3 Things Brands Need to Do Right Now or Risk Losing Leverage on Facebook

Facebook users have always been irked by the way the social media site prioritizes which posts are timeline worthy and which aren’t. As a small business owner you’ve probably already realized that Facebook Brand Pages have been a casualty of Facebook’s news feed algorithm and sponsored ads on the platform.

The ‘What to See First’Â feature, gives brand pages an opportunity to further engage people who are already fans and put their content upfront on fans’ new feeds. The ‘See First’ feature is only available on the latest version of the Facebook app for IOS. It will be coming to Android soon. Users also have the option to unfollow or set to the default news feed algorithm.

Notify your fans. Most people aren’t aware of the new changes on Facebook. Send your fans an email explaining how the new update works and invite them to opt-in to view content on your page.

First they will need to open the app and click ‘More’ on the bottom right of the screen. Under ‘Settings’ click on ‘News Feed Preferences’ and then ‘Prioritize Who to See First.’ Next, direct them to scroll down below the friend pages and select your brand page as something they will want toÂ “See Firstâ€Â in your feed.

Create valuable content. Now that your fans have opted to see your content first, you need to give them some content to see. Since the brand pages are way below every single one of the user’s 350+ friend pages, you need to entice them to do the work.Â For example, if you sell a product or service consider offering a free trial or discount.

In your email inform fans that the Facebook page will contain time-sensitive content like flash sales, or unscheduled opportunities to chat if you are a public figure or run in circles with celebrities and high profile individuals.

Regularly post relevant and relatable content to your page. Links are great, but photos and videos get top views. Differentiate your content based on your target client. If you sell cupcakes, before launching a new flavor or changing your frosting, ask your customers for feedback. Seed you page with contests pitting one variety of cupcake against another.

Follow your competition. Find out what your competitors are posting. They may give you ideas about what your target customer is looking for in terms of news articles, updates, photos and videos. And also insight about what not to do.

Despite the advantage that the “See Firstâ€ feature offers, brands should still consider purchasing a Facebook ad in order to reach people who don’t already know and care about your brand.