What Facebook’s Changes Mean for Your Law Firm

With the new year always come a lot of new experiences and changes. But one place we all know, Facebook, has been rolling out some pretty major updates so far in 2018. Facebook noticed that its users were dissatisfied with the content on their newsfeeds, citing that branded content was pushing out the important posts from their friends and family.

They decided the site needed to implement a major overhaul of how all users interact with the platform and what they will find on their newsfeeds. Mark Zuckerberg added that this move needed to be made to get the platform back to its original purpose, “We built Facebook to help people stay connected and bring us closer together with the people that matter to us. That’s why we’ve always put friends and family at the core of the experience.”

So, what does this mean for your newsfeed? To put it simply, you should see more meaningful posts that relate to your social circle and your interests. More posts from your family and friends, and ideally less “fake news”-type articles. Don’t worry though, you still have the option to prioritize any brand or business that you really don’t want to miss a post from.

Facebook says it expects users to spend less time on the platform under these new changes, but it also expects the time spent to be more meaningful. So, as you can probably guess, this has a lot of businesses and marketing professionals sweating. They’ve been allowed to absolutely dominate our feeds for the past couple years, but the new algorithms are scaling back their exposure. These changes are likely to skyrocket the price of ads on Facebook, as it will be harder to break through and reach as many users as before.

What Should My Law Firm Do About These Changes?

In the wake of this overhaul, here’s what law firm owners and legal professionals who use Facebook should keep in mind: Your organic reach is going to decrease. Don’t panic though, you still have access to ads and they will still be seen by your audiences. As I mentioned earlier, you should expect the price of ads to rise, but they’re still a viable option.

Ideally, if these algorithms have the intended effect that Facebook is seeking, users will be happier and more engaged. Happy and engaged users are generally more likely to stick around and engage with your ad—See where I’m going here?

As paid content begins to settle in more of a backseat position, it’s important to remember that audience engagement will always be the best way to drive activity to your firm’s Facebook page. Participate in local events and use social media to your advantage as you talk about those events and share them with your audience. Engage with your audience and encourage your clients (current and past!) to follow your firm on social media. Reviews, of course, will continue to be as important as ever.

We haven’t had enough time yet with the changes to see all of the lasting long-term effects, but for most, numbers will be down, and we will have to adjust our realistic goals for reach and engagement. Don’t be discouraged though. We’re all in this together. For most of us, the Facebook marketing strategies that worked well last year may become completely irrelevant. But hey, we’re creatives and we love a challenge. Back to the drawing board.

For help navigating the most recent social media changes and social media in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.