I have a little favour to ask.
If you’re a follower, believer, a fan or friend of Hello Henley then I would love you to join our new Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hellohenley/

Why? You ask.
Well, it has a lot to do with Facebook’s latest algorithm update. You may have heard about it? If you haven’t then here’s the low down:
According to Zuckerberg, feedback from the FB community tells FB that public content (posts from businesses, brands and media) is crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other. I would agree, even as a Social Publisher I am often amazed at how little I now see from my friends and family. In fact, the majority of posts I scroll past relate to Trump, the vegan movement and Michael Macintyre. All informative and hilarious in their own way, but the balance has shifted from what was the most important thing Facebook did — help us connect with each other.

Hello Henley has been expecting this update for a while and this is what we will be doing to help our clients going forward:

• Facebook Pages (Business Pages) need to generate meaningful interactions in order to be seen. This means posts to pages must create back and forth conversation. That is more or less why businesses employ Social Publishers – to create engaging content. But you lot have a role to play too. If you see a post and you like it, then let us know you like it.
• Videos (once an excellent tool on FB Pages) will be seen less. This means people will spend less time on FB scrolling through endless videos of hamsters on pianos. A good thing! If you still want to engage as a business, then Live Streaming is key. If you’re nervous about ‘going live’ we can help.
• Embrace FB Groups (like we’re doing). Might this work for your business too? Hello Henley is here to discuss this option with you.
• Embrace other social platforms, like Instagram and Pinterest. Both excellent ways to promote your business. But don’t just jump ship, understand the other platforms and how to use them.
• Put some money behind your brand and use FB advertising. But make sure you have everything set up for this. Otherwise you’re just wasting your money. This is another thing Hello Henley can help with.
• Don’t just rely on the posting of pretty pictures and graphics. While this might have worked thus far, going forward it just isn’t going to cut it.
• Speak to a Communications Expert (like Hello Henley). Communications Experts not only know how to use Social Media, but will determine which social media platforms are best suited for your business. They will have past-experience in the generation of information that flows between business, the media and the consumer (in our case a background in magazine editorial, copywriting, event management, business branding / marketing and media liaison).

Panic not! While Zuckerberg is being cursed by some for his pesky algorithm meddling, we are embracing it. A change, after all, is as good as a rest.

Zuckerberg Illustration by Vincent Rhafael Aseo