How To Increase Your Reach on Facebook

I've been buying Facebook ads now since 2008 across 3 different businesses. I've learned a few things about it, especially since last fall's changes to EdgeRank. If I give you all the details, my hard earned arbitrage will be lost when everyone does them, but here are some clues on how to improve your reach on Facebook: Your Facebook content must be optimized--for Facebook. Facebook's newsfeed is managed by an algorithm (called EdgeRank) in the same way Google's Search Engine is an algorithm. But they optimize on very different things. Your task is to test and play around with your content until you understand what works. Your customers on Facebook are likely different from your other customers.  How? Find out, and give it to them. In the end though, if your content is relevant and interesting you will be seen--though not as much as you were before last fall's changes.

Vary the content and style of your posts. Posting the same thing, at the same time of day is boring. But it also teaches the algorithm that you are boring/unwanted, and reduces the likelihood you'll be shown again in others' newsfeed. So play around with photos, quizzes, status updates, and links/videos.

Don't pay to promote a post immediately. See what you can learn about your post organically before plunking down your cash on paid ads. But don't wait too long--you can't promote an old post.

Would love to hear what's working for you in the comments below!