What You Need to Know About the New Facebook Algorithm

Facebook recently announced that it will be rolling out a new algorithm, and it has gotten brands and businesses alike abuzz with worry about what these changes mean for them. The reality is that your newsfeed will favour content from your friends, family, and groups over business pages, which really, is what Facebook was originally all about. 

Yes, unfortunately your organic reach will probably drop. The good news? These changes forces brands to up their content game. We've been preaching quality over quantity for years, and that earning engagement online is like winning the Stanley Cup of social media, and platforms are finally getting on board. 

How can your brand stand out with these changes?

·      Comments = King

The new algorithm favours authentic engagement above everything else. Not only should you be taking the time to comment on others posts, but you should focus your posts on asking thought provoking questions and encouraging engagement as well.

What not to do: Increasing engagement does not mean bugging your audience to comment on every. single. post. You wouldn’t do this in real life, so don’t do it online either.

·      Now is the time to give Facebook Live a try

The keyword here is live. According to Mark Zuckerberg “live videos often lead to discussion among viewers on Facebook – in fact, live videos on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos.”

What not to do: Of coure this isn’t a catchall; use Facebook live when appropriate but don’t overkill it with irrelevant topics. Does your breakfast really need to be shared on Facebook live? Probably not.

·      Personal branding is where it’s at

Think outside the box of your business page. Use your personal account to build relationships and reach people. If you are an entrepreneur or business owner, it’s pretty much expected that you eat, breathe, and live your business, so why not spark conversations with your network about ideas or hear their suggestions?

What not to do: There’s a fine line between promoting your biz and spamming. Building relationships does not mean talking about your biz 24/7; it’s about nurturing your current connections through a wide range of personal and professional conversations. 

·      Be a good listener

Listening skills are going to be even more important with these changes. The only way to have an accurate pulse on who your audience actually is, is to listen to them. Take the time to hear what they care about, what they’re talking about, and where they spend their time online.

What not to do: Don’t forget to listen to your competitors too. You probably share an audience, so if they aren’t talking about you, they just might be talking about them.

Facebook returning to it’s roots means that your brand should as well. Think back on the classic building blocks of relationships and communications – creating trust, two-way conversations, and transparency. 

Social media doesn't replace real relationships; it merely provides a medium to further them. The key here is to treat your online relationships the same as you would if you were face to face, and by the sounds of it, this new algorithm will reward real relationships accordingly and help cut out the fake news. 

What do you think of these changes? Do you have any concerns?

The Mystery Behind Facebook Business Manager

Benefits of Facebook Business Manager

Most businesses are active on Facebook, aiming to reach a portion of their one billion+ daily users; and many of those companies have been switching from using a personal profile as a business platform, to a Facebook Page because if not, they risk losing the page entirely. It is against Facebook Terms to use a personal account to represent something other than yourself, so they have the right to deny access to that account. If you manage one or more pages for a business, company, or organization, you have probably heard of Facebook Business Manager.

What is Facebook Business Manager?

It is a free tool, released in 2014, for agencies and organizations to manage access to their Pages and ad accounts without divulging their account passwords, and giving full access to each user. Facebook has been asking anyone who shares login information with others for their pages and ad accounts to change the way they sign in. This has become almost mandatory, unless you have a small account and have the option to choose to link your Pages and ad account to your personal profile.

The initial setup the Business Manager is actually very simple. However, it can take about an hour to figure it all out. I would caution you to make sure that the personal account you are using to get to https://business.facebook.com/ is the CEO of the business, or the main admin as they will have the highest power when managing all of the Pages and contributors on this account. What kinds of benefits are there to Business Manager? Here are a few:

Business Manager keeps you focused and efficient

You can keep your work and personal life completely separate with the use of business manager. Your Business Pages login is not the same as your personal profile login, which means that you are brought directly to the timeline of your projects, and your pages. This tool brings all of your pages and ad accounts to one centralized location, which you can easily flip through using the tabs provided. There is no more need to log into different accounts for multiple platforms, they can all be accessed through the same account.

This tool has made managing multiple Facebook Pages much easier and less daunting. It is more simple now to request access to a client’s page, and you can specify what kind of access you need, such as ad analyst, or editor. The client receives an email and can approve the request with just one click.

Assigning roles

One of the best features of business manager is that you can easily assign roles. This means that you can grant people access and tasks to different pages and ad accounts. There is a tab that allows you to easily see who is working on what page, whether it be an individual or a group. The master admin has the power to remove people easily, and grant specific access based on each project or task.

The beauty of this is that you do not have to be friends with someone to grant them access to a page. You simply need a coworker’s work email, avoiding seeing photos of their new dog on your personal timeline.

Recommended improvements

As mentioned previously, Facebook Business Manager was released in 2014. Since then, a number of bugs and technical difficulties have been erased and improved. We couldn’t help but notice a few ourselves, like the difficulty to comment or like posts from pages in business manager from a mobile device. Additionally, the steps to access a page’s newsfeed seem to change often, however Facebook does not provide this update information to its users. Please keep us in the loop, Facebook! Overall, it seems that Facebook Business Manager is a great tool for managing pages and ad accounts, but less ideal for interacting as a page.

The mandatory switch may feel harsh, but take the time to explore the benefits of Business Manager. Have you used Business Manager? How is your experience with it? Let us know in the comments below!

Canadian Companies that Rock Online

In order for a brand to be successful online, they must maintain a high level of interaction. Most would agree that the feeling you get when someone follows you or likes your post is pretty great. You may even think to yourself “Someone cares what I have to say, someone is connecting with my message, the sky is no longer the limit!” But then like any good thing, that high stops and you have no other response. Successful companies know that in order for them to remain relevant, they can’t just have likes and follows, but they need to take it a step further with comments, replies, and questions. These three ways of engaging lead to the most important word of all: interaction.

Personally, the only way I follow someone on Instagram or Twitter, is if their content interests me. Usually it will be scenic photos or fascinating places in the world – I have the travel bug (bad), or tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle or what’s new in the “trendy” world. There are three companies that I have taken an interest in over the years: Lululemon, Herschel and David’s Tea. All of these are iconic Canadian brands have been created and nurtured right here at home. To the average consumer, they are everyday items that have so perfectly placed themselves in your life that you haven’t even noticed that they are all around you. From the best-selling black Lululemon legging that every girl owns (men too, I don’t discriminate), to the well-known brown leather diamond of Herschel, to the drink that you consume on a daily basis. But what really makes you return to the product again and again? How do they stay relevant in a world where new tea ideas are brought forwards every day and your average legging now comes in fifteen different styles and thirty new colours? We come back to that one word that makes any brand stay relevant: interaction.

David's Tea

David’s Tea has a great online presence considering all they do is sell tea. With their first store opening in Toronto in 2008, they have taken the tea world by storm. Similar to Starbucks with their iconic white cup (red for the holidays of course), David’s Tea created a turquoise version with their name stamped beautifully across the side. They have over 100 different flavours ranging from “Cold 911” to “Egyptian Chamomile”. This is where their social media mastery comes in to play. Due to the fact that they have so many teas and no one wants to scroll through dozens of pages online, David’s Tea releases their weekly tea menu to their various social platforms. They share it to Facebook where their 228,751 thousand followers can like and comment, and they share it to Twitter where their 77.2 thousand followers can re-tweet and engage in conversation with a David’s Tea professional. 

Now back to my word of the day, David’s Tea does a great job of interacting with their Twitter followers. If you go onto their page you will see David’s Tea liking and commenting on everything! From answering questions that concerned consumers have, to engaging in debates on which tea is better. This is what makes them stand out from other brands. Shoppers will continue to buy their tea if they feel like they are being appreciated. This goes for Facebook as well. By not posting as many lifestyle pictures to Twitter and instead posting them on Facebook, they are encouraging consumers to like and follow both Twitter and Facebook. This creates a wider platform to spread their message. David’s Tea has such excellent graphics that they even started making phone backgrounds for the real “tea lovers” out there!

 

Herschel

Now Herschel is a brand which in some ways, does the complete opposite then that of David’s Tea. They have more followers on Facebook then “DT” does – 396,335 thousand, and have 736 thousand followers on Instagram. Unlike David’s Tea where they comment on everyone who tweets or mentions them, Herschel doesn’t follow a single person back on Instagram, yet they have a higher like ratio. So what makes them so special? They clearly disregarded my word of the day, so how is their social media presence so great? Lifestyle. The trend with today’s generation is to get outside and take pictures of all the amazing places that you have been. Whether it be hiking the Mohave Desert, climbing a mountain in the Rockies, or exploring caves in Oregon, Herschel will be with you every step of the way. The pictures they post on Instagram are defined by the term “Wanderlust”. It makes consumers want to be there and want to have that backpack with them. Though they aren’t interacting with the consumer, they are catering to what every young adult wants most in the world right now. 

They are a fueling a desire for adventure and by continuing to post content like this, people will buy their product because of what it represents. Their social media presence will continue to grow based on the fact that individuals like having gorgeous backgrounds and photos of unique places on their phone. I for one take no shame in admitting that that’s why I follow them. The videos that they post on Facebook are engaging and easy to watch because they look good with no sound. You can sit at your desk at work or in class and watch Herschel take you around the world. This is why they are succeeding in the social media world. We are relying on them to take us to places where we haven’t been yet and to be honest, their backpacks are amazing quality.

Lululemon

With the mention of quality, I bring myself to the last brand in which we are discussing – Lululemon. Known for its spandex, leggings and Yoga attire, they has an impressive 814 thousand followers on Twitter and an even more impressive 1.2 million followers on Instagram. Lululemon was the one who really started the legging craze. Before them there wasn’t really a need for black spandex to live your life in and now there is. With some tweaks to their social media they have maintained a steady and growing consumer base. After what was dubbed the “PR nightmare of 2013” by their then founder Chip Wilson, Lululemon switched up their social media strategy. They were being accused of catering to a specific lifestyle; one that was meant for thin athletes who used their product daily. Their social media was all about showing a high performance vision and this is what cost them an estimated $45 million in sales. I scrolled back on their Instagram about two years. I saw pictures of Olympians and people do insane weights and gym regimens – definitely not the relaxed style they promote now. Flash-forward two years, its all about Yoga, being happy with yourself, interesting places to do Yoga in your “Lulus” (again feeding that “Wanderlust”) and new lifestyle things for you to try.

With regards to interaction, no one does it like Lululemon. I have mentioned them in four tweets now at different times, each in a different context. They have either liked my tweet or have commented and continued a conversation for two or three tweets. For a company of their magnitude and with the amount of followers they have, it’s impressive the amount of dedication that they have shown to their media. For them interaction with their customers is key. Whether it ‘s by liking a post or sharing content that can benefit the individual, Lululemon is maintaining their client base because they show that they appreciate their customers. 

At the end of the day it really is about interaction. Each of these brands have shown in one way or another that they understand the trends of today – it’s the only way a brand can be successful. With so many relying on social media these days, it's crucial for Canadian brands to take their piece of the pie. If the consumers don’t agree with what they post social media wise, then the brand will suffer. You have to adapt and in today's day and age it happens to be by interacting. 

What other Canadian companies do you know that have a great online presence? 

5 Social Media Faux Pas & How to Fix Them

Here at Bowda the name of our game is social media. Over the years, our team has spent a lot of time online, and have come across a lot of witty Tweets, interesting Instagram posts, and fascinating Facebook pages. That being said, we are no stranger to the less than wonderful posts being shared every day. What makes them less favourable? We’ve collected a list of the most frustrating faux pas we’ve encountered, and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Automated Messages

This faux pas applies mainly to Twitter, but should be taken into account with all platforms. While we agree that thanking a new follower for their support, either through a direct message or a tweet, is a good idea, please avoid sending an (obviously) automated message. The point behind messaging a new follower is to establish an, albeit small, relationship with them, and thank them for noticing you online. However silly this may sound, going unnoticed on Twitter is never good for a new business, so you always want to demonstrate your appreciation. That being said, the entire meaning behind your message is lost when you’ve used a program to generate a very unnatural response to recently acquired followers. In some cases, it can even lead to being un-followed, if the individual suspects you may be a spam account (which do exist, by the way, and are incredibly irritating to have on your feed). Also, using these auto-mated responses as a marketing tool to advertise your services, or increase your followers, isspam, and will always be treated as such (i.e. blocking, deleting, un-following). Twitter is a fantastic way to connect with strangers all over the world, but your efforts have to be genuine (just like they would be in person).

Bottom line: If you choose to send a thank you to your newest followers, always send a personal message. 

DO: “Hey @BowdaPR, thanks for following! We look forward to learning about how to improve our presence on social media!”

DON’T: “Hey, thanks for following. Sign-up for our newsletter here/buy my cool product/give me money.”

2. Overuse, or incorrect use, of the infamous #hashtag.

Since the beginning of Twitter, the use of the #hashtag has been heavily debated. It is one of the more major learning curves that comes with creating your Twitter account, and most have figured out how to use them on a trail-and-error basis. It is now 2015; Twitter was created in 2006. If you still aren’t sure how to use the hashtag, listen up! There is nothing that demonstrates amateur hour better than misusing #hashtags.

I realize you may be making funny faces at the computer by this point. “There is no purpose to a hashtag, they’re for fun” is, perhaps, one reason behind your distorted brow. Although creating a hashtag can be fun and seemingly useless, there is a method to the madness. A hashtag, essentially, places your tweet in a list of other tweets that share the same hashtag. This can work to your advantage if you decide to share something that is “trending”, where others may see. By using a hashtag, it allows others to see your content who may not have been following you before, and then choose to because you are so wise/hilarious/savvy/inspirational.

Now, you’re probably thinking “If hashtags are so great, I’m going to use them all the time! In all my tweets! Only hashtags, no words!” This is where the problem lies. Although this may seem like a great idea, it really isn’t. You only have 140 characters to demonstrate how wise/hilarious/savvy/inspirational you are, so don’t waste them on lengthy sentences that become too difficult to read without spaces. The longer your hashtag, the less likely someone else has used it before, therefore stripping the hashtag of its purpose. At Bowda, we have a golden rule of no more than three hashtags, and make sure they are short and sweet. The more concise you are, the easier it is for someone to re-tweet/quote you to their followers. And why wouldn’t they want to, since you’re so wise/hilarious/savvy/inspirational?

Bottom Line: Do not use more than three hashtags. Do your research- make sure they are concise, and preferably exist already. 

DO: “We all need a little extra pick-me-up on our Mondays. #MondayMotivation”

DON’T: “Click this link for more information on #climatechange #globalwarming #renewableenergy #letsworktogethertosaveourplanetbeforeitexplodes

3. Abbreviate, but never use lingo.

OMG, LOL, LMAO, ROTFLMAO, IDK, SMH – what on earth am I saying? Exactly!

Even though it is tempting to use MSN language, with a limitation of 140 characters, it is never a good idea. You have no idea who your Tweets are being read by, and the last thing you want to inspire is confusion amongst your followers. Being clear and concise are two absolute musts when tweeting, and as funny as these lingo terms can be, they are anything but clear. SMH? I had to open up a new window, and resort to urban dictionary to solve that one (it means “shake my head” if you didn’t already know!).

Abbreviations are acceptable (i.e. B.C. instead of British Columbia, ‘&’ instead of ‘and’, TGIF instead of thank god it’s Friday), but try to only use the most obvious ones.

Avoiding lingo also assures you avoid sounding ignorant (remember, you’re really wise/hilarious/savvy/inspirational and want to remain being seen that way). Nothing takes away from an inspirational quote or a thought-provoking article quite like “omg lololol” following immediately after.

Bottom Line: Minimize your character count without compromising your message. 

DO: “Learn why BC has become the smartest & most environmentally friendly province”

DON’T: “omg look at dis pic à I h8 this s0o much! #smh #idk

4. Improper Grammar

This faux pas results in a lot of head-banging against a wall for some people. It would be really great if the individuals out there who still use “your” instead of “you’re” and “one” instead of “won” would be stripped of their right to access social media platforms, but sadly, this is not the case.

If you are one of these people, I am SMH at you! (Just kidding – there is no judgement here at Bowda. We understand that grammar mishaps happen to even the strictest grammar nerd, thank goodness for that edit button!)

However – and this is a big however – there is no excuse for the use of improper grammar and spelling on your Tweets and/or other social media posts. Nearly all, if not ALL, technological devices that provide us with the ability to post on such platforms come equipped with spellcheck. Please use this tool on a daily basis, and always pay attention to those red/green/blue squiggly lines (you know, the ones that appear every time you try to spell necessary? Or maybe that’s just me) that indicate you have chosen an incorrect letter arrangement. Other times, you have spelled the word correctly, but used the wrong form (i.e. your – you’re, they’re – their – there, whole – hole, lose-loose and I could go on and on and on...); this, my friends, is unacceptable. Thousands of people are on Twitter every day, and they are all presented with the freedom to follow, and un-follow, whomever they please. The followers that you have worked so hard to attain, you need to KEEP them. The best way to do that? Never fail to show them how wise/hilarious/savvy/inspirational you are with every single post. People may choose to write you off, and assume what you have to say, or the services you wish to provide, or the messages you want to share, or not worthwhile if they can’t trust you to pay attention to basic grammar rules. The internet can be a cruel place amigos; we just want to help you master your way through it.

Bottom Line: Always triple check your tweets, Instagram captions, and Facebook posts. As we say at Bowda  “spell-check yourself, before you wreck yourself”.

DO: “At Bowda, we represent an environment based on peace and love, and always admire your feedback”.

DON’T: “At Bowda, we represent an environment based on piece and love. and always admir you’re feedback”.

5. Don’t forget that social media is a two-way conversation.

This one is extremely important. Never forget that social media is best used as a conversational tool. Engaging your followers encourages them to continue to follow and support you. Nobody likes to see companies that choose to fill their feed with advertisements or self-proclamations about how great they are. If someone tweets at you, tweet back! When you choose to post something, always encourage a conversation. Never be afraid to ask your audience their opinions. People love to talk, and if you allow your social media page to be a place for them to do it, your number of followers will increase faster than my cat runs after a bag of Temptations treats.

Twitter chats exist for this very reason; both celebrities and companies do it frequently. This concept allows people to ask questions they may have about your company, or comment on ideas that your company represents. Twitter Q&As are always very popular (occurring more with celebrities, authors, talk-show hosts, etc.). Live-tweeting is also done frequently nowadays, which consists of individuals informing people of the details of an event that is happening, that they may not be able to attend. Either way, it’s all good press when you encourage your followers to reach out to you.

Bottom Line: Always engage ALL your followers, and encourage a conversation. 

DO: “At Bowda, we believe Twitter & Instagram are the most successful platforms; what do you think? #socialmedia”

DON’T: “At Bowda we’re so great.”

“At Bowda, we offer services to run your social media and blog accounts for you. Let us do it. We’re great!!”

At the end of the day, we want to commend you for all your efforts to remain relevant on social media and expand your brand on platforms you may be unfamiliar with. If you think conquering social media is easy, you’re most likely not doing it correctly. At Bowda, we believe practice makes perfect, and hope that you take these constructive criticisms as encouragement going forward. After all, what would the world do without your wise/hilarious/savvy/inspirational self?

Webinar Summary: An Introduction to Social Media for Not-for-Profits & Social Services

The following are a few of the key notes and takeaways from a Bowda webinar delivered to a number of non-profit social services organizations in British Columbia. The topic of the webinar was an introduction to social media for not-for-profits and social services. 

It started out with an introduction to The Big Three: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, with a quick description of how each network works. These are the three major social networks that brands need to consider and evaluate if they are the right fit for their organization. Twitter and Facebook accounts are essential for your brand, and Instagram is beneficial if you have interesting visuals to share.

Following that, there was an outline of the basic information organizations need to have ready, which included: 

Profile Checklist: (ensure that your social media profiles have the following) 

• Profile photo (business logo)
• Cover photo (relevant and/or branded photo)
• Short bio of your business
• Long bio of your business
• Links to your website
• Physical address (and map)
• Contact info (email address, phone numbers, etc.)

Next we learned what makes not for profits and social services different from other organizations and how these differences translate to social media. 

One of the main issues not for profits and social services face is how to deal with social media in relation to sensitive information. A tip we shared was to focus on statistics and numbers instead of using names. If you are questioning whether a post could affect a person’s reputation, it’s always best to play safe. Transparency is also key for these organizations, as people seek more background information as to where their donation and money will go. It is important to use your social media networks to inform your audience about what your organizations offers and how they do it. Many not for profits and social services have limited budget when it comes to social media and public relations, it is important to note that traditional marketing means are becoming less and less necessary. Not for profits need to take a page from startups and learn how to bootstrap effectively. Social media is an amazing resource with global reach that is free and organizations should be taking advantage of that. Many of the tools to enhance your social media strategy, such as Hootsuite, offer their basic services for free as well. 

Organizations were also given examples of social services organizations on international ((RED)), national (Canadian Blood Services), and local (Our Place Society) levels with good social media presence and practices.

Once organizations understand the whys and hows of using social media, it all comes down to content. 

Creating and Curating Content

• Content you share should be helpful to your audience and relevant to your business - for example, if you offer services for women, mention other resources in your area that might also benefit women
• FAQs - what are some of the questions that your organization is asked 
• Engage with other businesses/sponsors/locals; share stories - write thank you’s to sponsors, engage with local influential people (like the mayor, for example), share stories of volunteers in action, reminders for up-coming events and follow-ups about previous events including pictures, go beyond organization centric and include issue-centric content
• Have a plan, set goals, and stick with it - define your organizational goals and make sure your social media reflects those goals. Plan your content strategically with your goals in mind. 
• Share everywhere - newsletter, social media, email, posters in physical locations, in person, etc.
• Consistency is key - use the same photo/logo across platforms, post regularly
• Get help if you can’t keep up - hire a volunteer to be in charge of your social media, or employ a professional agency to come in and ramp up your social media

Tools to Make the Most out of Social Networks

• Instagram: use hashtags and apps to communicate and share with audiences, as well as discover other people, organizations and causes that are in line with your organization’s goals
• Facebook: engage as your page (organization is active), reply to followers/questions, like other pages, obtain analytics/statistics
• Twitter: create lists of interest groups/allies/influential people and organizations, use hashtags, host Twitter chats to generate awareness/discussion of relevant issues

The power of social media in communicating and reaching audiences can and should be used by organizations of all sizes. Not-for-profits and social services organizations can use this introduction to build their online presence in order to raise awareness, gain followers, fundraise, and bring attention to the causes and social issues that need support. These organizations help populations in our neighbourhoods, country, and across the world. 

If you are interested in learning more, don't hesitate to contact us for any webinar inquiries. 

Facebook Turns 10

As far as social mediums go, Facebook has always been a leader in a league of its own.  On their 10th birthday today, they are showing us all that they clearly have no intention whatsoever of losing that title. Instead of simply basking in the birthday bliss, they are doing some of the giving themselves. Mark and the team made videos of the top moments of your Facebook account over the past decade, or however long you've been a member. Want to check out yours? Head over to www.facebook.com/lookback for a trip down memory lane.

It also tells you just exactly how long you have been addicted and connected to the social network (7 years for us). Facebook, it seems, is one of those defining moments of a generation. Or at least our generations. Kids being born as of late are going to practically walk out of the womb with an account, but for us older folks it's one of those milestones that you will always remember exactly where you were when you first were introduced to "The Facebook".  I was living in Quebec City at the time, and was attending CEGEP (Quebec's version of college), when a friend of mine came to visit from Halifax. She was attending university there. She came over and after we got all caught up she asked if she could use to the computer to "check her Facebook".  At this point it was only offered exclusively to university students (CEGEP didn't fall under that category), and I had no sweet clue what she was talking about. I had never heard of this type of book, let alone seen it with my very own eyes.

Since then, Facebook has become not only an integral part of our day to day lives, but our businesses as well. Even though they are turning a decade old today, they are showing us that they still got it and are not going anywhere anytime soon. The promotion of the personal videos was PR done very well, and allows users to actively participate and engage in the occasion. Usually birthdays are all about you (or your brand), but Facebook turned the tables on us once again, and made it all about you and your Facebook experience. They have successfully made you as equally excited about your own personal journey, as well as seeing it through Facebook's eyes.

Bravo Facebook, and happy birthday. Here's to many, many more.

Tell us about your first time. When did you first hear about, or join Facebook?