User feeds will favor newsworthy content, depth of useful information
Facebook this week revealed changes to the formula the service uses to decide what posts users will – and will not – see on their screens. Keen, well-written insights and compelling videos will displace memes and other low-quality content.
Facebook is positioning itself as a go-to news curator for its users. More sponsored news stories will soon appear in users “news feeds” as well. How will Facebook decide what is news feed worthy? “High-value content” is what the service says it will favor, but the change is best understood in terms of value to your audience.
- Personal Value: Facebook stressed, “While trying to show more articles people want to read, we also don’t want people to miss the conversations among their friends.” The service understands why people are on the platform in the first place and seeks to enhance, rather than hinder, the social experience. Visibility in the new feeds of your audience will depend on your understanding of what issues and ideas they personally value enough to share with friends and family.
- Added Value: Facebook is reacting to a greater desire for timely news among its users. “On average referral traffic from Facebook to media sites has increased by over 170% throughout the past year,” Facebook reported in late October. When a user clicks on a news article, Facebook will soon offer links to as many as three related articles. Placing a recent news story into a meaningful context for your target audience adds value to your content. Striking a meaningful context depends on your understanding of why your target audience values some issues and ideas over others.
- Original Value: Subject area expertise, original research and data, and fresh, apt insights will set your content apart. Original value is transformative, taking your audience from the point of observation to the point of action. Content with original value stands out, and is more likely to be shared and appear in the news feeds of more Facebook users. This also helps your organization take ownership of your owned media.
Timeliness is also important, but accuracy and value matter more. Newswire services almost always will have an edge over your organization on breaking a high-profile industry- or issue-related story. Taking the needed time to add real value for your audience will be rewarded. Your visibility will be higher and your goals more quickly reached.
The Dominion Media Network is at the cutting edge of high-value content production for branding, market development and advocacy. Our unique service provides the high quality volume demanded for successful digital communications without compromising sound judgment and strategic experience.
[…] Facebook provides the tools to avoid these pitfalls, but mastering these tools takes experience, training and skill. Platform expertise is a must. Technical knowledge doesn’t mean much, however, without a depth of brand marketing and advocacy communications experience. A successful Facebook messaging strategy must point efficiently toward the correct audience, and provide the audience with compelling, high-value content. […]