Facebook’s new Post Options: What you need to know

Posted on by Marie Page

Facebook Post OptionsLast weekend Facebook rolled out a tweak to the way that posts can be created on Pages. Called “Post Options”, the tweak offers users a helpful wizard in creating nine different post types that double up as post objectives with many integrating Facebook’s highly effective calls to action:

  • Share a photo or video
  • Get sales
  • Advertise your business
  • Get phone calls
  • Get messages
  • Create an event
  • Create an offer
  • Write a note
  • Get people to view a product

Whilst none of these are strictly new, Post Options is a nice visual way of encouraging Page Admins to post a wider variety of content. Clearly Facebook wants to move away from an endless stream of link posts (note how “Drive traffic to your website” is not even an option).

Post Options include a blast from the past in the form of Facebook Notes. I reckon with the re-emphasis on Notes Facebook is likely to have adjusted the algorithm to favour this currently unusual form of content. I’d strongly encourage you to experiment with writing notes again (in fact I posted this very article as a note to see how it goes). Early results are looking promising. I would suggest that Notes are treated very positively by the algorithm based on the reach mine received in comparison to a similar standard post.

If you are familiar with WordPress or even blogging on LinkedIn, creating a Facebook Note is a piece of cake. And remember to adjust the order of your tabs in the left hand column to enable people to discover your Notes more easily too.

Facebook Offers also enjoy a resurgence. My own experiment with creating an offer (see below) resulted in lots of instant reach so I’d suggest that post type has got a little algorithm boost going on in the News Feed as well right now.

Do watch for some bugs in Offers. I talk about these in the upcoming Masterclass.

Facebook Events also feature strongly. Again a content type that is sorely neglected, and well worth a look (we have a Digiterati Academy course on Events so that you can learn all the options available to you).

Finally the objective to get people to view a product is relatively new and requires that you have a Shop Section set up on your Facebook Page (again we have a Masterclass showing you how to do that. You select the product from your Shop Section then create a post that features it. This time a square image surfaces rather than the more usual landscape option.

We have a brand new video Masterclass on Post Options available. Do enjoy exploring the new tool!

Marie Page

About Marie Page

Marie Page is one of the UK’s leading Facebook marketing experts. She is a founding partner of digital marketing consultancy The Digiterati and the Digiterati Academy e-learning portal for marketers and entrepreneurs. Her award-winning Master's Dissertation was the culmination of three years' academic research into Facebook that resulted in a book (and companion online course) 'Winning at Facebook Marketing with Zero Budget' that became an Amazon bestseller. Marie's work on the Facebook News Feed algorithm was featured in The Huffington Post. A recognised thought leader on social media, Marie is often approached by journalists for comment in articles such as this Telegraph article. She was also interviewed for ITV's Tonight show on Facebook privacy issues in relation to advertising. Marie is a regular guest on digital marketing blogs and podcasts including Social Media Examiner and Smart Insights. In 2018 she is speaking at Brighton SEO, Europe's biggest search and marketing conference. Marie is also author of two Smart Insights books: 'Smarter Guide to Facebook Marketing', now in its fourth edition, and 'Facebook Ads Guide', both edited by Dr Dave Chaffey. Marie is also a part time yoga teacher.

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