Facebook has more than 2.7 billion monthly active users. This is one reason it’s becoming more difficult to get your message noticed these days. With more content, it’s harder for an individual to get their message in front of the right potential customers. This makes it harder to break through to your target audience.

These days it may seem an impossible task to improve your organic Facebook reach. But keep in mind the platform is still the number one social media site in the world. So it’s worth the effort, and there are ways it can be done.

What is ‘organic reach’?

Put simply, “organic” reach is the number of fans you reach without paying to do so. Those you reach through paid advertising is known as “paid reach.”

Obviously, the more fans you can reach for free, the better. Unfortunately, research shows that organic reach on Facebook is declining for the reasons mentioned above. And the newer Facebook algorithm plays a big part of that.

The Facebook algorithm is designed to prioritize which posts people see first when they check their Facebook feed. Its goal is to keep them engaged on the platform. It employs thousands of factors to establish these rankings.

In addition to allowing users to indicate which posts most interested them (the “See First” feature), Facebook tweaked its algorithm in 2018. This gave priority to posts from family, friends, and Facebook groups over those from businesses and organizations.

Know your audience

This is key. If you don’t know what’s important to your fans, their likes and dislikes and demographics, how can you target your content so they’ll want to keep coming back for more?

Facebook has already done a large part of this work for you, and it’s available to anyone with a Facebook account. Their Audience Insights tool, for example, can reveal such useful demographics as age and gender, financial status, work, and education level.

Another useful tool is Facebook Analytics. This tool is different from—and in some ways better than—Google analytics, because it crosses devices. It allows you to see real-time statistics about visitors to your Facebook pages. This includes who’s viewing them, from which sources, and—most important—how they’re engaging with your posts.

A third way is to listen to your customers. Whether you get feedback in person at your brick-and-mortar store, or through comments and questions online, if you’re paying attention you’ll quickly learn what matters to them, what piques their interest, or what problems they need solved.

Provide the right content

On any type of social media, content is king. It’s really the only way to draw fans to your posts, and it’s key to improve your organic Facebook reach. Conversations are crucial on Facebook. Mark Zuckerburg refers frequently to Facebook as a “community.” His constant refrain is that the platform will “prioritize posts that spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people.”

So that’s the clue to achieving priority in the Facebook news feed. Offer your fans something besides discounts and notices about upcoming sales.

If you really know your customers as we suggested above, you’ll know how to engage their interests and ensure their clicks.

For example, if they have a problem, offer them a solution. If you sell organic herbs but you hear fans complaining that they have a black thumb, do a how-to video on gardening basics. Discuss soil types, potting or planting tips, light and water requirements, and pest control.

Ask for their help

It may seem elementary but the simplest approach is to ask your fans for their ideas on how to keep them engaged.

A poll that asks, “What would you like to see more of on this page?” is a quick and easy way to find out what content appeals to them.

In addition, as we mentioned above, users can override the Facebook algorithm by using the “See First” setting to see more of your posts. Every now and then remind them of that, and ask them to update their feed settings on your page.

Always remember the “social” part of “social media.” On Facebook or any other platform, that implies an interaction between individuals. The old days of one-way communication between buyer and seller are long gone.

If you want to succeed on social media, it must be a two-way exchange. They talk, you listen, and then respond. 

Our social media marketing experts can help you learn what works to increase your organic Facebook reach. Let us help you succeed!