Whether you still like Facebook, if you use Facebook for marketing, be aware that Facebook is about to remove “Likes” from Pages. This means that users will no longer be able to “Like” pages. Instead, Facebook is shifting to “Followers”. The “Follow” function on pages has always been there although it is inconspicuous. This change will not be unfamiliar to Instagram users. The concept of followers has long applied to IG accounts, so this change on Facebook would be easy to understand. But markers must still understand the details of this change.
Distinguish Those Who “Like” But Don’t “Follow”
Facebook has always allowed users to separate what and who they Like and Follow. What they like will determine the content they see on the pages that they follow. But users may actually like a page and still not follow or unfollow a page, which means the content no longer shows up on the user’s feed. Thus, marketers will see that there is a difference between the number of Likes and Followers on Facebook Pages.
In theory, having more followers is important since it represents how many people view the content of the page. Yet Facebook’s organic reach is dismally low. Instead of waiting for Facebook to disseminate content, brands tend to invest in ads to increase reach. And Facebook ads are based on users who like pages. Also, business owners may not fully understand the impact of followers and blindly set the number of Likes as a KPI. As a result, it seems getting users to like a page is more important since Facebook also only directs its ads to those who like a page.
Analyze the Mentality of Followers Behind the Numbers
The changes will not affect all users who are already followers, but say goodbye to those who like – but do not follow – your page. Marketers need not be overly anxious because the difference between the number of likes and users who follow should be too large, meaning the impact is not great. But this gap will also serve as a reminder: why do some users Like and not Follow?
Brands should take the opportunity to rethink the content strategy for their pages and allocation of resources. If a page contains low-quality content that only persistently hard sells a product, it would only increase the chances of users ‘un-liking’ and hardening their hearts to unfollow a page, no matter how many posts or ads the brand puts out. Try to have a change in perspective this year, and take the opportunity to improve your content.
Truly Build Up a Community
Following this, there is also the newsfeed to consider. It is akin to encouraging brands to not only put out content on their pages but to also increase interaction with the community. Pages should and must interact with users. The newly added Q&A feature is also a good avenue to invite more participation from users. Besides producing content, the brand should also devote more resources to promoting interaction and community building.
Is Facebook Still Popular?
Recently, Facebook’s fortunes have been not that great, and the domineering behavior of its management has caused many to turn to MeWe instead. An earlier article has discussed how brands should respond. Recently, even WhatsApp has forced users to accept the terms of privacy of Facebook otherwise it will not work, which also prompted users to open a Signal account. Marketers who are planning for 2021 should not panic. The market is ever-changing, so build flexibility into your strategies, and truly establish your digital assets, while observing for the right moment to strike! The most important thing is for all to adopt a growth mindset, one that never stops learning.
Original Source: https://www.visiongo.hsbc.com.hk/en/article/facebook-is-removing-likes-on-pages
