The document discusses Facebook's changing algorithm and the challenges it poses for brands. It notes that as Facebook grew, brands began focusing on vanity metrics like likes and paid reach instead of building real engagement. This led Facebook to change its algorithm to prioritize more meaningful interactions. The document provides advice for brands on how to adapt, including understanding the algorithm, focusing on relevance over vanity metrics, evaluating business outcomes from Facebook not just metrics, considering paid options, and leveraging other owned channels and collaboration. It argues brands must transform beyond a focus on platforms to building true communities.

1. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
A REACTION TO FACEBOOK’S ALGORITHM
CHANGES

2. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
THE STORY SO FAR

3. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
AS FACEBOOK GREW, AND GREW
Source:insidefacebook.com

4. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
ENTERPRISING BRANDS BEGAN A VOYAGE

5. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
THUS BEGAN THE FANDOM MENACE
In the Likes arms race, business
objectives were rarely thought of. Likes
and PTAT became easy surrogates to
measure ‘engagement’.
Likes became an end, as opposed to a
‘means’. Something to be obtained by
any means necessary. Facebook was only
too happy to let brands spend $

6. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
AND SOON, THE CLONE WARS TOO
In a bid to engage fans, brands made
content strategies for Facebook.
Unfortunately many of them still used
traditional media tactics on new
generation platforms.
Thanks to this, and more brands
becoming content creators, most pages
began looking like most other pages, and
users began treating most ‘content’ the
way they treated most advertising.

7. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
MEANWHILE, FACEBOOK JUST GREW

8. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
REVENGE OF THE SCRIPT
To play the devil’s advocate, the abundance of people, and brands,
forced Facebook to filter the newsfeed and control what people saw.
Brands suffered too, having to pay to reach their own fans!

9. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
TODAY’S REALITY
9

10. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
ORGANIC REACH – GOING, GOING..
10
Lesson: Do not build your house on land you don’t own

11. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
NO, THIS IS NOT TEMPORARY (hint)
11
Source:http://www.convinceandconvert.com/

12. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
WHAT NOW?
12

13. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
1. KNOW THE PATH
13
Source:http://www.techcrunch.com/
Understand what goes into the Facebook Edgerank algorithm

14. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
2. AND WALK THE PATH
Brand and
consumer
relevance
Experiment on
post types, timing
Smart calls to
action (Facebook
frowns at blatancy)
Mobile friendly
images and even
links
How frequently do
you need to post?
Experiment.
14
The basics of page management remain the same and much can be achieved through diligence

15. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
3. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD
Link
metrics to
business
outcomes
Brand
Marketing
Customer
Care
Sales
Is your brand health
influenced by your
Facebook presence?
(hint: brand track)
How does Facebook fare
when compared to other
media on Cost Per
Reach/ Acquisition?
How does your Turn Around
Time and Customer
Satisfaction Indices on
Facebook compare with
other channels?
How much does
Facebook contribute to
website traffic/ actual
revenue?
Go beyond the illusion of Likes and PTAT. (indicative list)

16. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
4. TAKE THE RED PILL
Are the business
outcomes pursued apt
given the brand’s
internal and external
dynamics?
Can social media
listening help find
areas that add value
to community – both
generic as well as real
time?
Focus
Would ads help serve
the goal better or
pure play content?
How can budgets be
optimised for both?
Is an always-on
content strategy
relevant in the era of
zero organic reach?
Are there new
properties on
Facebook that allow
better storytelling
opportunities or direct
response?
Function
Does it make sense to
have separate pages
for brand variants?
Form
Content is currency. But it does get devalued because of abundance. Therefore, keep evaluating

17. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
5. SEE HOW DEEP THE RABBIT HOLE GOES
Planning
• Understand
business
objectives,
budgets and
tools
Creative
• Connect
intent,
interest and
interaction
data to
content
Targeting
• Use
Facebook
tools (eg.
Custom
Audiences,
Look Alike
Audiences)
and own
databases
to full effect
Optimisation
• Set goals,
experiment,
monitor
results.
Rinse,
repeat
Analytics
• Measure
everything.
Find
causation
and
correlation
(inside and
outside
Facebook)
and keep
iterating
Paid media is a reality. Understand how to use it to your advantage. Instead of interruptive
advertising, add value

18. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
6. IT IS NOT THE SPOON THAT BENDS, IT IS
ONLY YOURSELF
Traditional marketing is not famous for collaboration, but that’s one way to augment the brand’s
Facebook reach.
Collaboration
Possibilities
Partners
Leverage offline
partnerships (events,
vendors)
Co-branded content
with non-competitors
Publishers
Those with expertise
in creating shareable
content. You’ll be
amazed at what
happens next. Consumers
Many users are now
publishers with their
own circles of
influence.

19. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
7. EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH CHOICE
Facebook is not the only platform out there. Others might have specific features , audiences or
regional popularity that fit your brand objectives better. But remember the Facebook lesson!

20. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
8. FREE YOUR MIND
Look beyond leased platforms, towards content tie-ups. Looks native, yet advertising.
ImageSource:http://marmot.com.au/http://www.clickz.com/

21. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
9. DON’T THINK YOU ARE, KNOW YOU ARE
Owned
Media
Website
Email
database
Blog
Employees
Many existing assets can be used (and scaled) to achieve the same objectives Facebook helped
meet. You can also use social as media to drive traffic to these properties
Eg. Explicit/implicit permission
based publishing of user actions
using Open Graph
Segregate databases and
replace spam mails with better
targeted and relevant mails
When employees identify with a
brand’s purpose and values, they
will be willing and happy to use
their social presence as media
Add value to readers, use the
platform to begin/continue
conversations and carry the
brand narrative forward

22. MANU PRASAD @manuscrypts www.manuscrypts.com
10. THE SOUND OF INEVITABILITY
Conversations have always existed. Social
platforms enabled their amplification.
This led brands to focus on platforms and
their reach, instead of a community that
could deliver long term value.
The twin forces of reducing attention
span and changing behaviours,
accelerated by social, are now forcing
businesses to transform.
Social’s real potential lies in reflecting the
brand’s narrative and how it touches the
lives of others.
There is no magic pill here that’s
applicable to all organisations, the
journey is for each brand to undertake.
Anobviousreferencefortheanomalieswhodidn’tgettheearlierones