A quick look at the recent changes to Facebook's New Feed algorithm and how they impact Brand Pages.

1. a social media primer
how facebook’s new news feed algorithm impacts brands

2. what is facebook’s news feed algorithm?
Akin to the Network’s original algorithm – EdgeRank –
Facebook’s New Feed Algorithm is a formula that
relies on more than 1,000 contributing data points to
establish which Posts its users see.
To make this determination, Facebook’s backend
focuses on three main influences:
Affinity (defined by a user’s relationship
with the publisher of a specific object AND
how much the user interacts with that
publisher’s content);
Weight (determined by the object type –
photo, video, or link; and
Time (also known as “time decay,”
and defined by the recency of the
action).

3. how does it affect my brand page?
The recent changes to the News Feed Algorithm are part of a
plan that’s designed to transform the platform from “Social
Network” to “Content Distribution Hub.”
Per the Network, four key factors drove the changes:
feedback from users; growing desire to become a realtime news source; competition among publishers in
the News Feed; and continued maturity of offerings.
To date, the changes have impacted brands
in two ways: virtually all have seen a decline
in organic (non-paid) reach and all have seen
a dip in engagement.
Per the Network, brands can expect to
see these trends continue.

4. what we know
Facebook’s News Feed algorithm gives
preferential treatment to links that point to
high-quality articles about current events,
Network favorites, user interests, etc.
It was designed to do a “better distinguish
between high-quality articles on websites”
versus photos and memes hosted outside
of Facebook, particularly for mobile users.

5. adapting to the opportunity ahead
For brands whose Social Media strategy is based on
engaging consumers on Facebook alone, now may be
the time to explore some additional options.
Given the Network’s prioritization of quality news over
memes, reconnecting with influencers – and exploring
owned entry into outposts where richer forms of
editorially-based content are possible – seems key.
To succeed going forward, brands must focus
on creating great content – content that their
advocates will find valuable – and using paid
media to increase reach on must-see Posts.
The free ride, as they say, is over. ..

6. hungry for more?
Facebook’s New News Feed Changes Will Require New Marketing Strategies
(Source: Ad Age | Digital)
Marketers Learn to Play by Facebook’s Changing Rules
(Source: Mashable)
Facebook’s Algorithm Change Not A Boon For All Publishers
(Source: Forbes)
Facebook Is Testing A News Feed That Looks More Like A Newspaper
(Source: Fast Company Design)
Facebook Is A Fundamentally Broken Product That Is Collapsing Under Its
Own Weight
(Source: Business Insider | Tech)
News Feed FYI: What Happens When You See More Updates from Friends
(Source: Facebook Newsroom)

7. a social media primer
how facebook’s new news feed algorithm impacts brands