Answers to your burning questions about Facebook’s big changes—and what you can do next 

With a single blog post, Facebook sent tremors through the marketing community in mid-November. The cause? A forthright admission that “new volume and content controls for promotional posts” will significantly decrease the distribution of this type of content starting in January 2015.  

Is this going to make things tougher for your dealership? Well, most likely—but making the most of free marketing tools, whether it’s social media or SEO, has never been a sure thing. However, just how much your dealership should be worrying depends on where you’re focusing your social media marketing efforts. 

What types of posts will get the ax? 

In Facebook’s blog announcement, the company identified three traits as “too promotional” for organic posts based on consumer surveys: 

1. Posts that solely push people to buy a product or install an app 

2. Posts that push people to enter promotions and sweepstakes with no real context 

3. Posts that reuse the exact same content from ads 

For dealers, that means recycled lease offers, giveaways, and other types of content that customers generally head to Facebook to get away from. No big surprises there, right? 

Will these changes block relevant content from fans? 

The answer here is: probably not. Evidence has already shown that the types of posts outlined above aren’t the sort that make for brand loyalists—the type of customer your dealership should be focused on attracting.  

If a user “Liked” your page for a single contest or sale, chances are they haven’t yet developed a true brand loyalty. If your dealership has only been providing this type of content on its social media channels, your so-called “fans” may already be hiding or otherwise ignoring these repetitive posts. This was the case even in 2012, when a Group M Next research study saw Facebook engagement going up as organic reach declined—and a study this summer by BI Intelligence saw similar results. 

Forging ahead in Facebook’s brave new world 

There are a couple keys to social media success, and the first is recognizing what these channels can and can’t do. A Facebook post or tweet isn’t a television commercial or radio ad, broadcast to a general audience in the hopes of seeing a “few” sales—and therein lies the beauty. 

Customers come to social media for a more personal experience, and that perception leads to trust. While only 47 percent of global consumers trust paid ads, 92 percent say they trust “earned” media (including social media) above all other forms of advertising (Source: Webbed Feet). So focus on continuing to earn that trust, such as with these three tips: 

1. Be a good neighbor. Share content from other sources in your target audience’s interest group, such as new car reviews, service tips, or the YouTube video of that guy who put a hot tub in his luxury sedan. The more you become a trusted content provider, the more consumers will turn to you first. 

2. Be part of the conversation. If you’re not engaging with your social media, why should your customers? Encourage comments, respond to questions, and generally provide a reason for customers to keep you in mind above competitors. 

3. Be diverse. Algorithm changes or not, a Facebook-only marketing campaign is just a part of the equation. Make sure you’re posting on the other channels your audience uses most, especially Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to update that blog once in a while. 

There are still rewards to be found on Facebook (and other social media channels) for dealers who want to truly connect with customers. While this process can be time-consuming, it’s a lot simpler with our library of over 7,500 posts and tweets in hundreds of categories. With 3 Birds Marketing, your personalized social media strategy is a click away.   

Image via Pixabay