How to Work with Facebook’s 2017 Algorithm

Facebook’s algorithm decides which of the many available posts a user sees in their News Feed every day.

The algorithm takes a lot of factors into consideration when ranking a post: whether the user has responded to similar topics in the past, whether they interact frequently with the poster, what kind of content it is, whether the post has already received significant engagement, etc.

We’ll never know every single detail of Facebook’s algorithm, but we can get a sense of the core principles: content that consistently gets positive engagement. We also know that Facebook is constantly updating its algorithm. That means you can (and should) make small changes to take advantage of Facebook’s latest preferences.

Here’s what you can do now to get more views for your posts:

Try a Facebook Live Video

Videos have been the #1 kind of post for engagement for a long time. This is because they visually draw users in and lead people to spend more time looking at your post. Lately, Facebook has been pushing its Live videos. This means that a Live video is more likely to end up near the top of users’ News Feeds. So even if you haven’t tried “Going Live” before, give it a shot! Live videos don’t have to be perfectly polished and can be a great way to show your brand’s authenticity.

Something as simple as a Q&A video can generate a lot of engagement. Or try showing a Live video of your business’s next seminar or big event. Just make sure that you have some talking points ready ahead of time. You can also set a notification that you’ll be going Live ahead of time, so your fans know to tune in.

Use Reactions

Since Facebook introduced “Reactions,” they’ve weighted the Love, Wow, and Haha options move heavily than simple likes. This means that getting reactions from your fans can give a boost to your posts. You can encourage reactions in the old-fashioned way, for example by posting a funny story to elicit “Haha” reactions.

You can also encourage your fans to use the reaction buttons more directly. Some brands use Reactions to hold a poll in their posts. For example, check out this Live poll Sofia Vergara made using Reactions:

This kind of poll encourages lots of engagement from your followers and puts you on the right side of Facebook’s algorithm.

Avoid Clickbait

Facebook has started making serious efforts to cut down on sensationalized, clickbait stories. To avoid ending up on the wrong side of this development, keep your headlines direct and honest. That means keeping exaggeration to a minimum and never starting a post with “You won’t believe…” People appreciate real and accurate information, so trust in the power of your content and be upfront about it. You’ll win points with your followers and with Facebook.

Our last piece of advice is to keep an eye out for updates to Facebook’s algorithm. These will usually be posted on Facebook’s News Room, and we’ll keep you informed on Social Image. Facebook is constantly updating its algorithm, so we have to be ready to make changes too.

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