Besides brand exposure, branding & marketing businesses can gain valuable insight into their customers and how they perceive their brand in the real world.
Recent scandals such as the Cambridge Analytica scam (where the company was accused of using improper means to obtain personal data from Facebook accounts of people) have left the digital marketing industry scrambling for new regulations to ensure that users' personal information is protected and that the platform allows only specific content. Every brand and business using Facebook as an advertising/publicity platform (which is pretty much all of them) must familiarize themselves with the essential updates rolled out in response to recent security breaches and publicity the social media mogul has received.
It's not all bad news for brands, however. Some of the latest updates and features can benefit legitimate businesses looking to establish a niche in the market. These are the top features you need to know to optimize your Facebook marketing strategy.
The New Facebook Algorithm
Many pieces of content could be displayed in a user's Facebook feed when they log in. Facebook uses four main factors to decide what content gets displayed: Inventory (all content), Signals (how content is being used), Predictions (what the user might also enjoy), and Overall Score.
Signals determine which type of promoted content is shown to users. Facebook has simplified what constitutes a Signal. Previously, various user-behavior variables determined which stories appeared in people's newsfeeds. An example: something the user actively engages in (such as comments, likes, shares, and likes) will rank higher than passive interaction, such as hovering, clicking, watching or hovering.
This algorithm change by Facebook is intended to create more personalized content for users and encourage meaningful engagement. Facebook, for example, announced that it would prioritize content from friends and family in users' news feeds.
What does this all mean for brands positioning themselves well on Facebook? Brands must create content that people engage with on an operational level, as outlined above. Your friends comment and share. It's easier said than done. After all, every company has aimed to create compelling content since inception (the old saying "content king" comes to my mind). The new algorithm will help eliminate some clickbait and low-quality content. This is a positive spine.
The GDPR Has New Rules
The rollout of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) has been the buzzword in digital media this year. This piece of European legislation went into effect on May 25th. Facebook has millions of European users, so it must comply with these new regulations. Facebook had to maintain a privacy page on its website that informed users about how they used their data before GDPR's implementation. Facebook had to obtain explicit permission from all users to collect and use their data in the same way they had before. Each user was asked to grant permission to use their data, whether they were in the US or abroad. Facebook has also updated its privacy settings to give users more data control.
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Crackdown On Click Bait
With Facebook's growing popularity, more and more businesses joined the site to increase website traffic. Clickbait became a standard feature on Facebook. These articles asked for users to engage or made other vague attempts to get them to do this.
Facebook decided to take steps to reduce the amount of garbage content it hosts after some bad press. Facebook introduced algorithms to detect clickbait headlines that included commonly used phrases (such as "like, comment," and "you won't believe what happened next." The algorithm automatically lowers a post's ranking in the social network's News Feed if it detects such language. This is important for your brand. To ensure your content isn't flagged or degraded in rankings, check out Facebook's new policies on clickbait.
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Free Sound Library
Facebook recently released a sound library for video content creators in a less reactive update. This is a testimony that Facebook wants to keep content the same but to ensure that the majority is valuable.
Content creators have access to the sound library. They can use it to create videos and edit them without worrying about copyright infringement. Although the library is limited at present, it will grow.
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Partner Categories
Facebook uses sophisticated data to position relevant content before users. Facebook didn't rely solely on its platform to determine which users to target before the Cambridge Analytica scandal. They purchased data from other companies. Your Vons card? Your Vons card?
Facebook has wanted to avoid another PR disaster after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. They preemptively ended their partnerships before they were subject to more criticism for privacy invasion. It is currently being phased down.
Marketers and advertisers must either rely on Facebook's reliable first-party data, which covers offline consumer behavior less well or get third-party information from... well, a 3rd party. Although such data is not usually free, some services like Oracle allow businesses to purchase access to offline consumer data.
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Extended Video Metrics
Facebook isn't pulling back, but they still throw marketers a bone now and then. Facebook added two metrics to its data analytics for videos. Please, more video content.
The first shows the traffic breakdown between followers and unfollowers. This gives you great insight into whether you are getting exposure to new customers. The second provides an analysis by gender of audience members, which can provide valuable insight for targeting audiences and keeping these big data in mind when developing your product.
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A/B Testing
Facebook A/B Testing is a significant feature we are excited to see. Marketers can now test different images and copy on the same post to determine which gets more reach and engagement. Suppose you need more space for good content. In that case, you can identify the problem with the headline copy and featured image and optimize each post accordingly. Social media strategists and campaign managers can evaluate different optimization options and ensure that they retain valuable engagement with quality content.
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Product Ads In Marketplace Listings
Facebook Marketplace is Facebook's Craigslist. Locals can sell or buy items on Facebook Marketplace. The company added the ability to place product ads on the Marketplace in June. This was to compensate for the hit they took in clearing out the News Feeds of clickbait and ads. The boost feature is limited to local zip codes, and the options for targeting audiences will be less extensive than those available in Facebook's Ads Manager. This makes it an excellent choice for selling your bike. However, it could be better if you are trying to sell organic beauty products. It will only sometimes land in the right places. It will adjust the content according to the clicks of users.
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Cross-Posting Between Facebook And Instagram
It's as easy as it sounds. You can connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts and only need to post from one location. This must be done via Facebook and cannot go the opposite way (i.e. from Instagram to Facebook). This can save you a lot of time. Professional social media strategists suggest that you vary your content between platforms for various reasons. First, it is common for Instagram, Facebook and Twitter followers to see the same content. Over time, it can feel spammy for them to see the same content on all three platforms. Each platform has its language, so what is appropriate on one platform may be different on the other. Twitter is one of these platforms that aims to restrict the use of identical content to reduce bot postings.
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Non-Profit Fundraising Tool
Facebook's new fundraising tool was launched in 2016. However, it was only available to register non-profit organizations with the IRS. This severely limited those who could use the platform to raise charity funds. This has been updated. Facebook allowed public figures and brands to promote fundraising campaigns through their pages. However, the movement must originate from a non-profit.
Facebook also allows multiple people to manage the campaign with an invitation. This is similar to how various people can organize an event on Facebook with an invitation from the administrator.
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Instant Articles
Publishers who use social media to distribute their content (most of them) can now have instant articles. Instant articles are a great way to keep your branding intact, even when you access them through Facebook.
Facebook has recently introduced a "real-time" feature that calculates how long it will take for users to read an article. Publishers can now see which content is getting more attention and can use this information to create content that will drive website traffic and generate user interest.
While it has stopped many features, which caused panic in the digital marketing ad campaign industry, it also introduced new features that encourage brands and publishers to create great content. They must balance the interests of users and businesses' interests and their own interests to keep people on the platform engaged. This is a crucial task for all parties involved. Some of these updates and changes will impact operations depending on what type of business or brand you are. But, with great content and a digital media strategy, these changes can be used to your advantage and help you push your content above the rest.
