Last week, Facebook announced its newest update…a change in its News Feed algorithm that will grant people more control over their own News Feeds. This means, the 1.4 billion monthly active Facebook users worldwide will now be able to prioritize the updates they receive in their feeds using a tool Facebook is calling “See First.”
Facebook users will soon be able to prioritize their updates, choosing which of their friends and Pages they would like to see above the others. While some features have been in place for years that have allowed users to filter content coming through their News Feeds, including blocking, filters, and hiding certain users and pages, these new tools are supposed to make it easier than ever to fine tune our News Feeds. While using the previously released “follow and unfollow” features, users are able to simultaneously “de-prioritize” content from others that they don’t wish to see while now choosing which of their friends they want to see the most. And to further the customization of individuals’ News Feeds, these tools will be accompanied by even more detailed options that include a “see less” feature and the ability to put someone “on pause” for a certain amount of time, to keep from seeing their status updates for that given time period. The goal, Facebook says, is to give users more control of their feeds while keeping the tools user-friendly and easier to understand.
In addition to being able to select which friends and pages you want to see appear first in your News Feed, Facebook has also updated the way you discover new pages, as well. Based on the types of Pages you’ve liked in the past, Facebook will help you discover and connect with brands, publishers, businesses, artists and more, that are similar to the things you have already shown interest in.
In giving users more control over what they will see in their News Feeds through “See First,” users will more than likely include their college roommates or best friends across the country in their top News Feed positions, and less likely to choose their favorite brand Pages. As Facebook’s advertising platform and new feature suggesting relevant pages to follow will help to keep business pages from seeing any decrease in likes and follows, it is important for marketers to continue to strive to maintain a strong content marketing strategy for their companies to engage Facebook followers to follow their pages and keep coming back again and again for the engaging content they are posting.
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