3 Things to Do Before Your Facebook Reach Gets Even Worse

Facebook marketing ain't easy.

It's tough to get people to Like your Facebook page in the first place.

And now it's getting harder to reach the fans you already have.

I recently spoke with a friend about Facebook reach -- we've both seen big drops in reach on our pages.

My friend thinks Facebook has become greedy since their IPO -- and they're deliberately requiring page owners to pay to reach more fans.

Going forward, pages will have to pay for both fans and reach, he claims.

I told him to imagine a town with a population of 1,000 people. It's easy for everyone to stay connected in a town this size. And getting the word out about your business is easy since it's a small town without much competition.

But when the population of the town grows to more than 10,000 people & more businesses set up shop, there's more competition to reach potential customers in the town.

I used this town analogy to describe why Facebook reach is down & why businesses must now pay to reach their fans.

Basically, it's because:

• People have more friends
• People Like more pages
• More businesses use news feed ads

3 Things to Do Before Your Facebook Reach Gets Even Worse

As you can see from the illustration, organic reach on Facebook has plummeted since early 2012.

But having to pay to play makes sense to me because you’re now able to reach more people than ever before.

>> Click to Tweet <<

Even on Twitter it was easier to get the word out a few years ago.

Some argue that Facebook is trying to control too much -- and that they should allow people to choose what they want to see in the news feed.

I agree. That's probably why Facebook created the news feed algorithm to begin with.

The algorithm lets Facebook know when you’re not engaging with a page. Then posts from the page will no longer appear in your news feed.

Would filters work better than the algorithm?

That depends on whether typical Facebook users even know what they want to see. Would they go to the effort to use filters to fill the news feed with content?

Probably not.

Ask the average Facebook user if they know how to use Facebook lists, for example. Lots of people don't even know this feature exists.

I think the news feed algorithm makes sense for many users. But I could see Facebook going too far with crazy updates -- like punishing posts that ask for shares or Likes.

For now, just know that if your Facebook reach has fallen, you’re not alone.

And today I have tips to help you adjust to future algorithm changes -- which are inevitable.

1. Be the biggest pumpkin

What do I mean by this?

Mike Michalowicz, author of "The Pumpkin Plan", tells the story of a search for the perfect pumpkin in the market.

At first, consumers can only find typical, average pumpkins. But then someone finds the biggest pumpkin ever seen.

Immediately everyone sets their eyes on this biggest pumpkin, ignoring all other pumpkins.

In other words, as a business you have to stand out from the crowd.

>> Click to Tweet <<

Here are some ways to get the attention of your audience:

• Be personal -- let your personality shine
• Entertain your fans
• Share awesome stories
• Post engaging content with Post Planner's viral photo finder

I’m sure that if you put your mind to it, you can find your strength & figure out what makes your business the biggest pumpkin.

2. Grow an email list

If you haven't started building an email list for your business, then you need to STOP reading this right now (after you SHARE it, of course) and begin growing your list today.

Collecting emails from your Facebook fans gives you a way to reach your community outside of Facebook.

Sure, email open rates have fallen -- but email's still the most powerful messaging platform available to marketers.

And an email address is way more valuable than a Facebook Like.

3. Don’t rely on just Facebook

If you use only Facebook for social media marketing, go back to the drawing board & create a new content strategy.

>> Click to Tweet <<

While Facebook is the largest social network, it’s not the only place to spread your message.

Using other platforms lets you reach new customers in different places.

So if someone doesn't use Facebook, they'll be able to find you on Twitter, Pinterest or someplace else on the web.

Use Facebook to push traffic to other platforms.

And don’t put all your eggs in one basket!

Summary

Sure I’m annoyed that Facebook reach has dropped.

But the only thing I can do as a business owner is adapt as much as possible.

Focusing on a single analytic like reach is not the best way to measure results anyway.

>> Click to Tweet <<

In the end, we must make sure our customers are happy.

How have the recent algorithm changes impacted the reach of your Facebook page? I'd love to hear your two cents.