The Fall of Organic Facebook Reach

The decline in organic reach on social media platforms is not due to the fact that the algorithms are changing, but because more businesses are opting to use paid advertising, which must in turn decrease the amount of organic traffic and reach. If you think about it, if the above wasn’t the case, what would the push be to invest in paid advertising?! Decreasing the reach of organic traffic essentially needs to happen to create room for the number of businesses using paid advertising. So why would business owners choose to pay for their advertising when traditionally, via many social media platforms, it has been free? In a blog found on The Wall, author Page explains that “…enlightened brands are now focusing on paid media strategies that reach consumers in their news-feeds even if they’re not fans. Facebook – now a far more established advertising platform than it was a year ago – is ‘encouraging’ this behaviour with continuing cuts to organic reach” (Page, 2015).

The ability to connect and target an audience, who are yet to like and follow a business’s page, are now being exposed to marketing and advertising messages they weren’t receiving before. Facebook of course claims that Facebook users are still only going to receive content in their News Feed which is relevant to the user. The key to this is imagining how many Facebook users, of the 1 billion plus active profiles currently running, have interests and demographics which align with your business. This is why paid advertising is becoming an increasingly attractive option. The opportunity to reach more of these users is what businesses want so they can continue to grow.

Of course there is a downside to all of the above. For those businesses which have relied on the organic reach of platforms such as Facebook to reach their fans, are now faced with the dilemma of restructuring their online marketing plan. How can you continue to compete on a platform which has a declining organic audience? Facebook do have advice on how to get the most out of Facebook for Business. A succinct list of their tips has been collated below. For further information, you can visit the best practices site here.

1. Post consistently, not only for when your audience is most likely to be online, but in the quality of your content and types of posts.
2. Target your posts if you use Facebook Ads
3. Post timely and relevant content
4. Respond quickly to comments
5. Boost important posts if you use Facebook Ads
6. Publicise exclusive discounts and promotions with ads
7. Connect with your audience with words and pictures
8. Review your post performance

Most importantly though, do not be tricked into thinking that paid advertising will always win the day. The quality of the content which you post to your business page is still vital to the success of your reach. Sure, “…Facebook is no longer a free ride – as with any advertising, brands need to be prepared to pay to get results. What it doesn’t mean, however, is that marketers can rely only on paid media for success on Facebook. Quality content is more important than ever” (Page, 2015).

Yes, it means it’s time to step back and take a look at your social media marketing plan to see what tweaks and changes are necessary to keep your business at the top of its game. Notably, allocate a portion of your marketing and advertising budget to social media ad spend and then review the effectiveness of your changes. Remember, quality content is particularly vital and needs to be something you continue to do. Why not give us a call here at SponsoredLinX on 1300 859 600, or visit our website to see how we can help you. Social Media is not going anywhere, but the way we use it is as fluid as society.

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