Facebook Algorithm Tips Every Small Business Should Know

Facebook has evolved significantly over the years. With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook remains a powerful platform for business growth, yet many don’t know the best way to utilize it to promote their business. 

With Facebook ads stealing the scene, organic reach on Facebook is much harder these days. Although organic growth is harder, it’s not impossible- it just means you need more strategy behind your posts. These Facebook algorithm tips showcase how your small business can be more focused on creating content that the algorithm actually wants to promote.

Understanding Facebook's Algorithm Priorities

Facebook's algorithm, like all social media platforms, has one primary goal: keep users engaged on the platform for as long as possible. This means your content should push users to feel inclined to save, share, repost or send to a friend, all tactics that keep you on the platform longer or coming back to it. ​​

The algorithm considers four main factors:

1. Relationship Signals

Facebook prioritizes content from people and pages that users interact with most frequently. This includes:

• Pages users visit regularly

• Friends and pages they message

• Accounts they search for

• Content they consistently engage with

2. Content Performance

The algorithm analyzes how well your content performs in its first few hours:

• Early engagement rate (likes, comments, shares within the first hour)

• Time spent viewing the content

• Click-through rates on links

• Video completion rates

3. Content Type Preferences

Facebook favors certain content types based on user behavior:

• Organic video content (uploaded directly to Facebook)

• Live videos during and shortly after broadcast

• Posts that generate conversations in comments

• Content that gets shared to personal profiles

4. Recency and Relevance

Newer content generally gets priority, but Facebook also considers:

• Trending topics and current events

• Seasonal relevance

• Personal relevance to individual users

Facebook Content Types That Win in 2025

So how can you get started posting content that converts? We have 4 buckets of content to hit the ground running that we recommend testing out.

Video posts receive more organic reach than photo posts.

Facebook's algorithm heavily favors video content, especially:

• Videos uploaded directly to Facebook (not YouTube links)

• Videos that keep viewers watching past the 3 second mark 

• Live videos, which receive 6x more engagement than regular videos

• Short-form videos (under 2 minutes) that compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels

Conversation Starters

Posts that generate comments and discussions get significant algorithmic boosts:

• Questions that require thoughtful responses

• Controversial (but professional) industry takes

• "Fill in the blank" posts

• "This or that" comparison posts

• Posts asking for advice or recommendations

Behind-the-Scenes Content

Authentic, unpolished content often outperforms highly produced posts:

• Team member spotlights

• Office culture moments

• Process demonstrations

• "Day in the life" content

• Mistakes and lessons learned

User-Generated Content

Content featuring your customers or community members performs exceptionally well:

• Customer success stories

• Reviews and testimonials

• Photos of customers using your products

• Community member features

• Contest entries and submissions

Algorithmic Strategies to Boost Your Organic Reach

Now that you have some ideas surrounding content to create, here’s how you can take it a step further in the posting process. To make the most of your post, try some of these tips:

1. Master the Golden Hour

The first hour after posting is crucial for algorithmic success. During this time:

• Respond to every comment quickly

• Share the post to relevant Facebook groups (where appropriate)

• Ask team members to engage authentically

• Cross-promote on other social platforms to drive initial traffic

2. Create Engagement Bait (The Right Way)

While Facebook penalizes obvious engagement bait ("Like if you agree!"), you can ethically encourage engagement:

• Ask specific questions related to your content

• Request opinions on industry topics

• Invite followers to share their experiences

• Create polls using Facebook's poll feature

3. Use Facebook Groups Strategically

Facebook Groups often have higher organic reach than pages:

• Create a branded group for your community

• Share valuable content in relevant industry groups

• Engage authentically in groups before promoting your content

• Use groups to test content before posting to your page

4. Leverage Facebook Stories

Stories don't compete in the news feed algorithm and offer additional visibility:

• Share behind-the-scenes content

• Repurpose your best posts as Stories

• Use interactive stickers (polls, questions, quizzes)

• Create Story highlights for evergreen content

5. Optimize Your Posting Schedule

Timing matters more on Facebook than other platforms:

• Post when your audience is most active (check Facebook Insights)

• Consider time zones if you have a global audience

• Test different posting times and track performance

• Avoid posting when your competitors are most active

Content Ideas That Generate High Engagement

If you’re still feeling stumped on how to create a high value post, we’ve got you covered! Try tapping into some of these content categories:

Educational Content

• Industry tips and best practices

• How-to tutorials with step-by-step instructions

• Myth-busting posts about your industry

• Tool and resource recommendations

• Case studies with specific results

Community-Building Content

• Team member introductions and stories

• Company milestone celebrations

• Customer spotlight features

• "Throwback" posts showing company history

• Values-based content that reflects your mission

Interactive Content

• Live Q&A sessions

• Polls about industry trends or preferences

• "Caption this" photo contests

• Fill-in-the-blank posts

• "Would you rather" questions

Trending and Timely Content

• Industry news commentary

• Holiday and seasonal content

• Current event responses (when appropriate)

• Trending topic participation

• Real-time updates and announcements

Advanced Facebook Algorithm Tactics

If you feel like you’ve mastered the more basic content ideas, these tactics can also help your page grow.

1. Create Content Series

This is a great way to seek engagement because your audience will start to look forward to new pieces of content surrounding a specific topic each week. If you know a certain type of content on your page performs well, consider turning that into a series to get the maximum value out of it! Develop recurring content themes that encourage return visits like:

• "Monday Motivation" inspirational posts

• "Wednesday Wisdom" educational content

• "Friday Features" customer spotlights

• Weekly industry roundups

• Monthly challenge series

2. Use Facebook's  Features

The algorithm favors posts that use Facebook's built-in tools:

• Facebook Live for real-time engagement

• Facebook Events for community building

• Facebook Polls for easy engagement

• Photo albums for multiple image posts

• Facebook Shop for e-commerce integration

3. Cross-Promote Strategically

Drive traffic between your Facebook content and other platforms:

• Share Facebook posts in email newsletters

• Embed Facebook posts on your website

• Cross-promote between Facebook and Instagram

• Share Facebook content in LinkedIn articles

• Include Facebook links in YouTube video descriptions

4. Engage with Other Pages

Building relationships with other pages can improve your reach:

• Comment meaningfully on industry leaders' posts

• Share and credit other businesses' valuable content

• Collaborate on joint content projects

• Participate in industry conversations

• Support other businesses in your network

Common Facebook Algorithm Mistakes to Avoid

Now that we’ve covered all the things you should do, let’s talk about what doesn’t work anymore that you still might be doing.

Over-Posting

Posting too frequently can actually hurt your reach:

• Quality always beats quantity on Facebook

• 1-2 high-quality posts per day maximum

• Focus on creating content worth engaging with

• Better to post less frequently than to post mediocre content

Ignoring Comments

Failing to respond to comments signals low engagement to the algorithm:

• Respond to comments within the first few hours

• Ask follow-up questions to extend conversations

• Thank people for sharing and engaging

• Address concerns and questions promptly

Using Too Many Hashtags

Unlike Instagram, Facebook doesn't favor hashtag-heavy posts:

• Use 1-3 relevant hashtags maximum

• Focus on hashtags your audience actually follows

• Avoid generic hashtags like #business or #success

• Create branded hashtags for campaigns

Posting External Links Too Often

Facebook wants to keep users on the platform:

• Balance link posts with native content

• Use Facebook's link preview feature effectively

• Share valuable insights in the post text, not just the link

• Consider posting the link in the first comment instead

Neglecting Facebook Insights

Not analyzing your performance data means missing optimization opportunities:

• Review your top-performing posts monthly

• Identify patterns in successful content

• Track reach, engagement, and click-through rates

• Adjust your strategy based on data, not assumptions

Measuring Success on Facebook

Now that you know what you should be doing to get the most out of Facebook, this is how you can track if your efforts are actually working:

Key Metrics to Track:

• Organic Reach: How many people see your content without paid promotion

• Engagement Rate: Likes, comments, shares, and clicks relative to reach

• Video Completion Rate: Percentage of viewers who watch your entire video

• Click-Through Rate: How often people click your links

• Share Rate: How often people share your content to their own profiles

Tools for Tracking Performance:

• Facebook Insights (built-in analytics)

• Facebook Creator Studio for detailed video metrics

• Third-party tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social

• Google Analytics for website traffic from Facebook

The Facebook algorithm in 2025 rewards businesses that prioritize authentic engagement over vanity metrics. Success comes from understanding that Facebook wants to facilitate meaningful connections and conversations, not just broadcast marketing messages.

Focus on creating content that genuinely serves your audience, encourages real conversations, and builds community around your brand.

Interested in creating quality & focused content, but don't have the time?

Get in touch with us.