Four Ways to Take Advantage of the Upcoming Facebook Changes
After Facebook announced its upcoming responsive layout and changes to Timeline, businesses were left wondering what they could do to avoid being left behind. Although Facebook has tucked business pages away into their own subfeed, there are still ways to optimize your business page in order to take advantage of these changes. Start by reading last week’s post on what the changes will be, then read our suggestions about how to weather this latest shakeup and remain on top. Here are four ideas to incorporate into your practices’ Facebook marketing strategy and increase visibility on Timeline.
1. Add Content Regularly
Soon, Facebook will no longer allow News Feeds to be sorted by “Top Stories.” Instead, every feed will be sorted chronologically. Businesses that don’t post frequently will have less visibility in the “Following” sub-feed, while pages who post often will, consequently, be seen more often. So keep that content coming. And don’t worry, your practice won’t have a shortage of things to share. Post about promotions, events, new equipment, and encourage interaction among your followers.
2. Make Your Content Visual
Text posts aren’t going to be enough in the new Timeline. As we mentioned last week, photos are going to be larger in the News Feed, and there will be less emphasis on captions as they are going to be placed on the photos themselves. Use relevant, yet interesting photos for your posts. Follow best practices to make sure you own the photos or have permission to use them. Consider using photo editing software to add your own call to action on the photos instead of relying on a small caption.
3. Have a Captivating Cover Photo
The push for visual content continues onto profiles. Now, every interaction with your page will show up on your followers’ News Feeds, including the cover photo – not just the profile picture. This is a great opportunity for your practice to have more brand real estate on the News Feed. Imagine your cover photo is a billboard, albeit, one following Facebook Page rules (i.e. no contact information). Include your practice’s branding: logo, slogan, color scheme, and any imagery regularly used. Your cover photo should convey the message you are trying to send to your patients like comfort, expertise, or specialization. Consider using a professional photographer or graphic designer to make sure your photo is visually stimulating and the highest quality possible. Also, use a high resolution photo so it doesn’t get pixelated on your profile.
4. 4. Encourage Interactions
Every interaction a follower has with your page will show up on their News Feed. This includes your page’s profile and now, cover photo. Since you just worked hard to create a great cover photo, this is a benefit to your practice’s page and brand. The more interactions your page has, the more visibility your practice has on Facebook. Ask for shares, likes, and even check-in’s. All will be recorded on the News Feed and seen by people who are not already followers of your page.
Be Prepared
Although there is no hard date set for the changes from Facebook, by following these recommendations you will be ahead of the competition. The main takeaway from this update is to create as much visual content as possible. Maintain your cover photo as the visual representation of your practice’s brand, and continually post photos with status updates. Let us know if you have any questions about the upcoming changes or ways to improve your Facebook marketing.
Images via U Stand Out