Changes in Facebook’s Algorithm in 2017

As I’m sure most of you know, Facebook is probably the most difficult platform to get amazing engagement and reach on. It has basically turned into a “pay to play” game where in order to get good reach, you have to pay for ads or boosts. Facebook is always changing their algorithm as well – so if you want to make sure your posts do well, it’s important to understand how the algorithm works. Check out the changes that Facebook has already made in 2017!

January 2017
Change: Videos with a higher completion rate will be prioritized.
A completion rate is calculated depending on how much of a video a user watches. Facebook is now prioritizing videos in a user’s newsfeed that have higher completion rates, and Facebook will also prioritize similar videos.

What you can do: Create longer and unique videos.
Use this change to your advantage by creating longer videos that will capture your audience’s attention. This can be done by ensuring that your audience is able to understand what is happening in your video even if their sound is off; captions tend to help with this.

February 2017
Change: Videos will now start automatically playing with the sound on.
Previously, videos would automatically start playing, but the sound would be off. Users would have to manually turn their sound on in order to hear the video. However, if a user’s phone is on “silent” or “vibrate” they will still have to manually turn the sound on.

What you can do: Make your video understandable with the sound off.
In relation to the change above, make sure that your audience can still understand what is going on in your video even if they have their sound off. Many people tend to keep their phones on vibrate or silent, so it’s important that your video still encourages engagement no matter how people are watching it.

March 2017
Change: Posts that have a “Reaction” weigh more than posts that have a “Like.”
Facebook launched its “Reactions” about a year ago, and it’s now making posts that have “Reactions” on them weigh more than posts that simply have a “Like.” It will also start to show a user similar stories in their newsfeed based on the Reactions they have chosen.

What you can do: Generate content that will cause a Reaction.
Reactions are usually evoked when content touches a user’s emotions. Create content that will spark emotions, whether it’s good or bad (but preferably good!). Even the “Love” Reaction prioritizes posts. Evaluate your marketing strategy and see what you can do when it comes to creating content that will touch your audience’s emotions.

How are you planning on using Facebook’s algorithm changes to your advantage?