Probably one of the most anticipated 2015 social media changes will be seeing the true effects of the “overly promotional” Facebook algorithm change. So far, we’ve only seen the 2 examples Facebook presented as to what constitutes an overly promotional update posted by a fan page, yet so many questions remain as to the specifics of this algorithm change.

Even without knowing the specifics of this particular change, we’ve all endured the massive changes Facebook and its algorithm have undergone in the past couple years, have worked hard to decipher the fact vs. fiction of this Facebook situation, and now need to enact our new social media game plan for 2015 and beyond.

Social Media Strategy Changes to Make in 2015, Thanks to Facebook

In no particular order…

• Restrategize your Facebook Strategy You’re probably thinking, “Well, duh!“, but there’s a difference between knowing Facebook’s organic Reach is almost zero, and actively changing your regular Facebook habits in order to ensure your small business’ social media efforts are successful for you in the future. Are you going to change the content you post to your fan page? Are you going to incorporate semi-regular ads to ensure your most important stuff gets in front of relevant eyeballs? Are you going to post less on Facebook but more on other social media platforms? Our expectations and plans for Facebook need to change, or else we’re bound to be sorely disappointed. Make some decisions now or risk being left behind.
• Don’t Quit Facebook Entirely, Though Since you never know how someone will first come in contact with your brand, you definitely don’t want a dormant fan page with inaccurate and out-of-date information on it. Plus, Facebook fan pages are favored by Google, and will likely rank highly in search results for your business name. Make sure your Page Info is current and correct, and continue to post relevant business information to your page. That way if a current or potential customer visits your fan page, they will still be able to find the information they are seeking. Again, it’s all about changing our expectations for our fan page. Think of Facebook fan pages as a digital billboard for your brand vs. an organic publishing tool.
• Shift Focus to One or More Other Online Marketing Tools Instead of posting, say, 2 updates a day, 5 days a week, drop it to once a day or even once every other day, and spend that freed up time and money on growing your presence on other social media platforms. You may be surprised to read that some admins report achieving better Reach when their posting frequencies dropped off, so posting less on your Facebook page may turn out to be a win-win for your business.
• Start a New Social Media Profile. This is extra important if your only online presence is your Facebook fan page. You first need a website, and then another social media platform or two. Need advice on what social media profile might be best to add for your small business? Check out our guide.
• Start a Business Blog Create original content that can be shared on social media, strengthen your website, educate your customers, and keep customers and potential customers coming back to you. Make 2015 the Year of the Blog.
• Budget for Facebook Ads Since Facebook has basically shut down the publishing component of fan pages with its algorithm changes, there’s little point to continue posting the content that matters the most for driving sales for your business without paid promotion because people simply won’t see it. The good news here is that you don’t have to spend a lot to get some guaranteed Reach with Facebook Ads. Even as little as $5 a day can make a big difference in the Reach of your updates.
• Focus on Current Fans, Current Customers and Warm Leads You can opt to advertise to your existing fans, and your existing fans only. You can upload your email list and advertise to those exact customers. You can also add a bit of code to your website to begin recording and assembling a list of Facebook users who have visited your website, and later advertise just to them. Depending on your current number of fans, you might decide that Likes Ads aren’t worth your money or time anymore, and that your Facebook efforts – and ad dollars – are better spent reaching the people who already know and trust you. Focusing on a smaller number of customers and potential customers who already know and trust you is a much more targeted – and less expensive – approach.

These changes with Facebook have strongly emphasized the difference between owned vs rented online properties, and the need for diversification online. It’s always been extremely important to have your own website (and blog) that you are 100% in control of, and it’s never been wise to put all your eggs in Facebook’s basket – or any other single basket of rented space. Business owners can no longer ignore these 2 points if they want to continue making strides in the future.

The 7 points above will help direct your business to a new and improved social media plan.

How is your social media plan changing due to Facebook’s changes?