Originally posted at the Likeable Media Blog.
Ever since Facebook introduced their Promoted Posts feature, all sorts of fear, uncertainty, and doubt have spread among small business owners, independent artists, and others who rely on their Facebook pages for effective marketing on a budget. Well, I’m here to tell you that much of what you’ve heard simply isn’t true! Let’s take a look at these misconceptions and separate fact from fiction.
Rumor #1: “If you don’t pay extra, nobody sees your posts!”
Fact: Posts from Facebook Pages were not being seen by 100% of their audiences before Promoted Posts were being offered. Take a second and digest that one. A typical brand status update reaches 16% of that page’s fans. Why, you ask? It’s all about relevance. Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm sorts posts in a user’s News Feed based on what will be most relevant to them. If they haven’t interacted with your page since they liked it a year ago, odds are your posts won’t show up in their News Feed right now. It’s also important to consider that not ALL of your fans are on Facebook at all times. Even if your posts were making it to all of their News Feeds, you still couldn’t possibly reach everyone unless they were online at the exact same moment! That’s the way it’s been for quite some now. This hasn’t changed at all.
Rumor #2: “Facebook is punishing pages that don’t advertise!”
Fact: I wouldn’t say that! Facebook best practices still apply. The same way EdgeRank filters posts out of certain users’ News Feeds, you can also use it to make sure your best posts ARE being seen by the right people. Create engaging content. In a recent Facebook webinar, it was revealed that short posts (under 250 characters) enjoy 60% more engagement than longer posts. Images and videos also drive huge levels of engagement. If your business adheres to Facebook best practices and makes a real effort to engage your audience, it’s entirely possible to achieve success without ever promoting a single post.
Rumor #3: “Only big brands will be able to afford Facebook!”
Fact: Some would argue they’ve actually made it easier and more affordable for small businesses to promote their pages! A page with as few as 400 fans can promote its posts to its fans and the friends of its fans. Even if you have a small community, they have friends who may see your Promoted Posts as well. Pricing starts at $5 and increases as you try to increase your reach. The exact reach will vary from page to page depending on a number of factors, but I’ve heard cases where a pages with only 700 fans got a reach of 900 for their $5 investment. Not bad!
The sky is not falling! Promoted Posts actually present an added opportunity to widen your brand’s reach and make your best posts work even harder for you. They’re not right for everyone, but they won’t put you at a disadvantage if you think they don’t fit into your strategy. If you think they could work for you, give them a try! You might be surprised by the results.
What else have you heard about Facebook Promoted Posts? Do you have any other concerns? Tell me more!
