The social media world is always full of updates. Smart businesses are the ones that take action upon these updates to stay in the lead. What’s new with Facebook?
Facebook recently announced that it’s tweaking its News Feed algorithm to reward creators who publish video content that sees longer average watch times and generates more repeat views. At the same time, Pages posting unoriginal or repurposed video content are going to be penalised through limited access to visibility and monetisation.
“Last year we announced that we would limit distribution for unoriginal or repurposed content from other sources with limited or immaterial added value — as well as demote video content from Pages that are involved in sharing schemes. We will more strongly limit distribution and monetisation for this kind of content.”
Essentially, Facebook will now reward Pages which build loyalty, get views, and post original content – but what does that mean for your business?
Check out the three components of Facebook’s update, along with ways you can use the changes to set your brand up for success with video on the platform.
1- Loyalty and Intent
Facebook is focusing on video content which keeps viewers coming back for more. This means that moving forward, Facebook will prioritise videos that users seek out via Search, or by visiting a creator’s Page. This will apply to the News Feed, Facebook Watch, and Facebook’s “More Videos” recommendations.
How can businesses ensure their audience remains engaged over time and coming back for more? Here are a few ways to do just that:
- Share valuable content – Keep your audience engaged with educational how-tos or inspirational videos throughout the week.
- Optimise for search – Consider what search terms customers might use to find you, then look to include them when adding a title, description, or keywords to your video content.
- Stay consistent – Maintaining a regular cadence on Facebook is key when it comes to building visibility and trust with your audience.
2- Video and Viewing Duration
The new update also rewards content that gets users to keep watching for at least one minute. Specifically, Facebook says that it will, “add more weight in ranking to videos that keep people engaged, especially on videos that are at least three minutes long.”
Here are a few things to keep in mind when curating longer video content on Facebook:
- Start with a storyboard – Avoid sharing a three-minute video for the sake of length. Instead, try creating an outline for your longer video content, ensuring that it’s useful, entertaining, and/or inspiring to your viewers.
- Save the best for first – Start with your strongest images and video clips to hook users in the News Feed, so they don’t scroll past your content.
- Optimise for sound off – 85% of Facebook viewers watch videos with the sound off. Include text to keep your story clear, and your audience engaged.
Originality
In a recent blog post, Facebook recommended sharing content that “you wrote, shot, edited and published yourself, or with the support of a production partner.”
Original content that compels users to tag their friends, or share your videos, and encourages meaningful conversation, will be ranked highly.
Here are some easy ways to make sure your content is authentic and gets optimum visibility:
- Avoid resharing – Reposting content that exists elsewhere can limit distribution and monetisation for your videos.
- Share meaningful content – Posting a video with a mass-produced or duplicated clip can also hurt your originality signal on Facebook. That being said, Facebook will accept this type of video clip if the content has been “meaningfully repurposed” and is not simply stitched together. For example, incorporating voice-over, commentary, graphics, or creative editing can all be considered ways to meaningfully repurpose video.
- Don’t spam your audience – Instead of telling viewers to comment, share, or react to your posts, give them a reason to do so. Entertain, educate, and inspire viewers with videos, and they’ll feel more compelled to engage with your content.
Incorporating these tips into your strategy can keep your brand’s videos visible across Facebook, and easier to monetise.
Keep these updates in mind for your next Facebook video and stay on top of the social media game in 2019 by checking out our #SocialSpeak Hub every week!
