Fellow marketers, we gather today to grieve the demise of Facebook organic reach and share the collective pain we feel. But within this shared sorrow, we might find the resilience to face the future with optimism.

It’s no secret that organic reach on Facebook is dismally low and declining further due to the platform’s overwhelming popularity, latest announcement from the social network . With over a billion daily users, Facebook prioritizes amusing videos and personal content from friends and family over marketing material from brands and businesses.

Just how bad is organic engagement on Facebook? It hovers around a meager 1 percent.

Shocking, isn’t it?

While an occasional post might still go viral organically, it’s becoming increasingly difficult. Facebook: Uncrackable**.**

Facebook’s algorithm thrives on machine learning. While its exact formula remains a secret, we understand that machine learning algorithms evolve by analyzing user reactions to various elements.

The takeaway: Engaging, high-quality content is more likely to be prioritized in users’ feeds. Conversely, posting dull, uninteresting content will lead to decreased visibility.

Increased engagement through shares, comments, and likes translates to greater visibility in the Facebook news feed. The algorithm is designed to showcase well-received posts to a wider audience.

Interestingly, Facebook Ads, Google AdWords, and even organic search operate on this principle.

So, what can we do? Your mission, should you accept it, is to counteract the impact of the latest Facebook newsfeed algorithm. The key is to boost your organic engagement rates.

Introducing your new arsenal – five ingenious hacks to achieve the seemingly impossible: outsmarting the Facebook newsfeed algorithm.

Note: While some hacks involve a small investment, others are completely free. All are undeniably worth your time.

The infographic below provides a summary of these hacks, and further details on implementing each strategy are provided below!

Facebook Newsfeed Hack #1: Leveraging Preferred Audience Targeting

Here’s the scoop: Preferred audience targeting, a new Facebook feature, functions like ad targeting but for your organic posts. That’s right, this feature allows you to target your organic updates as if they were paid ads – at no cost. You can now tailor your update’s audience, ensuring it reaches those most likely to find it valuable.

Here’s where to find the preferred audience targeting option:

This feature is a game-changer because not every single follower will be interested in every update you share. To increase organic engagement, shift from broadcasting to all followers to targeting specific demographics with relevant content.

Think about it. People follow corporations like IBM or GE for various reasons.

Facebook’s preferred audiences feature is a godsend for companies with diverse products, multiple divisions, or operations in several countries. By refining targeting based on user interests and location, you can connect with your desired audience without alienating others.

Smaller companies and publishers also benefit from this feature. Take me, for instance. I post on a wide range of topics like online advertising, entrepreneurship, social media marketing, SEO, branding, and growth hacking.

Preferred audience targeting allows me to control who sees my posts and even exclude specific groups using audience restrictions:

Consider this: you are a French clothing retailer with branches in France, Poland, and Germany. You can use this feature to target French-speaking millennial females residing near your stores with your latest deals.

Remember: not every page “like” translates to a genuine customer. Over time, your page will inevitably attract random likes from individuals who never engage with your content, visit your website, or make a purchase.

If your reach is limited to a mere 1 percent, focus on targeting individuals genuinely interested in your offerings. Delivering relevant content is the cornerstone of effective marketing, and in the process, it will significantly enhance your Facebook engagement rate.

Facebook Newsfeed Hack #2: Employing the Unicorn Detector Pyramid Scheme

The Unicorn Detector Pyramid Scheme is a method for separating your high-performing content from the average.

What defines a content unicorn? Content that consistently ranks in the top 1 to 2 percent of your overall content, garnering the most shares, engagement, and views.

Conversely, content donkeys are unremarkable, blending in with the average. Ninety-eight percent of your content will fall into this category, achieving average engagement – which, as we’ve established, is less than 1 percent on Facebook.

To improve your organic engagement rates on Facebook, prioritize quality over quantity. Test your content organically on Twitter first. Here’s how:

Maintain a consistent posting schedule on Twitter – around 20 tweets daily. Imagine each tweet carries a virus that will eliminate it within 24 hours unless treated with an antidote.

The only cure? A significant number of retweets, clicks, likes, and replies.

Analyze your top-performing tweets in Twitter Analytics. The tweets with the highest engagement – your top 5 or 10 percent – have survived!

Content that resonates on Twitter is likely to yield similar results on Facebook.

Facebook Newsfeed Hack #3: Utilizing Post Engagement Ads

Give your posts a little boost with Facebook’s Post Engagement Ads. Yes, this entails spending a small amount to amplify your organic reach in the news feed.

For instance, posting an update solely on your wall might result in limited engagement, reaching only a few hundred people.

However, promoting the same update with a modest $20 budget can yield over 4,400 impressions (clicks, follows, likes, etc.) and over 1,000 organic engagements as a bonus.

How does this work? Promoting your post encourages shares, leading to increased organic visibility and engagement in users’ newsfeeds.

Facebook Newsfeed Hack #4: Cultivating an Engaged Following

Did you know you can strategically invite individuals who have recently engaged with your Facebook posts to like your page? This valuable yet lesser-known feature is available to select pages.

Encourage engaged individuals to join your Facebook fan base. These individuals have already shown interest in your content and are more likely to engage further.

Here’s how: Click on the names of those who reacted to your post (liked, loved, etc.). You’ll notice three button types (Invite, Liked, Invited). Clicking “Invite” will send an invitation to those who interacted with your post, encouraging them to like your business page.

Does it work? Absolutely. I’ve observed a 15 to 20 percent success rate with this method.

And did I mention it’s completely free? You can find more details about the Facebook invite button here.

To further expand your Facebook following, you could consider a remarketing and list-based Facebook Fan / Page Promotion campaign, though I wouldn’t advise it. It’s an investment best reserved for those with exceptionally low follower counts. You’re better off focusing elsewhere.

Our objective is to enhance engagement rates to organically grow engagement. Attracting the wrong audience can be detrimental to your engagement rates.

Facebook Newsfeed Hack #5: Incorporating Video Content

The decline of organic reach coincides with the rise of video content on Facebook.

Users watch over 8 billion videos daily on this social network, generating substantial engagement.

Consider this recent research from BuzzSumo, which analyzed the average total shares for Facebook videos:

Facebook is actively vying to dethrone YouTube as the leading platform for video content. Now is the perfect time to capitalize on this trend.

Move away from bland posts that yield minimal engagement. Introduce video into your marketing strategy to enhance your organic engagement. Remember, engagement breeds engagement

Final Thoughts on the Facebook Newsfeed Algorithm

Facebook organic reach is undeniably challenging. Therefore, treat your organic Facebook posts as you would a paid channel. Be selective, optimize for maximum engagement, and aim to generate earned organic engagement.

While we may never recover the organic reach we once enjoyed on Facebook, these five hacks can significantly boost your organic engagement and mitigate the impact of the latest Facebook news feed changes.