Almost a year since Facebook changed its news feed to favor content posted by friends and family over brands, it’s nearly impossible for businesses to reach users for free.
But there are a few little-known tricks that still allow brands and publishers to earn eyeballs without paying, and I’m letting you in on those key marketing tactics:
Contests and offers
Facebook makes it easier than ever to create exclusive discounts and offers for its users. Businesses simply need to use the desktop version of the platform and click on the button that says “create an offer.”
As for contests, those can be anything. For instance, ask users to share a story about their dad in order to be entered for a chance to win a Father’s Day giveaway. If the giveaway is good enough, comments and likes will pour in. Free stuff and discounts is always a win.
Going live
Livestreamed video won’t always be free on Facebook, but it is now, so take advantage of that. It’s the golden age of going live, and Facebook automatically notifies your fans that you’re using the feature. It’s one of the last, best ways to reach users for free. But expect Facebook to lock this down with a pay wall soon. And expect the network to continually test new marketing features before charging for them, so it’s always a good idea to keep tabs on new developments.
Reminding your fans to click ‘follow’
Just because a user likes your page doesn’t mean they’re following that page. In some cases, they’ll need to click a separate “follow” button. Post a graphic that shows them how to click on the drop-down menu that gives them the option to click “see first” for your page, which will bump you to the top of their news feed.
Sharing viral videos on your business page
Facebook prioritizes videos over other types of content, but the key to getting really good momentum is to post those videos right as they’re becoming popular. That way, you start to look like you’re really “on trend” in the eyes of the mysterious Facebook algorithm.
One place to find popular videos is your own news feed. If you start noticing lots of your friends are sharing a particular video, that’s a good indication it’s gaining popularity. And the Facebook mobile app makes it easy to find videos. Just click on the “video” icon at the bottom of the screen if you have an iPhone, or the icon at the top if you’re on Android. Another resource for finding good videos is to go to YouTube.com/trends.
Form a support group
Use a messaging app outside of Facebook such as Telegram or Slack and invite some allies — fellow business owners, local townspeople or friends. When you post something new on your Facebook business page, share a link to the post in your little support group and ask everyone to go and like and comment on that post from their Facebook page.
These tips work for now, but businesses increasingly need to accept that for them, Facebook is more of an advertising platform than a social network.
Brands increasingly struggle to show up on the news feed not just because Facebook needs to make money and therefore charges them, but also because the competition is overwhelming. A whopping 60 million businesses use Facebook Pages, resulting in a huge surplus of content. So, the only way a business can ensure its content will be seen is to pay.
