How To Write Good Facebook Status Updates

 

This post comes from our Inside Facebook series that aims to cover everything you could ever want to know about Facebook, how to best promote your company and events on the platform as well as tips and tricks for Facebook marketing.

 

Everyone likes it when their status updates on social networking sites like Facebook get noticed. Likes and comments are a good sign that your updates are well received but many users don’t realise that Facebook could be making their updates invisible.

The way Facebook Updates work changes often and you need to stay ahead of the game to make sure you’re appearing on your friends’ News Feeds. Facebook toppling Google to become the most-visited website on the internet makes this especially important.

A Facebook status update is probably the simplest action you can make on Facebook, but it’s probably still the most important.

1. Keep your updates snappy

Facebook updates should be short and to the point. People often glance over their Facebook News Feed several times a day. Something snappy that can be read quickly is more likely to be more commented on and any links attached are more likely to be clicked on.

2. Get to know Edgerank

Edgerank is the algorithm that Facebook uses to decide what updates a user can see. This is based on how often the two users interact, and a Comment is considered better than a Like by Edgerank. Edgerank also measures the freshness of the content, so repeated content is a no-no.

3. Follow up on comments on your updates

Remember that the success of a Facebook status is measured by whether or not it gets a response. The easiest way to encourage a response is by posing a question, but users also love news, and news on the internet travels at an incredible pace. If you think you’re able to break news and offer an irreverent take on it, this is the best way forward.

4. Don’t be a robot

Facebook is still mainly a tool for communication. Your updates shouldn’t be an RSS feed, but instead a casual direct line to your community.

5. Try to keep it professional

A little healthy banter is fine, but there are certain social boundaries that apply on Facebook just as much as they do in real life. Remember these people are your potential customers, not your close friends in the pub. A wise man once said, never discuss politics with a stranger unless you want to start another war.

6. Keep your Facebook friends wanting more

Updates on the hour every hour are likely to annoy people. Facebook sets a limit of around 25 updates a day across all Groups and Pages. You should view this as a number to steer well clear of, rather than a challenge to try to meet.

7. Post your updates at high-traffic times

Have a look at your Facebook news feed to see when the most people are online. This will largely depend on your audience – are they other businesses who check social networks for work, or the general public, who tend to go online in the evening? A more tech-savvy audience will have Facebook on their smartphones and check throughout the day and during their working week.

8. Keep a balance

Most updates, like Tweets on Twitter, have a very limited shelf life; but by the same measure you shouldn’t spam people on Facebook with what is essentially advertising for your own concerns. If nobody comments or likes your updates, Facebook will take you off peoples News Feeds.

9. Step away from Facebook

Remember, Facebook should be just one part of a larger online marketing campaign, so don’t spend all day on it!

To find out more about how to use Facebook to promote your company, please check our Inside Facebook Guide or Become A Fan of Evently on Facebook to get the latest news.