvantage of this form of reach increase is the unpredictability. It is difficult to say in advance whether and to what extent a challenge or call for something will go viral. Therefore, caution is advised, a good challenge always needs a good idea and is difficult to enforce.
3. Messenger Marketing
For some companies, it makes sense to use messenger marketing to be in direct contact with customers. Messenger marketing can basically be compared very well with e-mail or newsletter marketing.
Similar to sending newsletters, caution is required here. Content that offers little or no added value for your customers quickly leads to a loss of reach. In the best case scenario, use Messenger Marketing to inform about special circumstances, which can be a sale or a new weekly ticket. Give users the feeling that they have an exclusive advantage by using the messenger, e.g. a time advantage in a discount campaign or exclusive coupons.
4. Use Popular Formats
The times when there was more text than images on the internet are long gone. Today the trend is moving from image to video content, platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have long recognized this and offer numerous options for creating videos. The Facebook algorithm has also preferred video content for some time and plays it out more frequently.
Which formats are currently preferred by the algorithms is constantly changing. It is therefore always advisable to monitor current developments and adapt your own content accordingly.
5. Keeping an eye on the competition
On the other hand, the grass is not always greener, but sometimes it’s still worth taking a look at your competitors. By keeping an eye on your direct competition, you can learn which formats and content work for them and which may not be as successful.
Competition in social media marketing does not necessarily mean your biggest competitors. It often helps to look at companies with similar target groups to learn more about successful content.
6. The keyword “Keywords”
When you write texts for your content, you should keep an eye on which words and phrases get the most attention. Many users only scan company content roughly. It is therefore important to understand which topics and subject areas are welcome.
It can be helpful to put the keyword at the beginning of the post. For example, if you are posting a recipe idea, write: “Recipe idea: ….”
7. Focus on prime time
The Facebook feed is no longer sorted chronologically, rather Facebook itself decides which posts are displayed in the users’ feeds… The reason for this is once again the Facebook algorithm. This arranges posts according to importance in order to offer people the best possible user experience on the app.
Although the algorithm often works against commercial content, there are times that you can use it to give your post more reach.
Although the newest post is not necessarily displayed first, the algorithm tries to match the feeling and maintain a timeline. So if you post when a lot of people in your target audience are on Facebook, it increases the chances that they’ll see your post.
Depending on the target audience, the time can vary greatly, but most people are only in the evening, i.e. after normal working hours, on Facebook. Even between 10 p.m. and midnight, there are often many people on the platform.
8. The right questions
In principle, posts with many interactions also achieve a greater reach. In addition to the “Like” information, the comments under a post in particular are decisive for high coverage.
Make sure to use open questions and encourage readers to interact! You can also ask your customers for personal experiences or for opinions and suggestions for the improvement of your product.
9. Shorter is better
The attention span that users spend on a social media post is relatively short. Long descriptions that don’t get straight to the point and don’t offer immediate value are often simply ignored. You want to make your post on Facebook so that it is not only seen but also read, you should make sure that you use as few characters as possible. The golden rule here is 40 to 50 characters per post.
Understanding Facebook
Unfortunately, there is no secret recipe for becoming successful on Facebook. Achieving large organic, i.e. unpaid, reach is a slow and time-consuming process.
By showing ads and optimizing your content, you can speed up this process. That’s why the most important factor for success on Facebook is understanding the platform. Stay informed about changes, follow current trends, and use the analysis options that Facebook offers you. You are also welcome to take advantage of our advice on Facebook Ads.
