Facebook organic reach in social media marketing has always been the subject to cause many disagreements and debates but somewhere is still in the demand market. Even if the most obvious answer to the query of increasing Facebook organic reach is to dedicate more time and expenses to the paid Facebook ads, there is still a ray of hope for the organic posts. Facebook can accept and encompass the algorithm, reach a wide range of audience and make Facebook an effective medium of distribution for the organic content of the marketers or professionals.
Before everything else, what does ‘reach’ mean on Facebook?
Before diving into the details of all these tips to increase Facebook organic reach, it will be beneficial and better to understand the basics of the subject matter.
Generally, the term ‘reach’ on social networking websites refers to the number of people viewing a particular post, with or without promotion. As much as it sounds similar but it is highly different from the term ‘impressions’, which refers to the number of times a post has been viewed overall, counting the multiple views from the same user. And this is the reason why the term ‘reach’ is sometimes referred to as ‘unique impressions’. Nevertheless, there are various other different types of reach on Facebook.
First, there’s Page reach and Post reach.
Page reach, which is also known as the total reach on Facebook Insights, is a measuring standard that shows the number of unique users who looked at any content related to the mentioned Facebook Page within the given time period.
Post reach, on the other hand, is the number of unique users who saw a specific post that has been made on Facebook.
Now coming to two other types of reach within the realms of post reach and they are Organic reach and Paid reach.
Organic reach refers to the number of people viewing any specific content (photo, video, or any post), of their own preference, that has not been promoted or increased with ad money. This also includes the views on any users’ news feeds as well as the selected ones from the page itself. Organic reach also considers the number of people viewing any content or coming across it because of any like, comment or share by another user. Also, this gives a real idea and insight about the strength of the users’ fan following on Facebook.
Paid reach, on the other hand, is the crowd of people who view a post because the post has been promoted with a lot of monetary expenses.
Factors Affecting the Organic Reach –
Below is the list of factors that leave an impact on the Organic Reach.
- Engagement (the number of likes, comments and shares a post gets).
- When the post has been put up (the time of a day, any day of the week).
- Type of content that has been posted (things which are related to the recent trends in the market, top-priority of the time or famous in nature is favoured).
- Total number of followers (and this does not include not just on the page, but the number of followers who have allowed the content of any particular user in their own feeds).
- Preferences of an user’s followers (what Facebook thinks they want/need based on their activities and interactions).
Is it possible to boost Facebook Organic Reach?
It would be wrong to say a total yes on the above given question. One of the many restrictions of organic reach is that it is highly based on what Facebook thinks that its users want to view on their timeline. And this is the reason why it is possible for even the most opportune, systematically crafted post to not reach their target audience, at least not for free of cost.
Even if it is nice to think that the content strategy will benefit one to reach their target audience organically and without any extra added expense, the reality is that it is just not appropriate with the present algorithm of the website.
In fact, organic reach is at its lowest level in the records. Across the website, page posts only reach about maximum 2 to 6 percent of their target audience.
In recent times, the best way to enlarge Facebook transparency and reach leads in your target segment is to complement the content strategy with paid advertising. Fortunately, Facebook advertising offers advertisers actual targeting capabilities, which let them reach the people whom the respective brand finds most appropriate and qualified.
Tips to boost Facebook Organic Reach –
Facebook Organic Reach is a subject that has always created controversy in social media marketing realms. During the time when organic reach is at record lows, one can still reach their full potential on Facebook by knowing the right ways so that the posts can be visible. Increasing the Post reach will automatically contribute toward the total Page reach as well, so in a way they are connected to one another. Let us peep in to know more about the tips that can be proved beneficial in the process of boosting up Facebook Organic Reach. They are as follows:
Ø Mix up the post formats
The first and foremost tip for expanding the organic reach on Facebook is to perform a test on a wide range of post types. If images are posted mainly but still the reach has been diminishing lately, unique methods must be tried out in order to gain the reach. For example- some reels or normally some videos. Now if the videos are not getting the same reach they used to as previously, another innovative method must be tried out, that is making link posts which would highlight and showcase content that the audience will very much prefer to see.
Even if one is getting decent results by using the same post types on a regular basis then they must also try newer ones which will keep the flow of content fresh, encouraging and engaging amidst the flow of recent trendy content on sites or pages. Also, there are other post formats on Facebook which function better than the others. Even though Facebook has never confirmed anything officially, many social media marketers or advertisers have this belief that they emphasize posts in new formats in the timeline which gets them more reach as a result. Some newly invented post types like 360 video or Facebook Stories are considered to be the benefits if the algorithms prefer new post types.
Most of the social media marketers, managers or advertisers know the standard post formats or post types on Facebook like images, texts and videos but apart from this, there are a number of post formats available on the medium recently. By tracking and analyzing the average reach of posts in each format or type, an understanding is achieved on the types of posts that are most relevant to the audience and sometimes end up on their news feeds.
Ø Go live and be authentic
The second tip to increase Facebook organic reach is to always be relevant and authentic. While speaking about trying out new Facebook post types or post formats, it is highly recommended to associate and work with live video content and stories. Live videos are unique in their own way. They create a genuine sense of companion circle in the comment sections below the post. Every individual, more or less, shares the same experience at the same time which makes them have a mutual point to get connected over.
And with the recent Facebook algorithm update, emphasizing posts create more meaningful interactions and impacts which means more organic reach. So live videos, content and stories must be created that will reverberate with the audience and bring them to start conversations in the comment sections. This results in an increase in the growth of the organic reach.
Ø Using attractive images and videos
Using visually catching content is important for standing out in the increasingly crowded news feeds of the people. This is the reason why in a recent survey it has been found out that over 60% of the social media marketers think and believe that visual content is essential for their social media marketing strategy.
Posts getting more engagement are automatically hoisted in the users’ news feeds, getting them more reach in return as well. This is why visual content is so important in improving the expansion of Facebook posts. But also, not all content can be posted on Facebook though. Publishing images and videos that are of lower quality can leave a harsh impact on the reputation of the marketer’s brand and make them look unprofessional.
There is no hard and sole rule that marketers who do not have a professional photographer or videographer in their company will avoid making visual contents and videos. Even a smartphone camera can lend images and videos a natural, casual look and help them fit in with other personal content in people’s timelines. Apart from this, it must be kept in mind that the audio must be audible, lighting shall be good, shots must be focused and clear in signifying the meaning.
Ø Find the appropriate time to post
When any content is posted on Facebook, the time matters almost as much as the quality and relevance of the content itself. If an amazing article is shared in the early hours of morning, by the time the marketers’ target audience wakes up, it will already be lost at the bottom of their news feeds. Instead of this, utilizing the Facebook analytics will be of greater help in determining the time when the followers will be online. If the marketer uses a social media management platform like Falcon, then they can easily access data on peak hours for their fans as well. Posting content at the time when followers will be active and browsing Facebook increases the chances of content being shown up at the first in their news feed, which means again more organic reach.
Nevertheless, posting at peak hours also means high chances of facing more competition in order to get the posts seen in users’ feeds because most of the people will be posting at similar times. Most likely the best solution to this is to push out the content just before peak traffic hours to remain the first to have their content out when people open Facebook.
- Experiment with the posting tempo
After finding out the best time to post on Facebook, the next step is to decide on the interval of how often to post. The organic reach highly depends on how willing the followers are to engage with the content quickly and enthusiastically, which means that if a brand is posting four or five times a day and are still able to engage with the followers then their reach is heavily popular. But if in case they get tired or lose interest in interacting or engaging immediately after one post then it would help the reach turn it back for a little while. The main element here is to experiment with how often the post is being made and then tracking the Facebook post analytics to see how each posting tempo or rhythm is affecting the organic reach.
Various tests can be run for at least two weeks and later on, data can be gathered depending on those performances. For example – a post can be made 5 times a week for two weeks, then 15 times a week for two weeks and then 10 times a week for two weeks. At the end of each two-week period, the average organic reach and engagement per post must be taken into account, And if the results show that 5 times got a better view and average reach than 15 then it is considered that posting less was way better for greater organic reach.
Ø Focus on engagement first
Some of the Facebook algorithm updates have shown that engagement has more impact on organic reach than organic reach has on engagement. Facebook tends to show the posts to more people if the content inspires the users to interact with one another. In other words, people talking highly comment sections of any particular post(s), experience a major increase in their organic reach.
Some suggestions to get you started for boosting up interaction and reach:
- Include questions at the end of the posts asking users their thoughts.
- Post about trending topics.
- Answer every single comment under the posts in a systematic manner.
- Broadcast live video content routine wise and talk to the audience in real-time.
- Start an interactive poll or ‘Ask Me Anything’ type of thread.
- Ask for feedback on any new product or idea.
- Share content that deals with your user’s emotions on Stories.
Ø Never resort to engagement bait
Resorting to any kind of engagement bait can be hurtful, harmful and might backfire on the strategy in the long run. While getting users to connect around the content is very important for increasing organic reach on Facebook, doing it the wrong way can be impactful. Facebook matters not only about emphasizing points or content that receive a lot of engagement but also hoisting up inspiring, meaningful and relevant posts that expands interactions on timelines.
This is the very reason why Facebook bans the organic reach which has been inculcated with manipulative ways for gaining huge engagement. Such posts with tricks are known as ‘engagement bait’ and are marked as spam posts. For example – posts mentioning ‘Like if you are a Capricorn’, ‘Love if you are a Virgo’, ‘Tag a friend who likes racing’ and so on, would be considered engagement bait as they push users into flooding a post’s engagement stats by imploring for interactions.
- Make the audience relate to the content
Instead of implying the followers or user for reactions, posts and content must be of the level which will inspire them to react and get engaged. One of the most successful ways to boost engagement and organic reach is to make the users feel something. The more strongly they relate to content, the more likely they are to give a reaction which will ultimately result in boosting.
But also, not every emotion motivates people to react to posts. According to Harvard Business Review, there are certain emotions associated with the viral contents. They are:
- Positive emotions are more common in viral posts, but posts that cause negative emotions are more viral as they create a sense of anticipation and surprise because negative publicity is greater than positive one.
- Viral content sometimes gives rise to a feeling of admiration.
- The top five emotions associated with any kind of viral content are interest, scrutiny, surprise, disbelief and unpredictability.
In order to increase organic reach and engagement, content with inspiring headlines that will give rise to curiosity and interest must be made. To keep people’s attention, the content must have some twists, fascinating facts, and surprises.
- Start a contest
Another best way for the marketers to get users interested in their content is to start a contest or sweepstakes on your Facebook page. They can very well increase the organic reach by running a contest that encourages people to comment under the respective post.
For example, a caption competition where users need to give a funny description to an image being posted, can stimulate a lot of responses and elevate the post to the top of the news feed.
To keep in mind the effectiveness of the content, there are a number of practices.
1. To make sure the giveaways are related to the brand so that it attracts newcomers who are interested in both the brand and the reward.
2. Encouraging users to interact with the contest post by commenting. Motivating them to comment under the contest post is the best way to show the Facebook News Feed algorithm that the content is engaging with high organic reach.
3. Be cautious enough that the post must not give the impression of an engagement bait or ask the users to post on their personal timelines.
- Regenerating evergreen content
It takes a lot of time, resources and management to create a great video or blog or article so there is always a reason and a chance to regenerate high-quality evergreen and successful content. If any content has got a lot of reach and engagement in the past, there is a good chance it will work again. Many times articles do not get massive reach in the first share but become successful in the second time because quality content gives the marketers a chance to learn and understand what they must have done right or wrong in the first time, maybe a catchy headline was missing or the time was not right. In that case, regenerating a second chance to post the content is not a bad idea. There are high chances that with high potential many posts that were already a hit might have a comeback. In both the cases, they will get more organic reach and some factors or findings which can be used to improve the social media strategy. Content must be fresh, attached to a specific date, time or recent event.
Ø Get verified on Facebook
Facebook verification is a blue badge that shows up next to the page name that assures any user that the page is kind of a big deal. Being verified shows the users that page is the official representation of the brand they rely on. This helps the marketers in standing out amidst the innumerable fan pages and copied accounts while developing trust and credibility among the audience.
Having a blue tick also means that the page ranks above all the other pages with similar names in Facebook search engines. This indicates more organic reach for the brand. Plus it gets easier for people to find the page easily and is less likely to follow or interact with the other unofficial and copied accounts.
For getting verification, the page needs to be complete with a cover photo, profile picture, name, and at least one published post. The page has to follow the norms and guidelines of Facebook’s terms and conditions.
Ø Asking the followers to turn on notifications
Another best way to increase the Facebook organic reach is to work with the Facebook algorithm to get your posts to the top of the news feeds of the followers.
To not miss out a single post of the page, users must turn the notification bar of the respective page on. On the Facebook Page, there’s a setting that the followers can select to make sure they see everything the page posts. Turning on the notifications and emphasizing the posts at the top of the news feeds will benefit the brand page and get more people to follow the page. This is a guaranteed way guaranteed to see an increase in organic reach.
Ø Get whole team engaged
With Facebook entirely focusing on the meaningful interaction between users, it has become a tough job for the brand pages to fit in. A good way to boost the organic reach is to encourage other people in the company to get engaged with and share the posts. By getting the coworkers to share the content, the marketer will get a much wider set of audience. And because the content is coming from someone they know, that audience will be more likely to actually embrace it and get engaged with it. The colleagues can also help in commenting under those posts right after them being published.
There are various ways with which the employees of the company can be motivated to share company posts.
- Sharing links of vital Facebook posts in company communications channels Skype.
- Offer prize to the top employee supporter of the month.
- Brief the new employees on the company’s social media presence and encourage them to follow and interact with their Facebook Page.
Ø Optimizing the link posts
Content on Facebook is usually shared through link posts and Facebook stealthily checks out the quality of those links posts and moves them higher or lower in the user’s news feeds based on that. In 2017, Facebook had announced that they will be starting to put emphasis on link posts that will lead to fast-loading pages and on the other hand, they would also penalize the link posts that will lead to slow-landing pages. Link posts with ‘clickbait’ headlines or leading to low-quality web experiences including absence of actual and quality content, unnecessary ads, or controversial images will result in the decrease of their ranks.
Facebook also takes into consideration the number of people clicking on the link and then engaging with the post later on. If more people engage after seeing the linked content, then that is a signal of them liking it or maybe finding it interesting.
Ø Try out user-generated content
User-generated content (UGC) on Facebook has all the hype recently, but it is more than just a passing trend topic. If any user likes the brand enough to create a content featuring it then that is a major signal of trust to other users. People are usually more inclined in content that their friends or family produce rather than these branded ones which means more engagement and higher organic reach.
To get people excited about making UGC that involves your brand, there are a few ideas:
- Inviting people to write reviews of products on Facebook and then sharing the best one(s)
- Starting a hashtag for the UGC campaign so that customers can connect their content with the brand and get inspired by others’ posts.
- Launching a UGC contest and asking the users to post photos or videos relating to the brand in order to get featured on the company’s page, or even win a prize.
Does Organic Reach Still Matter on Facebook?
The answer to the above question stands for a ‘yes’. Though Facebook Organic Reach is a topic that creates debates all around the social media realm and has been at its lowest level all across the social media platforms, especially on Facebook, it still plays a comparatively important role in the overall Facebook advertising strategy.
The most critical thing to always remember is that paid ads are usually created with the intention of getting people at the threshold. And the marketers will always need a constant flow of quality organic content on Facebook to convert these viewers into believers for their brands and products.
While paid ads are important to increase the reach of the business, organic content is that string which connects the marketers with their current set of target audience. This in return teaches the marketers and gives them an inkling of the type of content their followers appreciate the most, as well as provides them the necessary data on who their target audience must be.
If Facebook strategy is considered to be a magazine then the paid ads are the flashy covers that draw the attention of the people in and compel them to browse through in the checkout line and organic content is those set of spicy stories and controversial articles which convince the people to buy the magazine in an instance. And both the types of content are important for the success of Facebook marketing.