The Zuck was clearly listening to Hodges Starters

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Just hours after our most recent Hodges Starters event (where we discussed the importance of supporting your content with ad dollars), Facebook announced its latest tweak to the newsfeed algorithm—part of which was yet another blow to organic reach for brands. Ok, so maybe the timing was sheer coincidence, but the gist of the announcement is that the social network is listening to its user base (read: trying to stay relevant) and will begin prioritizing friend content, which users say they want to see more of, over brand content in the newsfeed. So, what’s the big deal? It means that brands will have greater competition for audience eyes and therefore likely see further decreases to organic reach, which is currently at 2-3% of a page’s total fan base.  

With organic reach that low, does that mean business should abandon the platform all together? Here at Hodges, we say no. If anything, this is further argument for social advertising and sending targeted content to people who are most likely to engage with you—whether or not they’re part of your existing community. And speaking of social advertising, just a day after this announcement, the company announced its Q1 revenue—$3.54 billion, 73% of which came from mobile advertising. It’s a decrease from the Q4 holiday period ($3.85 billion), but still, a very clear illustration of just how much money is in this game. 

The bottom line—if you want your content to be seen, you’ve got to put ad dollars behind it. It doesn’t take a huge investment—just invest in the content that will drive your business goals. 

If you’d like to learn more about the announcement directly from Facebook, click here

(Photo by Brian Solis)

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