The 2018 changes to Facebook algorithms are presenting a challenge for many senior living communities.
While we don’t provide support for social campaigns, we do keep up with the constantly evolving algorithms. This year’s have proved to be a huge source of frustration for many of the senior living communities we work with.
We dug in to the issue and wanted to share a few of the highlights of these changes and how you can work around them.
Senior Living Communities and the Facebook Challenge
Meaningful interactions…
Mark Z states their goal with the 2018 algorithm changes is to create meaningful interactions.
It’s why they claim you’re seeing less information and updates from brands in your News Feed. While we recognize that’s super annoying for folks (like me!) who want to see updates from brands, it is what it is. So we have to work with it and around it.
What factors does Facebook consider meaningful when it is ranking whether or not your brand appears in followers News Feed?
Here’s the scoop on the behavior your brand needs to survive this latest change
- Comments rule: Ask questions that people comment on – those that really spark conversation. When people comment, reply, and comment again, that sends Facebook a signal the interaction is meaningful.
- Reactions matter. While it’s one thing for someone to Like a post, Facebook gives stronger rank to those posts that garner different icons. The “love” icon, the “mad” icon, and the “sad” icon all take extra time and Facebook factors that in.
- Shares count: This is nothing new. If your followers like something enough to share, Facebook thinks it’s an important post. And if someone takes time to share it via Messenger, extra credit for you!
- Video: Facebook Live video is worth the time. While video of any kind is popular, having your brand go Live is even better. Take advantage of the great programs and events that happen every day in your senior living communities to create a Facebook Live event.
- Skip engagement bait: You might be tempted to ask followers to “Comment” and “Share” in the copy on your posts. Back in the olden days, that behavior worked. But it doesn’t any longer. Facebook will rank that kind of spammy behavior even lower.
- Establish Facebook groups: Not enough senior living communities make use of this option. But creating Facebook groups around a variety of different topics gives you a chance to interact with prospects and followers. Maybe it is a group for respite families who are caring for a loved one with dementia. Or a group for long distance adult children. Think about the target audience you are trying to nurture and create a group for it.
- Promote page offline: While you can’t ask people to follow, comment, and share on your Facebook page, you can do it offline. Promote your page and it’s content to residents, families, referral sources, and prospects in your newsletter and other materials.
- Create quality content: This one should go without saying, but we will anyway. Create quality content on your site and blog that you can share on your Facebook page. Use thoughtful updates and a link to it. Meaningful interactions are the result of meaningful content.
Finally, consider Facebook ads and boosting posts. It really does make a difference.
Shoot us a line if you’d like to talk more about quality senior living content. We’ll be happy to set up a time to talk!