What You Need To Know About Facebook’s EdgeRank

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EdgeRank Score

Most Facebook page admins have a complicated love/hate relationship with the social networking site’s EdgeRank. That’s because this sassy algorithm determines which fans will see your content. On one hand, if page content is popular, it will be seen more often for a longer period of time. But on the flip side, if a page is just starting out and lacking a strong fan base, content may not be seen as much. This scenario can feel like a hamster wheel of agony where content is never reaching new eyes.

If you find yourself in the latter group, there’s good news! Facebook, unlike Google and other mysterious web giants, let’s everyone know exactly how EdgeRank is calculated.

Note – If you haven’t already, check out this fantastic EdgeRank Checker Tool.

There are 3 factors that determine EdgeRank.

  • Affinity – This refers to how often a fan and a page interact with each other.
  • Weight – This is determined by the amount of likes, shares, and comments.
  • Time Decay – This is based on how long ago the content was created, and if it’s still relevant.

My simplified explanation of EdgeRank is the more engagement on status updates, pictures, videos, etc., the more often future content will show up in fans’ streams. But if you’re still trying to get a handle on EdgeRank, here are some tips to get started.

Keep status updates short and sweet.

Facebook is about fun and entertainment, and a big block of text is the exact opposite of fun and entertainment. If you have a lot to say in an update, try linking to a blog post or creating a Facebook note.

Give a clear call to action.

Want likes or comments? Then ask for them! By giving this clear direction, it’s easier for fans to follow through.

Another common problem is giving fans multiple calls to action. Don’t confuse readers by giving them more than one link to click on.

This picture has 2 links which both go to the same place. It’s common knowledge that the second link/title is clickable. The first link can be deleted, which will make the post look cleaner and less confusing. Cut down on the big block of text, then we’d really be in business!

Figure out YOUR ideal time to post on Facebook.

Everyone has a different take on the ideal time to post to Facebook. So called gurus claim there is this magical time that works for everyone. Some say 8AM and 6-9PM, others claim 6AM to 9AM is the best, and so on.

Every industry is different, with a different fan base, with different lifestyles. My advice is to post at different times that seem logical, and then analyze the numbers.

Make posts visual.

Facebook’s timeline layout is ideal for images, it’s one of its fundamental differences from Twitter. So harness that power by adding images to spice up status updates. But be careful, you don’t want to violate Facebook’s terms by wrongly using copyrighted images. Use either your own images or ones with a shared license.

What do you think?

What are your tips for improving likes, comments, shares, and clicks? Please leave us a comment down below on what you’ve done to help improve your EdgeRank score.

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  • http://www.goldcoastpets.com.au Vanessa

    We all need to remember that any given time that “organic-ly” (without paying for it) we’re lucky to reach 20% of our fans… and those pages that seem to be “gang-busters” for likes and engagement also post multiple times a day.

    Honestly? If you do not have the time nor passion/interest in social media … please do not do it! Just because “everyone else is doing it” is not a legitimate reason. If you cannot afford a social media manager nor can you afford to invest the time (mostly time) in educating yourself about it.

    Please keep off it as a business medium.

    • http://www.goldcoastpets.com.au Vanessa

      After we’ve sorted out whether you really want to persue social media as a marketing strategy you really need to what your end game plan is for your page.

      If you know what you want to achieve with your page then you’ll know how to design content around it so you get those likes, comments and so forth.

      Do you want brand awareness ?

      Do you want to communicate with the public ? Or your current customers ? Or both ?

      Do you ultimately want people to go to your website or are you happy for them to stay on the FB page ?

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