As of September 18, 2014, Facebook has made an update to its News Feed algorithm that will have a significant impact on what kind of posts you see and how high they rank on your feed.
The latest change will focus on posts related to trending topics and move them towards the top of users' News Feeds. The idea behind this is to transform Facebook into a more news-friendly social platform where people can see what's trending faster and increase its share-ability.
This change to the Facebook News Feed algorithm won't be that noticeable to the average user at a glance, but as BuzzFeed News reports, it is making an effort to show you status updates relevant to your interests. If you are talking about a specific, time-sensitive event, the new algorithm will rank related updates according to when you post about it.
Relevance is just one part of the new equation. A post's ranking order will also be determined by how fast users are liking and commenting on it. As more and more users interact with a post, it will be ranked higher in their feeds. Posts that have yet to be seen by users will be moved up to the top to give them a chance for interaction. The new algorithm will also recognize posts falling in popularity and shuffle them down in the rankings accordingly.
These changes in the News Feed algorithm aim to give news stories a helping hand on Facebook, making them more visible and increasing their rates of interaction. However, what you see on your News Feed will still depend on the type of content your friends and the Pages you follow choose to post about. This change will also have an impact on social media activity for businesses with Facebook Pages.
While it may not seem like it, this change should be noted in your business's content marketing strategy. Now that relevant posts and popular news stories are gaining traction in a user's News Feed, it's time to formulate a plan for your Page. When appropriate, incorporate timely events and world news that people are currently talking about into your posts. In doing this, you will help create exposure for both your brand and Page.
Being at the top of mind for users means you have a better chance of them interacting with your Page and influencing what their friends see, meaning more exposure for your business.
It's no secret that posts on Facebook can go viral very quickly. If you're talking about current news or important events on your Page right as they happen, you'll have the best chance at circulation.
A word of caution, however: you should always keep your audience in mind.
Posting about things that are completely irrelevant to your business and why they chose to follow you does more harm than good. Don't latch onto news just because it's popular; use it if there's a benefit to your followers or if it will help build your brand in a useful way. Using social media for your business doesn't come with any specific guide. It's all about adapting to change and finding out what works the best.