In a world dominated by algorithms, sponsored content, and competition, it’s hard to create organic posts that are both genuine and successful. This is especially true when it comes to Facebook – one of the largest and most saturated platforms out there. However, if you’re able to implement just a few elements of what Facebook expert Mari Smith calls the ‘Mari Method,’ you’ll likely begin to see your organic content thrive.
At Social Media Marketing World, Smith opened her talk by driving home one singular point: organic reach is not dead. Sure, the digital landscape has changed. Google’s pay per click is higher. Attention spans are shorter. But, even today, organic reach is your best friend. You just need to approach this content in the right way.
First and foremost, video content is critical. Videos get the highest organic reach and the best engagement on Facebook. Smith said videos are the most ideal, top of the funnel content, so you should definitely be creating videos. And lucky for us all, these videos don’t have to be professionally shot and edited. A simple iPhone video with captions – because you should always think about your no-sound users – will perform well if the content is useful.
Additionally, Smith noted the importance of retargeting. After uploading videos, see how they perform. Look for your ‘unicorn,’ or your video that performs drastically better than others. Reuse and recycle that video, with the ultimate goal of trying to reach a lookalike audience. Look at these unicorn videos’ initial success and run with it – don’t get complacent or feel the need to come up with a new, innovative ideal right away. Continue to capitalize on the success you’ve found, thinking of new ideas simultaneously.
If you’re wondering how to generate this success, remind yourself that it’s always about the audience. Create content that will educate, entertain, or enlighten them. It’s this high-quality, emotion-evoking, thought-provoking content that allows you to reuse and recycle. If you offer something to your initial audience, notice initial success, and capitalize on it by retargeting, you’re going to see prolonged success.
With these tips in mind, Smith says you’re bound to see more organic reach. Still, there’s a few other, smaller lessons she taught along the way that you’ll want to keep in mind. First, the person posting on your Facebook business profile matters! The algorithm can sense whether it’s the account creator or another user given permission to post, so try to be posting your business’ content as much as possible. Also, be sure to upload videos natively on Facebook. A simple link to YouTube will get suppressed by the algorithm, whereas a native video gets promoted.
In her final, and perhaps most important, point, Smith encouraged her audience to look beyond just proxy metrics. Sure, an increase in likes, follows, or impressions is notable, but your main focus should be on sales. Whatever you’re selling should be your main focus. With the Mari Method and some hard work, you can certainly drive up both proxy and sales metrics all while increasing your organic reach.