Facebook algorithm is changing – adios, memes
In an effort to improve their news feed, Facebook is updating their algorithm in short order to surface “high quality” articles that users are more likely to click on, openly stating they will demote “meme photos” and over-shared links that are not as informative.
They will also begin promoting more news articles to users, stating that their research shows people enjoy coming across them more than they do pictures of landscapes with inspirational quotes, or shots of cats with silly phrases. They will begin displaying “relevant” articles underneath links in the news feed that readers have recently opened, with the idea that this will expose them to something else of interest.
And Facebook admits organic reach is dropping
This week, writer Cotton Delo revealed a sales deck from Facebook that acknowledges a reduction in organic traffic over time. The deck states, “For many Pages, this includes a decline in organic reach. We expect this trend to continue…”
They also indicated that paid advertising is the best way to increase visibility, noting, “As the dynamic nature of News Feed continues to follow people’s patterns of sharing, Page owners should continue using the most effective strategy to reach the right people: a combination of engaging Page posts and advertising to promote your message more broadly. Advertising lets Pages reach the fans they already have and find new customers as well.”
Some took this as a confession from Facebook that they are reducing the organic reach of Facebook page posts so they can suck money out of companies in the form of advertising, while others assert it is not a conscious effort, rather an acknowledgement that Facebook is getting noisier and to cut through the noise, brands must be engaging and may have to pony up to increase visibility.
So is any of this true?
Digital media expert, Brian Carter to find out if any of this is true, and if so what we’re supposed to do in light of all of these potential changes:
Please note that we had a technical issue with Google+ and Brian Carter’s test title under his name remained as his actual title for the duration of the broadcast, and we apologize, please disregard.
