4 ways to improve your Facebook EdgeRank

Reaching more followers on Facebook seems like it should be very straightforward; the larger your following, the greater the audience. However, what many brands may not realize is that a large percentage of your followers may never see the majority of your posts.
Facebook uses an algorithm called EdgeRank to determine who sees what content. Though the specifics are secret, we do know that the company bases its formula on three factors: Affinity, or the strength of the relationship between poster and viewer; Weight, or the value of the post; and Time Decay, or the post’s freshness.

Here's how to bolster your EdgeRank:

1. Vary your content
One of the great things about Facebook posts is that you aren’t limited to text-only content. Varying your content to include images and videos can be an excellent way to increase engagement, because it promotes interaction, thus increasing Affinity. Multimedia content is more likely to show up in the news feeds of your followers, and Facebook seems to give extra Weight to it.

2. Provide great content
In social-media marketing, content is king. Well-crafted, compelling, and interesting content attracts readers and increases engagement. If your followers don’t care about the topics in your posts, they are less likely to pay attention, hit that “like” button, comment, or share. Regardless of the medium, your content should provide value to your readers. When they appreciate and respond to it, your Affinity will increase.

3. Encourage engagement with CTAs
Hopefully, you already create your Facebook content with the goal of encouraging engagement and interactivity. However, a well-crafted call to action (CTA) can give your followers the push they need to move from enjoying a post to adding a comment, sharing it with friends, or simply pushing the “Like” button. Don’t be afraid to directly ask your followers to do those things. The more a follower engages with your content, the higher their Affinity with your brand will be.

4. Post regularly
Because Facebook includes Time Decay in its EdgeRank algorithm, even your greatest, most engaging posts will lose their impact over time. Provide new content on a regular basis; otherwise, you risk your content dropping off your followers’ walls before they have the opportunity to read and interact. How often you should post on Facebook will depend on your brand and followers; you may want to start with posting once per day and adjusting as necessary. Monitor your Insights and other data to determine which frequency results in the most engagement, and keep in mind that posting too often may annoy and drive away followers.


Read: bizjournals