Search engine optimization is the process of improving the visibility of a website via organic search results. Brands constantly jockey to show up on the first page and reach that top spot in search results through SEO.

The advantages and challenges of SEO are well-documented.  Interestingly enough, Facebook works in a very similar fashion. Like a website can be optimized to be search-friendly, Facebook content can be optimized for fan engagement. Facebook EdgeRank is the algorithm that determines what posts populate a user’s newsfeed. This is chiefly determined by three factors:

1. Affinity: Interacting often with a certain user increases the likelihood of appearing in their newsfeed.
2. Weight: Facebook gives a “weight” or value to every interaction that could appear on a newsfeed. While the company does not reveal the exact weights, it is generally assumed that comments carry more weight than likes.
3. Time Decay: The newsfeed focuses on current items; older items will not show up

Like SEO, the EdgeRank can be a measure of brand relevance.  Essentially, if a page’s content has a low EdgeRank, the content is virtually non-existent to page fans. The ideal (but naïve) assumption is that when a brand posts, its fans can read it if they so choose. A new study by PageLever claims that only 3%-10% of your Facebook fans are even seeing the posts you put out. Does this mean that Facebook marketing is a sham? Certainly not. But how can any brand rise above three to ten percent visibility? Here are some optimization tips:

1) Post strategically. Pages with the greatest visibility are often not the biggest. In Facebook marketing, one engaged fan is more valuable than two casual fans. Active fan count is often a much more valuable metric then the total number of fans who like your page.  Increase the opportunity for fans to see your posts by posting during times and days that allow for optimal engagement. Try A/B testing when you first launch to see what time of the day and week are getting the best engagement. Look at the frequency you are posting as well. Many pages are under-posting, which lowers the percentage of posts fans see daily from a brand. Under-posting can be an EdgeRank killer. Disclaimer: not all fan bases are created equal. When increasing or decreasing the frequency of your posts, keep an eye on your Facebook insights to make sure frequency isn’t inducing unsubscribes. Optimization is a constant process.

2) Post entertaining content in addition to content with utility. Once a brand commits to daily posting, it should not seek to “sell” all the time.  Think of your brand as a media company—just like NBC tries to get more viewers by offering great shows, a company using social media has to provide appealing content that inspires your fans to want to engage.

3) Mix it up. Allow for an appropriate mix of brand, fan, and world news posts.  Hubspot recommends 0.5% as a goal for feedback rate, but the pages that encourage fan interaction (likes/comments) are at the 1% or more mark. Interaction is a huge component of EdgeRank.

4) Beware of time decay.  Time decay is an underestimated factor in EdgeRank. One of the reasons so many fans of the biggest pages are not engaged is because they liked the page over a year ago and never came back. Some large pages may not have been started by the brand, and the early fans might have never been engaged. If a fan hasn’t clicked on one of your posts for over a year, they may never see your posts in their newsfeed again. When launching a new page, be sure to come to market with a content strategy.

5) Cross-promote social channels. If only 3-10% of fans typically see their Liked brands’ posts, we cannot rely solely the newsfeed to promote Facebook interactions. Social media should not operate in a silo. It should be an integral piece of a 360 degree integrated marketing plan. For example, encourage interaction via email—pose a question and ask for a reply on your Facebook page.