Facebook drives Marketer’s over the Edge

So, your brand has a thousand fans on Facebook? With EdgeRank is can be all but useless. 

EdgeRank is Facebook’s algorithm, the determiner of visibility on the social networking site. The specifics of the formula is under lock and key in the Facebook headquarters but we have surmised enough to post accordingly. 

What is Edge?
Facebook defines all content input in the site as an object.  This includes status updates, pictures, links, videos and just about everything else you upload on your page.  An edge is made on the object when it is uploaded onto Facebook.  Every time someone interacts with the object like commenting, sharing or liking it edges are generated. Take note that post made manually carries more weight with Edge than if posted by an automated program.

Edge uses these three factors:

• Affinity: Based on how often a Facebook user interacts with a page through likes, comments, wall posts, etc. This also refers to the
• Weight: Based on the level of interaction the post has elicited. For instance, commenting on a post takes considerably more effort than liking a post. Therefore, a Facebook post that elicits a lot of comments is likely to have a high page rank
  It appears that the hierarchy of objects is:
  - Photo/Video
  - Links
  - Status updates
• Time: The age of the post as well as the “freshness” of the content.

What does Edge mean for your Facebook page?
Edge is by no mean a negative Facebook development; active pages are going to thrive while stagnant pages will fall behind. 

How to engage your audience:

1. Ask questions
2. Post games and trivia
3. Interact with fan engagement
4. Use wall sapplets (polls, coupons, etc.)
5. Use relevant photos
6. Relate to current events
7. Post videos
8. Post content for time-sensitive campaigns
9. Include links within posts
10. Be clear in your posts

What do you think of these new developments? Join the conversation on The Social Media Network.