Facebook is a powerful form of media for organisations seeking to engage with the public. There are two billion people on the platform worldwide and 40 million adults in the UK.
More than 1,000 signals make up how the Facebook newsfeed algorithm serves 300 stories each day. It’s important for public relations practitioners to have a rudimentary understanding of how the algorithm works.
1. Unpacking the Facebook newsfeed 1
• What’s happening with
Facebook?
• How stories are being pushed
around the newsfeed
• What to do when you get back to
the office
2. Newsfeed in numbers
40 million
users in
the UK
1,000
variables
make up
newsfeed
Users see
300 posts
per day
2
3. Source: Fake News Inquiry, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (15 September, 2017)
Select Committee Fake News Inquiry 3
6. Groups versus Brand Page 6
Group Brand Page
A community space for small
group communication and for
people to share their common
interests and express their
opinion
Enables public figures,
businesses, organisations and
other entities to create an
authentic and public presence
on Facebook
8. Stories promoted 8
• Affinity: friends, family and close
friends
• Engagement: post bounce driven
by reaction, comment and shares
• User generated content: events,
recommendations, reviews and
check-in
• User choice: stories so compelling
people opt in
• Video: Facebook wants to be an
entertainment platform
15. When you get back to the office 15
• Budget against your business
goals
• Explore groups: listening and
conversation
• Investigate brand page data: test
and learn
Hinweis der Redaktion
40 million people in the UK
1,000 variables make up the newsfeed
Each user sees 300 posts per day based
More content from family and friends, more from groups, and less from pages. Video content
Facebook built its business model by encouraging organisations to build communities on the platform
In time it throttled the reach of organic content to the point where content posted within a community now typically reaches less than three percent
Listen to users and create meaningful content
80% human and engaging
20% sell
Explore Facebook ad planner
Match demographics to data
Test and learn: ads and promoted content
Explore relevant groups by location and market
Contribute to a group
Ask admin to post on your behalf
Start your own group
Performance of post: Likes, comments and shares
Community: content, active members, timings
Content: text, images, video, UGC