Do you market products or services on Facebook? If so, Edgerank directly concerns you.
What is Edgerank?
Despite its importance, many businesses lack a basic understanding of how Edgerank works. EdgeRank is the main proprietary social algorithm Facebook uses to place and customize the material in users’ news feeds. It determines what, how often, and how far upstream a story or status will appear on your Page fans’ wall feeds.
Anyone engaged in Facebook content marketing must understand how this formula works and how to use it to benefit their bottom line. Let’s take a look at how Edgerank works, and what kind of content is likely to be rewarded by its algorithms.
How does it work?
For marketers working Facebook for brand development and leads, it’s crucial to show up in News Feeds. That visibility can’t simply be taken for granted; ROI depends on knowing if Pages’ status updates, media and links are reaching enough fans. Edgerank, for its part, provides a starter road map for maintaining that exposure.
The idea is similar in principle to Google’s efforts to reward publishers of high-quality, relevant material in its search results. Edgerank ties the quality and, more to the point, popularity of content to those coveted top feed spots. You can still buy your way to the top of the News Feed via sponsored updates, but you’ll need a bit of ‘edge’ to do it for free.
News Feed Optimization
What does it mean for content marketing on Facebook? When it comes to News Feed optimization, content is king. The best way to optimize for the News Feed is by regularly posting fresh, likable material that people enjoy. Compelling content equals more engagement—what Facebook calls “weight.”
It’s fairly straightforward—the more Likes, comments, shares, and other signals of user engagement with your posted material, the higher your brand’s ‘weight,’ and the more people that will ultimately see that material in their news streams. While businesses don’t know their ‘weight’ for certain, they can use the “People Talking About This” number listed on each Page as a informal proxy.
Edgerank can function as either a useful tool or a drag on news feed exposure. Ultimately, the outcome depends on how much effort and talent businesses invest in creating and enthusiastically sharing thoughtful and provocative content. Mastering Edgerank is the key to sustaining a vibrant community of brand fans on Facebook.
