On Facebook, when you “like” a page it is easy to assume that you will see that page’s updates, but in reality not all “likes” are created equal. As we discussed in Five Features to Bring Your Business into Focus, there is an algorithm often called Edge Rank that decides where a post shows up in the news-feed.
Today, we look at another way to boost Edge Rank, which is controlled by fans that like your page. When someone “likes” your page the default is set to “Show in News Feed.” This means that when they like your page the results will show up in their news-feed, but how often and where depends on your Edge Rank. There are two other options that a follower can use: Add to Interest Lists and Get Notifications.
- Add to Interest Lists: If your fans check this option they will be asked to select a list they’ve already created or to create a new list. This is a great option for those fans that actually use lists to view their news-feed. For example, someone might create a list called local and then add all the local businesses that they follow to that list. When they view the list they would then see the posts from all their local businesses.
The down side is that most people do not use the list function in Facebook or if they do use it, they add all pages and once again you are left fighting for space on the news-feed.
- Get Notifications: This is the most preferred “like.” Using this feature you will not have to wonder if your fans will see your post, because they get a notification.
The downside is that if you post a lot, your fans that choose this option will be overwhelmed with multiple notifications often leading them to uncheck this option.
Both of these options help ensure that your followers are seeing your posts, regardless of your Edge Rank, however most users on Facebook are not educated about these options. This means that you need to educate your fans. Encourage your fans to go to your page and hover over the like button. A drop down list (as pictured above) will give them the option to select Get Notifications or Add to Interest List. A sample post might be:
“Some of our fans have mentioned that they are not seeing our updates! To make sure that you don’t miss out, please visit our page and hover your mouse over the Like button. You will see a drop down with the top option reading “Get Notifications”. If you select that option you will now be notified when we post new updates!”
