3 Essential Facebook Practices For Businesses and Users Alike
Since its launch in 2004, Facebook continues to breach the glass ceiling of social media. While YouTube and Instagram are gradually gaining traction, in 2017, Facebook proved slightly more popular than its fellow platforms with the most monthly active users.
Despite its longevity and growing social media competitors, the revolutionary network isn't going away anytime soon; so if you're waiting for a dying trend or development of a better system, you're missing out on a massive opportunity.
Popularity aside, Facebook is still one of the most effective channels through which to market businesses, products, and brands. The network makes frequent updates to its page and advertising features so that businesses have more and more tools at their disposal. If you haven't already ramped up your Facebook marketing efforts, it's time to start.
As you'd expect, Facebook will only continue to evolve moving forward. Whether you're a businesses page manager or a regular user, there are specific practices that you should use and master – practices that improve your overall Facebook experience, your effectiveness, as well as your security.
Here are 3 points of emphasis that will make you a Facebook pro in 2018.
1. Create Value
On Facebook, businesses give much thought and consideration to content boosting and ad targeting. After all, isn't that how you beat Facebook's complicated algorithm? Now, don't get us wrong – tools like boosting and ad targeting will help you reach more people (and the right people) with your content.
But it's important to note that even the best advertising techniques don't always elicit success. The reason being is that the latest iteration of Facebook's algorithm takes a lot more than clever marketing ploys into account. The social network weighs the quality of your content.
But how could Facebook possibly know or care about the quality of the content I produce?
It's simple. When you post something to Facebook, the network is collecting much more data than you'd expect. While you're preoccupied with your organic reach or the number of "likes" you got on your last post, Facebook is using engagements and other data on a deeper level. The platform then uses this information to improve page or post ranking in news feeds.
The same goes for content from users. If you share every meme or video you come across; you'll saturate your timeline with weak material. Facebook detects this and instead rewards the users who share meaningful content that engages more people for longer.
So yes, boost and target as much as you can! But know that these tools are not substitutes for great content. The stronger your content, the longer people will spend on your post. The longer they spend on your post, the more they are likely to interact.
These are the kinds of things Facebook wants to see.
2. Increase Security
Today, it is the rare user that accesses Facebook via a single device. Many multipurpose their phones, laptops, iPads, and even work computers or a third party device in the interim. With social media being time-consuming and applicable to a range of devices, it is easy to forget to sign out following a session.
This leaves our accounts at risk, especially if we neglect to log out from public computers or devices. But Facebook has cracked down on security for its users, though it leaves a great deal of the responsibility to the user.
If you want to protect your account, identity, and your privacy, there are a few safeguards you should be utilizing. One of the first features you should be using is the "where you've logged in" tab, and this is easy to access. Within Facebook, visit the "settings" page, and then click on "security and login." You should immediately see a drop-down list of devices where you are currently logged in or have recently been logged in.
If it's your first time using this feature, the results might concern you. If you see a device or location that is unknown to you, you can choose to "log out of all sessions" and start afresh, or select the specific device from which you wish to log out.
When you do this, be sure to take other security measures such as changing your password or adding another form of verification.
3. Use Analytics
Facebook has simplified data collection regarding both business and user experiences; with analytics that gauge content performance and potential areas of adjustment.
If you're a business looking to increase its reach and its following, look no further than the Facebook IQ Audience Insights feature. Through Audience Insights, you're given information about users, data on different demographics, as well as information about purchasing trends.
This is a powerful tool for targeting a narrower audience; and unlike advertising, Audience Insights doesn't cost a penny.
If you utilize these three practices, you'll improve your overall Facebook experience, as well as your production. Of course, Facebook has so many bells and whistles today, but these are the practices that are foundational. So whether you're a seasoned marketer or a first-time Facebook user, be sure to align all of your efforts with these principles in 2018.