2018 Digital Updates

FACEBOOK – BRINGING PEOPLE CLOSER TOGETHER

With the continual progression and advancements of social media platforms and technology comes changes to the way we as businesses create and promote content to our consumers.

Facebook announced at the beginning of January 2018 a focus to ‘Bring people closer Together’, resulting in a change to the Facebook algorithm.The developments of the social platform we have observed already this year are astounding. 2018 is definitely a year of change, and we are excited to see how the industry progresses and adapts. 

WHAT IS THE FACEBOOK ALGORITHM?

The Facebook algorithm is practically a living and breathing phenomenon that is part of the social media platform. It is the behind the scene process that works to determine which post will appear in an individual’s newsfeed based on an ever changing set of criteria (hence the living breathing phenomenon). The goal of the News Feed is to show the stories that matter to you, so the algorithm continuously works to identify, sort and prioritise post according to an individual.

An inevitable short-term result from this recent update will be lowered organic reach, engagement and general interactions between consumers and your business page. This may eventuate to lowered revenue and stall the growth of your business. However, there is no need to panic, Facebook’s paid advertising will remain untouched and continue to reach your audience as you desire.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR TRENDS

Advancement in technology brings with it added pressure and increasing expectations from consumers for quick, easy and pleasant brand interactions. In a saturated market with a plethora of brands all vying for a consumer’s attention, the ultimate power is held by the consumer. Who they shop with, dine with or even who they engage with can fluctuate based on their experience with a brand. Therefore, a strong consumer focus needs to be at the forefront of every business strategy. Ensuring your consumers have a positive experience every time is critical, but not just their physical experience, their online experience as well. Online interactions with a brand can influence and shape the consumers perception and alter their level of loyalty towards a particular brand.

WHAT DOES THE GOOGLE MEDIA UPDATE MEAN TO MY WEBSITE?

With the continual progression and advancements of social media platforms and technology comes changes to the way we as businesses create and promote content to our consumers.

Facebook announced at the beginning of January 2018 a focus to ‘Bring people closer Together’, resulting in a change to the Facebook algorithm.The developments of the social platform we have observed already this year are astounding. 2018 is definitely a year of change, and we are excited to see how the industry progresses and adapts. 

WHAT IS THE FACEBOOK ALGORITHM?

To put it very briefly, the update favours the more authoritative content, that’s backed up by trusted sources. Google is still receiving the same number of searches each day, and therefore, while some sites (such as LiveStrong.com) have lost considerable traffic, others have gained; i.e. there is clear potential for sites to capitalise on the latest update. So, it’s not all doom and gloom.

It’s unlikely that over the next few months Google will roll out any more major algorithm changes, so make the most of the opportunity presented; professionalise your site content, titles, structure, tone of voice, and back it up with credible, quality outbound links.