How to Grow Facebook Organic Reach in 2023

How to Grow a Facebook Business Page for Free: Understanding Facebook Organic Reach

30 min read

“Why is my organic reach on Facebook so low? Is Facebook organic reach dying?” — that鈥檚 the big question keeping business owners up at night. With each new News Feed algorithm update, brands and publishers seem to get further away from the viral success they long for on social media. And if that鈥檚 how you feel, well, you aren鈥檛 wrong.

Increasingly, Facebook algorithm updates have been found to diminish the power of traditional organic strategies. But just because the game changes doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 change with it. Organic reach isn鈥檛 doomed — you鈥檒l just have to learn to play by Facebook鈥檚 new rules.

Read on to find out what affects your post position in News Feeds, and learn how to increase organic reach on Facebook.

In this post:

Understanding Organic Reach on Facebook

Before we explain how to boost organic reach on Facebook, let鈥檚 talk about what it is, and what affects it. Once we understand the mechanics of organic reach, we鈥檒l be able to determine what strategies are most effective at growing it.

What is organic reach on Facebook?

Let鈥檚 start with the basics: how is Facebook reach calculated? And what鈥檚 the difference between organic reach and paid reach?

as “how many people you can reach for free on Facebook by posting to your Page.” As for paid reach, it consists of the people who see your posts as a result of paid advertising.

With that description in mind, it鈥檚 easy to see why marketers would be concerned — because a decline in organic reach means a natural increase in the cost to reach their customers.

But is Facebook reach important? Yes, it is! The ability to get in front of customers using free social media tools positively affects your brand exposure at a minimum cost to your bottom line. So now that we understand the problem, let鈥檚 look at why Facebook organic reach is decreasing and what we can do to reverse it.

Why is Facebook organic reach decreasing?

There are two main reasons for the decline in organic reach on Facebook, neither of which has anything to do with Mark Zuckerberg or his secret and deeply closeted contempt for small businesses.

First, the increase in content. There鈥檚 just a lot more content to compete with than there was 10 years ago. Consumers post more. Brands post more. And the sheer number of pages Facebook can and do engage with is increasing every day. And on top of all that, new tools and more elegant UX designs have made it easier than ever to create and share new content.

All this has resulted in massive competition for your customers鈥� News Feed. And what is Facebook News Feed? It is the constantly updating list of posts in the middle of your home page on Facebook. That includes photos, videos, links, status updates, app activity, as well as likes from people, pages and groups you follow.

When we say the News Feed competition is “massive,” we mean it is MASSIVE. In 2014, the average Facebook user would have a potential they could receive in their News Feed at any given time, of which Facebook would only display about 300. And that was six years ago.

grows with every passing year, and so does the number of posts shared on the platform

If Facebook actually showed its users 100% of the content available to them, the News Feed function would become virtually unusable for most regular consumers, likely causing many to leave the platform entirely. A lose-lose-lose for everyone.

Second, much of the content being produced is only relevant to small segments of Facebook鈥檚 users. In the early days of social media when content was in short supply, any piece of content produced with a reasonable level of skill could be relatively successful. But these days, with Facebook users up to their eyeballs in amazing content, it鈥檚 not enough to create and share content that鈥檚 good.

In order to be successful on Facebook, you need to share content that鈥檚 both amazing and relevant. Today鈥檚 Facebook users want content that鈥檚 targeted to their interests, and they want it in moderation without blocking stories from their friends and family (as branded content is disposed to do in such huge supply).

Facebook, understanding the behavior of its users, turned its efforts toward cleaning spam from its feeds and improving the way News Feed targets content for relevance.

What is the Facebook algorithm?

Facebook has a special algorithm that ranks all available posts that can display on a person鈥檚 News Feed based on how likely it is that the person will have a positive reaction to the post.

How Facebook News Feed algorithm works

What a user sees in their News Feed depends on four main factors:

Inventory: the total content available from friends and publishers that can be displayed to a user.
Signals: data tied to a specific post — for example, the type of content; when it was posted; who posted it; and how many likes, shares and comments it has. These are the only factor brands can control and use to signal (pun intended) to Facebook that their content is relevant to their target audience.
Predictions: a prediction about how likely a user is to be interested in a post based on an analysis of what content that user prefers.
Relevancy Score: a number assigned to a post based on the likelihood that a particular user will enjoy it.

These are the probabilities (predictions) the Facebook algorithm takes into account when when :

likelihood to click
likelihood to spend time with a post
likelihood to like, comment, and share
likelihood a user will find a post informative
likelihood a post is clickbait
likelihood a post links to a low-quality web page

Once the Facebook algorithm works its magic, it orders the available content by score. The higher the score, the more likely that post is to be displayed in users鈥� feeds. So that random cat video you watched on your lunch break wasn鈥檛 really so random after all.

Now that you have a better understanding of the Facebook News Feed algorithm, let鈥檚 find out which of its updates affect organic reach the most. That鈥檚 essential to know if you wonder how to grow a Facebook business page.

What Affects Facebook Organic Reach

Over the last couple years, there鈥檝e been some big changes in how Facebook News Feed algorithm positions content for brands and users.

In January 2018, Facebook announced that its News Feed would This major change marked a turning point in the algorithm, marking Facebook鈥檚 renewed commitment to personal interactions between users and the people they care about. This change included priority placement for:

Posts from friends and family
Posts that “inspire back-and-forth discussion in the comments” and/or that users would be interested in sharing and reacting to

A slide from the that addressed algorithm changes and the importance of meaningful interactions

Another that improved the AI鈥檚 ability to remove violating content and demote sensational, misleading, or controversial content.

The most recent major update was announced in 2019 when Facebook .

Historically, reach was calculated based on how many times a post was delivered in the News Feed. This recent update imposed stricter reporting, (the same approach Facebook uses to calculate ads performance).

While this change was only intended to change the way reach is measured and not News Feed distribution, some pages have still reported seeing lower reach than expected.

What kind of content is best for your Facebook page

As we discussed in the previous section, Facebook emphasizes posts from family and friends over branded content. But public content that provides “meaningful interactions” also has a good chance of appearing in a feed. Here are some examples of content that鈥檚 likely to be prioritized:

Content that鈥檚 shared over Facebook Messenger
Content that鈥檚 liked or commented on
Content that receives multiple replies

These are generally posts that provide real value to users by entertaining, inspiring, or teaching something new. They鈥檙e the kinds of posts that when you see them, you instinctively want to share them with someone else. According to , “Content driving meaningful interactions will perform better than content driving only consumption.”

If a page is creating posts that users aren鈥檛 reacting to or commenting on, it鈥檚 only natural for that page to see a decrease in distribution.

So does that mean that thoughtlessly collecting interactions and comments with messages like “Like for Like” and “Comment if鈥�” is an appropriate solution? Also no. In fact, tactics like these will find your posts earning even less reach. Keep reading to find out why and learn how to increase post reach on a Facebook page without those tactics.

What kind of content demotes your Facebook page

If you wonder how to get more views on Facebook, you鈥檒l need to be aware of what activities are the most likely to decrease your reach as well.

When Facebook says it values content that provides “meaningful interactions,” that鈥檚 not just a figure of speech. News Feed demotes posts that bait users into clicking on a link or interacting in some way to increase organic reach.

There are several types of content that are regularly penalized by Facebook鈥檚 algorithm to reduce reach.

Engagement bait

Although News Feed prioritizes posts with greater interaction (for example, comments, likes, and shares), it also recognizes content which was created exclusively to goad users into said interaction and will penalize those posts accordingly. Can you guess why? It鈥檚 because the interactions received from engagement baiting aren鈥檛 meaningful.

Remember, Facebook鈥檚 goal is to create meaningful interactions between users, but engagement bait isn鈥檛 designed to provide anything meaningful or valuable — it鈥檚 simply trying to trick the algorithm with low-effort post engagements. And needless to say鈥� Facebook is onto the trick.

Here are some examples of posts using engagement bait:

Vote baiting: “Vote on your plans! Click ‘Wow’ if you want to go on vacation, click ‘Love’ if you want to find your love, 鈥�”
React baiting: “Like this if you can relate”
Share baiting: “Share with 15 friends for a chance to win a new iPhone!”
Tag baiting: “Tag a friend who鈥檚 always late”
Comment baiting: “Comment ‘+’ if you want to see more posts like this!”

Examples of engagement bait posts from

Keep in mind that Facebook doesn鈥檛 just downgrade the specific posts that are using engagement bait, they also apply stricter demotions for pages that repeatedly use these tactics. So, if you wonder how to boost organic reach on Facebook, start with giving up engagement bait posts.

The only exception to this rule is posts that ask for help, advice, or recommendations. For example, missing persons reports, requests to support a charity, or asking for wedding planning advice.

Clickbait headlines

One of Facebook鈥檚 core values is creating an , so the platform is super strict when it comes to misleading, sensational, or spammy content.

Clickbait headlines present information in a way that forces users to click to find out the answer. For example, “You鈥檒l never guess what this guy did to his best friend鈥檚 toaster!”

What makes a headline :

Headlines that leave out critical details or intentionally withhold information: “This tactic will bring you 50 followers a day”
Headlines that exaggerate information with sensational language: “You鈥檝e GOT to see this! Lemons cure EVERYTHING!”
Headlines that create misleading expectations: “Research could suggest that dogs can鈥檛 look up.”

Just like with engagement bait, pages that rely on clickbait headlines will see a decrease in reach.

Links to low-quality webpage experiences

In their effort to show more informative posts, Facebook pays close attention to , including pages that contain:

A disproportionate volume of ads relative to content
Malicious or deceptive ads
Sexually suggestive or sensational content (shocking, disrespectful, or excessively violent content)
Pop-up ads or interstitial ads, which disrupt the user experience

A post that links to these types of web pages is displayed lower in feeds. Facebook also shows fewer posts linking out to low-quality sites that So if you want to share someone else鈥檚 content with your audience, make sure you鈥檙e linking to a reliable source with original content.

How to Increase Organic Reach on Facebook

Just because organic reach is getting harder to come by on Facebook doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 still have a strong presence on the platform.

Here鈥檚 how to work with the latest News Feed algorithm and how to increase post reach on Facebook page.

Make sure you鈥檙e in your followers鈥� feeds

Even if you鈥檙e following all the rules, sometimes your content will still get lost in competitive feeds. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 important to educate your audience about how to keep in touch with your page:

Remind your followers that if they want to see more posts from you, they can update their feed settings to allow for it. To do that, they鈥檒l need to go to your page, click Following, and choose See First:

Here鈥檚 how users can update their preferences to see more posts from you

And remind your followers that they can also open the Pages Feed on the left sidebar of their News Feed to see content from pages like yours that they鈥檝e liked.

After you ensure you鈥檙e in your followers鈥� feeds, start testing tactics on how to grow a Facebook page organically.

Choose quality over quantity

“How can I increase my reach on Facebook without paying?” — the answer to that question lies in the types of content the platform prioritizes. Facebook is determined to provide the best possible content that鈥檚 unique, valuable, personalized, and relevant to the user.

When creating content, keep in mind that your goal is to get as much interaction from that piece as possible. The production of genuinely engaging content is time-consuming, but quick fixes like engagement bait also don鈥檛 help. So it makes sense to post less to ensure each of your posts is high-quality and relevant to your followers.

Humanize your brand

According to a , 63% of US consumers prefer to buy from companies that stand for a purpose that reflects their own values and beliefs. What鈥檚 more, they鈥檒l actively avoid brands that don鈥檛.

So it鈥檚 important to show followers that your brand is mission-driven and shares their values. To do that, you鈥檒l need to understand who your customers are. Are they eco-conscious? Do they prefer to support local businesses? What are the issues that get them up and engaging?

Posts like this show customers that brands can do more than sell

Create emotional content

If you want to know how to reach more people on Facebook, you need to remember that people are no strangers to emotions.

Emotion is a powerful tool for encouraging interaction and discussion. But, according to , not all emotions are created equal: some emotions are seen more often in connection with viral content. Here are some of the most common emotions used to create successful social posts:

curiosity
amazement
interest
astonishment
uncertainty
admiration

Contrary to what some may believe, negative emotions are actually less common in successful viral content.

Create video content

Creating video content takes more effort than posting an image with text, but it鈥檚 definitely worth the time if you鈥檝e got it. Not only does Facebook鈥檚 News Feed prioritize video, but posts with video also gain at least .

Practical how-to videos are some of the most popular video types on Facebook

In the same way a person might spin a sign to catch a passing driver鈥檚 attention, the motion of a video has the ability to catch a Facebook user鈥檚 attention as they鈥檙e scrolling through their News Feed.

Short videos and even simple gifs can help to increase your presence in a News Feed.

However, for best results, Facebook suggests posting videos that are between , as longer videos tend to offer more value for viewers. And don鈥檛 forget to add subtitles; according to recent reports, a whopping .

Have a video you already posted to YouTube? Refrain from sharing the YouTube link on your Page, and upload the video directly to Facebook instead. Sure, it won鈥檛 help your numbers on YouTube, but it鈥檚 also far more likely to get picked up by Facebook鈥檚 algorithm. As one of Facebook鈥檚 biggest competitors, YouTube content isn鈥檛 something Facebook is overly anxious to prioritize in its News Feeds. But video content from Facebook鈥檚 own platform? You betcha.

And give Facebook Live a try too. According to reports, live videos average . And because you鈥檙e limited to what you can do in a live recording, live videos are also easier to create. That means live video could be a great way to kickstart your video strategy and create some interesting content on a short timeline.

Embrace user-generated content

What鈥檚 better than making content for your audience? Letting your audience make it for you. User-generated content is content created by your audience about your brand that you can share on your own page. Asking your followers to post a review of your products or share photos for a chance to win a prize are great ways to encourage user-generated content.

Hey It鈥檚 Oh So Pretty reposts pictures of customers who use their ribbons in wedding bouquets

Sometimes the answer to “How can I grow my FB page?” is surprisingly simple. Let other people do that for you! Running user-generated content campaigns may also help you identify devoted customers who could be recruited as “brand ambassadors” to promote your brand to their networks (for a few freebies, of course).

Create Facebook Groups

Based on the latest version of the News Feed algorithm, Facebook Group content receives higher reach than regular Page content. Take advantage of that change by creating a closed group for your most engaged customers.

Groups can also help to build a community of brand loyalists and creates an easy channel to communicate with your ambassadors. And if you organize or promote events, groups can be used to quickly share and receive the best photos and videos from around the group.

However, it鈥檚 important to keep in mind that a group is about the members, not the brand. Communicate with your fans, answer their questions, share helpful content, and make sure they continue to have memorable interactions with your brand and its ambassadors. Make your customers feel appreciated, and they鈥檒l take care of the rest.

黑料门 merchant Selena Robinson sells educational products for children with ADHD and manages a Facebook group for parents who align with her target audience

Reply to comments and promote conversations

Always reply to comments on your page quickly, and keep the conversation going if you can (but don鈥檛 force it). Start discussions, like asking what your followers think of your new product or what they think about the latest industry news.

To make staying in touch with your customers easier, add Facebook Messenger live chat to your website. Customers will be able to ask questions and have a conversation right from your website鈥檚 product pages, and you can even slide in an invite to follow your Facebook page.

Link to fewer outside websites

We鈥檝e talked about not linking to low-quality webpages, but you should also be careful with links in general. Facebook naturally wants users to stay on its platform, so posts with links to outside pages aren鈥檛 at the top of its list to promote.

Of course, you can鈥檛 always avoid linking to outside sources, and sometimes that鈥檚 really the best course of action. But if you can go without links to other websites, your posts are that much more likely to be rewarded in your followers鈥� News Feeds.

Bright Side engages followers into conversation in the comments to the post

Track how your content performs

When you experiment with new formats and types of content, you may see that some get more engagement than others.

Decide what metrics align best with the goals of your content, track your content based on those metrics, and use that knowledge to adjust your content strategy. Skip posts your audience seems indifferent to and redouble efforts on post types that perform highest based on your chosen metrics.

You can also use to learn more about your followers and other users you鈥檇 like to reach. Use Audience Insights to view data like demographics, hobbies, interests, lifestyles, and more.

And test different posting times for better engagement. For example, that the best times for healthcare companies to post on Facebook are between 6 am and 7 am, at 9 am, and between 11 am and noon. As for media companies, their “show time” is either at 7 am, 11 am, or 6 pm.

Basically, that鈥檚 how to get more people to see your Facebook posts. All those tactics are helpful for improving Facebook organic reach, however, don鈥檛 ignore the potential of paid promotion for growing your Facebook page.

When You Should Turn to Ads Instead of Growing Organic Reach

Facebook rewards informative, authentic and meaningful content, so if that鈥檚 the kind of content you鈥檙e creating for your audience, you can expect your organic reach to grow.

Having said that, growing organic reach takes time. No matter how perfect your content is, you won鈥檛 see dramatic returns overnight. If quick wins is what you鈥檙e looking for (and you鈥檙e willing to throw a few bucks toward your business), consider running a few Facebook ads as well.

As Josh Sample, Founder and Operating Partner of digital marketing agency Drive Social Media : “Based on our experience of helping clients with paid social, the capabilities brands have access to with paid Facebook ads are extensive, and the benefits far exceed anything you would normally receive with organic content.”

If you run an 黑料门 store, advertising and selling on Facebook is easy with our Facebook Shop and Facebook Product Catalog tools.

Tip: Use organic posts to test content that you鈥檇 like to promote via ads, then use your advertising budget to promote those content pieces that performed best organically.

For example, if your followers favor a particular post, use the content from that post to create an ad targeted to other users who are similar to your followers. To do this, you鈥檒l need to install your Facebook pixel first. And good news for 黑料门 merchants, the Facebook Pixel is available free on all 黑料门 plans, including our Free plan.

Let鈥檚 Review: How to Increase Facebook Organic Reach

The best way to grow Facebook Page reach organically is to understand how Facebook News Feed algorithm prioritizes posts and create content catered to the goals of the platform — namely to encourage meaningful interactions between Facebook鈥檚 users.

Ditch engagement-bait and click-bait, avoid linking to websites with poor webpage experiences, and limit linking away from Facebook whenever possible.
Create content that鈥檚 unique, engaging, and relevant to your followers and their values.
Ask your followers to update their feed preferences by choosing “See First” from the “Following” tab on your page.
Post less, but optimize each post to get as many interactions as possible (again, avoiding click-bait and engagement-bait).
Create emotional content that inspires curiosity, amazement, interest, astonishment, uncertainty, and/or admiration.
Post more videos (Facebook Live is a great place to start). But avoid links to YouTube videos which would drive users to a competitor site and deprioritize your posts.
Create a Facebook Group for your customers that provides additional value and shows that they鈥檙e appreciated by your brand.
Keep conversations going on your page by answering questions and starting discussions.
Encourage your followers to create posts mentioning your brand that you can repost as user-generated content.
Track how your posts perform and adjust your content when needed.
Try paid Facebook advertising to increase your reach in the short-term.

What do you think about Facebook鈥檚 News Feed algorithm? Have you experienced a decrease in your Facebook organic reach over the last few years? Or are you one of the lucky users that experienced Facebook organic growth? Share your thoughts in the comments!

听

Sell online

With 黑料门 Ecommerce, you can easily sell anywhere, to anyone 鈥� across the internet and around the world.

Marketing and Promotion Sell on Facebook

Jan 30, 2021

About the author

Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at 黑料门. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs鈥� daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.