Getting the Most Out of Your Facebook Social Media Marketing

With over 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook is one of the best places to market your product. However, even in that pond full of fish, it can be challenging to hook people in. The numbers speak for themselves since the median engagement rate for a Facebook page is just 0.063%. Even among the top 25% of brands, the median rate is 0.19%.

I know you’ve put a lot of effort into your perfect Facebook post, from crafting compelling copy to creating beautiful images. And yet, your posts were welcomed by the sound of crickets. With all those brands out there jostling for user attention, it’s hard to stand out.

I understand your frustrations, and that’s why I’m here. In this article, I’ll show you exactly how to revitalize your Facebook marketing strategy. I’ll let you peek into my playbook to see how I beat the algorithm with organic content and how I find ideal customers with surgical precision through cutting-edge targeting techniques.

Here’s a look at what we’re covering today:

• Why Facebook still matters in your marketing mix.
• Understanding the algorithm and how to make it work for you.
• Creating content that drives meaningful engagement.
• Building and nurturing a community through Groups.
• Advanced tactics to amplify your organic reach.
• Measuring what matters (and ignoring what doesn’t).
• The future of Facebook marketing and how to prepare.

Ready? Let’s start by understanding why Facebook is still relevant today.

Why Facebook Still Matters in 2025

Before we get into tactics, let’s address the elephant in the room. With TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms stealing the spotlight, is Facebook still worth your time and effort?

The short answer: absolutely.

Despite what you might have heard about Facebook’s decline, the numbers tell a different story. Facebook still boasts over 3 billion monthly active users globally. That’s nearly 40% of the world’s population. In the US alone, about 70% of people use Facebook regularly, spending an average of 30-32 minutes on the platform daily.

What’s even more telling is that Facebook remains the most-used social platform by marketers worldwide. According to recent data, 86% of marketers report using it, outpacing other networks like Instagram and LinkedIn.

The Demographic Advantage

“But my audience is young, shouldn’t I focus on TikTok?”

This is where things get interesting. While it’s true that Facebook skews older than some other platforms, that’s not the whole story. The platform has incredible demographic diversity, making it suitable for reaching almost any target market.

Plus, Facebook’s audience tends to have higher purchasing power compared to some newer platforms. If you’re marketing B2B services or premium consumer goods, this matters a lot.

The Community Factor

Facebook’s greatest strength (and what sets it apart from more content-focused platforms) is its community infrastructure. No other platform offers the same level of community-building tools, from Groups to Events to the organic conversation that happens in comments.

Understanding the Algorithm (And Making It Work For You)

Let’s talk about the algorithm – that mysterious force determining who sees your content. Many marketers view Facebook’s algorithm as their enemy, but I prefer to think of it as a partner with very specific preferences. They may be fussy at first, but once you figure out what they like, they’ll be an amazing companion.

Here’s what Facebook’s algorithm fundamentally values in 2025:

Meaningful Interactions Over Passive Consumption

Facebook prioritizes content that generates meaningful social interactions. Comments, particularly longer ones that spark conversations, carry more weight than simple likes. Shares signal to Facebook that your content is valuable enough for users to put their personal stamp of approval on it.

The most powerful metric of all? When people have conversations in your comments. Not just with you, but with each other.

Stop chasing likes. They’re the vanity metrics of Facebook marketing. I’ve seen posts with thousands of likes but zero meaningful business impact and posts with just a few dozen comments that generated significant leads and sales. Focus on sparking genuine conversations instead.

Consistency and Engagement Velocity

The algorithm favors accounts that post consistently and receive engagement quickly after posting. If your content typically gets engagement within the first 30 minutes, Facebook is more likely to show it to a wider audience.

Content Format Preferences

While Facebook started as a text-based platform, visual content now dominates. Videos, particularly native videos uploaded directly to Facebook (not linked from YouTube), get preferential treatment in the algorithm.

Live videos receive even higher priority, with Facebook sending notifications to your followers when you go live.

The “Meaningful Content” Factor

In 2018, Facebook announced a major shift toward “meaningful content,” and that philosophy continues to shape the algorithm today. Content that sparks meaningful conversations, particularly about topics that matter to people’s lives, gets priority.

This is why posts asking superficial questions like “Do you like pizza?” may get engagement but don’t necessarily perform well in the algorithm. Facebook can detect these engagement-bait tactics.

Creating Content That Drives Meaningful Engagement

Now that we understand what the algorithm values, let’s talk about how to create content that generates real engagement.

The 80/20 Rule

One of the most common mistakes I see brands make is treating their Facebook page like a billboard. Constantly promoting products and services is the fastest way to tank your organic reach.

Instead, follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should inform, entertain, or inspire your audience, and only 20% should directly promote your business.

This ratio ensures your audience stays engaged and doesn’t feel like they’re being sold to constantly. When you do promote, they’ll be more receptive because you’ve built goodwill through value-giving content.

High-Performing Content Types

Based on my analysis of thousands of Facebook posts across various industries, here are the content types that consistently drive engagement:

1. Behind-the-scenes content: People love seeing the human side of businesses. Share your workspace, introduce team members, or show how your product is made.
2. User-generated content: Spotlight your customers using your products or services. This not only provides social proof but also encourages others to share their experiences.
3. Timely, relevant discussions: When something major happens in your industry, be one of the first to provide thoughtful commentary.
4. Stories and case studies: Human brains are wired for stories. Share customer success stories or your own business journey.
5. Visual content with a message: Photos with inspiring quotes or statistics relevant to your audience can drive high engagement.
6. Educational content: Tutorials, how-tos, and tips related to your industry position you as an expert and provide immediate value.
7. Questions and polls: Well-crafted questions can spark conversations, especially if they touch on topics your audience cares about.

The Power of Video on Facebook

Video content deserves its own section because it’s consistently the highest-performing content type on Facebook. About 40% of the time users spend on Facebook is watching videos.

But not all videos are created equal. Here’s what works:

• Short-form videos (Reels): Facebook has been heavily promoting Reels to compete with TikTok. These short videos often get a higher reach than traditional posts.
• Live videos: As mentioned earlier, Facebook prioritizes live content, often sending notifications to your followers. Live videos receive 6x more engagement than regular videos on average.
• Native video uploads: Videos uploaded directly to Facebook perform better than shared links from YouTube or other platforms.
• Captioned videos: Since many users watch with sound off, adding captions can increase watch time by up to 12%.

Long-form video isn’t dead on Facebook, despite what trendy marketing articles might tell you. While short-form content is getting algorithmic preference, I’ve found that 5-10 minute videos can still perform exceptionally well if they’re genuinely valuable and keep viewers engaged throughout. The key is quality, not length.

Content Planning for Facebook Success

Random posting won’t cut it on Facebook. You need a cohesive content strategy. Here’s a framework you can use:

1. Define content pillars: Identify 3-5 core themes that align with your brand and resonate with your audience.
2. Create a content calendar: Plan posts at least a week in advance, ensuring a mix of formats and themes.
3. Batch content creation: Set aside dedicated time to create multiple pieces of content at once, which improves efficiency.
4. Plan for timely opportunities: Leave room in your calendar for trending topics or timely discussions.
5. Repurpose strategically: Don’t be afraid to repurpose successful content in new formats. A popular blog post can become a video, an infographic, or a discussion question.

Building Communities Through Facebook Groups

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s this: Facebook Groups are currently the single best opportunity for organic reach and engagement on the platform. Facebook Groups are even more personal than Pages, so the community is more likely to be active.

Why Groups Work So Well

Facebook has intentionally prioritized Groups in its strategy because they foster the meaningful connections the platform aims to facilitate. Groups create communities around shared interests, which is exactly what Facebook wants.

For businesses, Groups offer several advantages:

• Higher organic reach: Group posts reach a much larger percentage of members.
• Deeper engagement: Group members are typically more invested in the topic, leading to more meaningful interactions.
• Direct feedback loop: Groups give you direct access to your most engaged audience, providing valuable insights.
• Authority building: Running a successful Group positions you as a leader in your niche.

Group Strategy Options

You have several options for using Groups in your Facebook strategy:

• Create a brand-owned Group: This is a Group you create and manage, centered around a topic related to your brand. For example, a digital marketing agency might run a “Digital Marketing Masterminds” Group.
• Create a product-specific Group: Some brands create Groups specifically for their customers. This works particularly well for products or services with a learning curve or community aspect.
• Participate in existing Groups: If creating your own Group isn’t feasible, actively participating in relevant existing Groups can still drive awareness and establish your expertise.

Group Management Best Practices

Running a successful Facebook Group takes work, but the ROI can be tremendous. Here are key practices to follow:

• Establish clear rules: Set guidelines for acceptable behavior and content from the start.
• Foster discussion: Ask thought-provoking questions, create weekly discussion threads, or use polls to spark engagement.
• Provide exclusive value: Share content or offers that aren’t available elsewhere to make membership valuable.
• Be responsive: Engage with members’ posts and comments to create a dynamic community feel.
• Moderate consistently: Address spam or inappropriate content quickly to maintain a positive environment.
• Highlight community contributions: Spotlight valuable posts from members to encourage participation.

While conventional wisdom says to keep your Group strictly non-promotional, I’ve found that a Group that never connects to your business offerings fails to drive ROI. The key is to establish the Group as a value-first community, then thoughtfully integrate business content once you’ve built trust. This might mean a monthly “promotional thread” or occasional announcements about your services that genuinely solve problems members have discussed.

Advanced Tactics to Amplify Your Organic Reach

Once you’ve mastered the basics of content creation and community building, it’s time to explore advanced tactics that can significantly boost your organic performance. Here are some of my favorite tactics:

Use Facebook Stories

While Feed posts get most of the attention, Stories offer a huge opportunity for visibility. They appear at the top of the mobile app, making them highly visible. What makes Stories particularly valuable is that they don’t have to be as polished as Feed content.

Use Stories for:

• Day-in-the-life content.
• Quick polls or questions.
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses.
• Timely announcements.
• Resharing user-generated content

About 57% of businesses report that including Facebook Stories in their marketing mix is crucial to their success. The ephemeral nature of Stories (they disappear after 24 hours) creates a sense of urgency that can drive higher engagement.

Cross-Pollination Strategy

A great tactic you can try is what I call the “cross-pollination strategy.” This involves strategically connecting your Facebook presence with other platforms and channels.

Here’s how different types of cross-pollination work:

• Email-to-Facebook pipeline: Include snippets of your Facebook content in email newsletters with clear CTAs to join the conversation.
• Website-to-Facebook connection: Embed Facebook posts or Group discussions on your website to drive traffic to your Facebook presence.
• Multi-platform content seeding: Start a conversation on Facebook, then continue it on LinkedIn or Twitter, directing users back to the original Facebook post.
• Internal cross-promotion: Use your Facebook Page to promote your Group and vice versa.

This approach creates multiple entry points to your Facebook ecosystem and reinforces engagement across channels.

Strategic Tagging and Partnerships

Thoughtful tagging can significantly extend your reach beyond your existing audience. Consider these approaches:

• Partner tagging: When you mention other businesses or influencers in your content, tag them. This exposes your content to their audience if they engage with or share your post.
• Employee advocacy: Encourage team members to share and engage with company content from their personal profiles, which introduces your brand to their networks.
• Strategic influencer engagement: Build relationships with micro-influencers in your niche who might naturally mention or share your content.

The key is authenticity. Random tagging comes across as spammy, but thoughtful inclusion of relevant partners can create win-win situations.

Facebook Live Strategy

With Facebook’s emphasis on it, live video deserves special attention in your Facebook strategy. It consistently outperforms other content types in terms of reach and engagement. Here are some tips to maximize your Lives:

• Schedule in advance: Use Facebook’s scheduling feature to announce your live session beforehand, building anticipation.
• Promote across channels: Let your email list, other social platforms, and website visitors know about upcoming live events.
• Plan for interaction: The magic of live video is its real-time interaction. Prepare questions to ask viewers and actively respond to comments.
• Repurpose strategically: After the live session, repurpose it into clips, blog posts, or podcast episodes.
• Consistent schedule: Consider a regular live series that viewers can expect (e.g., monthly Q&As or weekly industry updates).

Live video doesn’t need to be complex. Even a simple Q&A session or behind-the-scenes tour can perform exceptionally well if it’s authentic and interactive.

Measuring What Matters (And Ignoring What Doesn’t)

One of the biggest mistakes I see marketers make is focusing on the wrong metrics. Focusing on the wrong metrics means you don’t really know what’s going on with your Facebook page. Let’s clarify what metrics actually matter when measuring Facebook performance.

Vanity Metrics vs Impact Metrics

Vanity metrics might make you feel good but don’t necessarily translate to business impact. These include:

• Page likes.
• Followers.
• Basic reach numbers.
• Simple post likes.

Impact metrics actually indicate whether your Facebook efforts are moving the needle for your business. Examples include:

• Meaningful engagement (comments, shares, saved posts).
• Click-through rates.
• Conversion actions.
• Community growth (especially in Groups).
• Sentiment and brand perception.

Vanity metrics can indicate general awareness, so they’re not completely worthless. That said, they shouldn’t be your primary focus if you want to sell things because impact metrics are more meaningful for you.

Setting Up Proper Tracking

To truly understand your Facebook performance, you need proper tracking in place, and here are essential elements for a good tracking setup:

• Facebook Insights: The native analytics provide valuable data on reach, engagement, and audience demographics.
• Facebook Pixel: Even if you’re focusing on organic strategies, implementing the Facebook Pixel on your website is essential for tracking how Facebook traffic converts.
• UTM parameters: Use UTM codes on links you share to track which specific posts or content types drive the most valuable traffic.
• CRM integration: If possible, track how Facebook leads move through your sales funnel by integrating with your CRM.

My Metrics Dashboard

Personally, I usually set up a dashboard that focuses on these key metrics:

• Engagement rate: Total engagements divided by reach, which normalizes for audience size.
• Conversation rate: Number of comments per post, with additional weight given to comment threads (conversations).
• Click-through rate: Percentage of people who saw your post and clicked through to your website.
• Community growth: For Groups, this includes not just member count but also the percentage of members who are active.
• Conversion metrics: Leads, signups, or purchases that can be attributed to Facebook.

These metrics give a comprehensive view of whether your Facebook strategy is working without getting lost in vanity numbers.

Too many brands obsess over growing their follower count when they should be focusing on activating the audience they already have. I’d rather see a page with 1,000 highly engaged followers than one with 100,000 followers and tumbleweeds in the comments section. Quality trumps quantity every time on social media.

The Future of Facebook Marketing (And How to Prepare)

Facebook is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of these changes is crucial for long-term success. Here are the trends I’m seeing and how you can prepare for them:

The Continued Rise of Video

Video content will continue to dominate Facebook, with even more emphasis on short-form formats like Reels. If you haven’t already, now is the time to build video creation capabilities into your team.

AI-Enhanced Content Creation and Targeting

Facebook is increasingly using AI to determine content distribution. This means creating content that genuinely resonates with real people is more important than ever. AI can help with content creation, but the human touch remains essential for authenticity.

Commerce Integration

Social commerce on Facebook is becoming more seamless. Even if you’re focused on organic strategies, being prepared to integrate shopping experiences into your content will be valuable.

Privacy-First Approach

With increased scrutiny of data usage, Facebook is shifting toward more privacy-conscious features. This means community building and first-party data collection will become even more crucial as tracking capabilities potentially diminish.

Niche Community Focus

As Facebook continues to emphasize meaningful connections, niche communities will gain even more importance. Consider how you can segment your audience into more specific interest groups rather than maintaining a one-size-fits-all approach.

Putting It All Together: Your Facebook Marketing Action Plan

We’ve covered a lot of ground, so let’s bring it all together into an actionable plan you can implement immediately. But I don’t just want to tell you what to do. I want you to understand why each step matters and how it contributes to your overall success on the platform.

Step 1: Audit Your Current Presence

Before making changes, assess where you stand:

• Review your last 3 months of content to identify what performed best.
• Analyze your audience demographics and engagement patterns.
• Evaluate your current posting frequency and timing.
• Check if your page is properly optimized (cover photo, about section, etc.).

You wouldn’t renovate a house without inspecting the foundation first, right? The same principle applies to your Facebook strategy. Without understanding your current performance, you risk making changes that disrupt what’s already working or failing to address the real issues.

The 3-month lookback period is ideal because it provides enough data to spot patterns while still reflecting current algorithm preferences. Facebook’s algorithm changes frequently, so going too far back can lead to outdated conclusions.

Step 2: Refine Your Content Strategy

Based on your audit and the principles we’ve discussed, you can continue by:

• Defining your content pillars.
• Establishing a content calendar with the 80/20 value-to-promotion ratio.
• Incorporating more videos (especially Lives and Reels).
• Planning for conversation-starting content, not just broadcast messages.
• Scheduling consistent posting times based on when your audience is active.

Random posting is a recipe for mediocre results. Content pillars create consistency for your audience. Consistency means they know what to expect from you, which builds anticipation and loyalty. Think of it like your favorite TV show: you tune in because you know what you’re getting, even if the specific episode content varies.

The 80/20 rule isn’t arbitrary, it’s based on observed engagement patterns across thousands of Facebook pages. When brands exceed that 20% promotional threshold, engagement typically drops dramatically. Your audience follows you for value, not to be sold to constantly.

Scheduling posts when your audience is active matters because the first 30-60 minutes after posting are critical for the algorithm. If your content gets strong engagement quickly, Facebook is more likely to show it to more people. It’s like a snowball effect: early momentum leads to greater reach.

One of my clients in the home decor space found that posting at 8:30 PM on weeknights generated 40% more engagement than their previous 12:00 PM posting time, simply because their audience of busy professionals was more active in the evenings. That timing adjustment alone nearly doubled their average reach.

Step 3: Build or Strengthen Your Community

Facebook is all about connecting people, so building a community around your brand is essential. Here’s what you can do:

• Launch or revitalize a Facebook Group if appropriate for your brand.
• Create a Group content and management strategy.
• Establish clear community guidelines.
• Plan for regular engagement activities (weekly threads, Q&As, etc.).

Groups work because they align perfectly with Facebook’s core mission of connecting people. The algorithm heavily favors Group content because it typically generates more meaningful interactions, which is exactly what Facebook wants to promote.

Clear guidelines and regular activities aren’t just administrative tasks, they’re the difference between a thriving community and a ghost town. Communities need structure to flourish. Without guidelines, Groups often devolve into spam or off-topic discussions that drive away valuable members.

Regular engagement activities create habits for your members. When people know that every Monday, there’s a “share your win” thread or every month, there’s an expert Q&A, they develop a routine of checking in. These participation habits are the foundation of an active community.

Step 4: Implement Advanced Tactics

It’s time to go deeper and get into expert mode. Choose 2-3 advanced tactics to focus on:

• Develop a Facebook Stories strategy.
• Plan a series of Live videos.
• Implement the cross-pollination approach.
• Identify potential partnerships for expanded reach.

Focusing on just 2-3 advanced tactics rather than trying everything is critical for success. Each of these approaches requires proper execution to get results and spreading yourself too thin leads to mediocre implementation across the board.

I recommend choosing based on your team’s strengths and resources. If you have someone comfortable on camera, Live video might be your best bet. If you have a strong email list, the cross-pollination approach might yield faster results. The partnership approach works because it uses existing audiences rather than building from scratch, saving you a lot of effort.

Stories deserve special attention because they occupy prime real estate on mobile devices. With 98% of Facebook users accessing the platform via mobile, Stories provide visibility that feed posts simply can’t match. They also don’t require the same production quality as feed content, making them more sustainable for regular posting.

Step 5: Set Up Proper Measurement

If you don’t measure it, it might as well never have happened. Here’s a quick guide to setting up proper measurement efforts:

1. Create a dashboard focusing on impact metrics.
2. Implement tracking (Pixel, UTMs) if not already in place.
3. Establish a regular review schedule to analyze performance.
4. Be prepared to pivot based on data insights.

What gets measured gets managed. Without proper tracking, you’re essentially flying blind, making decisions based on gut feeling and not data. You might get somewhere, but there’s also a good chance you’ll crash into something.

The Facebook Pixel is non-negotiable, even for organic strategies. It allows you to track what happens after someone clicks from Facebook to your website, connecting social engagement to actual business outcomes. I’ve seen clients double their ROI simply by optimizing for actions that the Pixel revealed were leading to sales rather than actions that merely looked good in Facebook Insights.

The regular review schedule, whether weekly or monthly, creates accountability and provides structured opportunities to course-correct. Marketing is never “set it and forget it,” especially on platforms with changing algorithms.

UTM parameters might seem technical, but they’re simple to implement and provide invaluable data on which specific posts drive traffic and conversions. This granular understanding allows you to double down on what’s working and adjust what isn’t.

The Power of Integration

What makes this five-step approach particularly effective is how each step reinforces the others. Your audit (Step 1) informs your content strategy (Step 2), which supports your community building (Step 3). Your advanced tactics (Step 4) amplify everything else, and your measurement system (Step 5) helps you continuously refine all previous steps.

This integrated approach creates a flywheel effect where improvements in one area drive improvements in others. Over time, this will compound, turning Facebook from a frustrating platform with declining reach into a reliable channel for connection and business growth.

The beauty of this framework is its adaptability. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur managing your own page or a marketing director overseeing a team, these principles scale to fit your situation. The specific tactics might vary, but the strategic foundation remains the same.

Success on Facebook isn’t about chasing every trend or finding magic shortcuts. It’s about consistently applying proven principles, measuring results, and making data-driven adjustments. This methodical approach might not be as exciting as promises of “going viral,” but it’s what actually delivers sustainable results in the long run.

Conclusion

Despite the challenges of declining organic reach, Facebook remains an incredibly powerful platform for connecting with your audience and driving business results. By understanding the algorithm, creating engaging content, building communities, and implementing advanced tactics, you can break through the noise and create meaningful connections with your audience.

Let’s recap what we learned:

1. Focus on meaningful engagement over passive reach. Comments and conversations are worth more than likes and views.
2. Embrace video, especially Live and Reels, as these formats receive preferential treatment in the algorithm.
3. Build communities through Groups to tap into Facebook’s highest-performing organic reach opportunity.
4. Measure what matters. Track impact metrics that tie to business results, not just vanity numbers.

Remember, the Facebook algorithm isn’t your enemy. Creating genuinely valuable experiences for your audience helps you “befriend” the algorithm and bring your content to more people.

Now, it’s your turn to take action. Take a look at your upcoming Facebook posts and see if there’s something that can be improved. Whether it’s sharpening up your content or pivoting to an angle that allows for more engagement, there’s always something you can do to make your posts better.