Facebook not showing posts?

It’s HARD to get noticed on Facebook nowadays! If Facebook is not showing posts that you've published you'll benefit from reading these 27 ways to outsmart the Facebook Algorithm.

Think about it…just like Google, Facebook uses thousands of signals when deciding how many people to show your posts to.

The good thing about the difficulty of being visible is that almost no one understands how to use the Facebook algorithm.

Just reading this article gives you a significant competitive advantage. It also reveals that you are a go-getter, a person who gets things done.

So, let’s get going with these 27 ways to outsmart the Facebook Algorithm!

1. Leave External Links Out of Your Posts

Facebook blocks people from seeing these kinds of post. Want to increase your Facebook engagement by 50%? Do this one step and reap the rewards. My Facebook group, Traffic and Copy, has grown fast because we discourage link-dropping. It keeps us pasted into your feed and keeps the spamming down.

Not sure how to sell anything if you can’t get an outside link? Start with posting GOOD CONTENT for 3-6 weeks.

Use anything to keep people inside Facebook’s site (i.e., videos, pictures, text). THEN when you’re ready to launch your product, post something like this:

“I’m giving away one (product/service) for free. If you want to have a chance at winning, like and share this post. I’ll pick a random winner.”

The likes and shares will overcome Facebook’s block from the external link.

2. Include a Photo in Each Post

Credit for this tip goes to my mentor Dan Meredith. The lazy will avoid doing this. The go-getters know it will stop people from by-passing their post. You get an extra chance at having your post read.

Expert Tip: Ideally, your photos should have never been uploaded to Facebook before. (They check .EXIF data on each photo and rewards original content.) One way Dan gets around this is by posting brand new selfies with his posts.

3. Method Posts are Huge Winners 

People don’t care about ideas you have or giving you advice that only helps you. They focus on those things which will improve their lives and put money in their wallets. Or if you are in the entertainment market, people want to be entertained. Give them the value they are seeking and groups and friends will like you.

4. Posting Time

(Matters more when you have 5,000+ followers) – While this is a little over-rated as a metric, the point is to post three times a day to have a better chance of reaching more people in different time zones. For example, in my Traffic and Copy Facebook group, I post at 8 AM, 4 PM, and 8 PM. I’m able to hit UK early birds and L.A. insomniacs, New Yorkers on a coffee break, the UK evening commute, L.A. getting up, New Yorkers getting bored, and people in the UK browsing late-evening.

5. Tell Stories and Sneak in Mentions of Your Business 

For those people who don’t know who you are, this strategy has a short shelf-life. However, for now, this works pretty well to get engagement.

6. Convert Written Posts to Videos 

You’re aiming to get your content viewed by as many people as possible. ​​Facebook Live does that. When you do a FB Live video, send a notification to let your friends know you’re live.

7. Pay Attention to Diminishing Returns

Telling your core audience about your product works for a few posts. After that, people will start to tune out your message. Keep them reading your posts by adding add-ons or new ideas.

8. Ask Your Team to Like/Share Important Posts

The key is to get this done within the first ten minutes of the post going out to ensure they reach more people quickly. Facebook shares your posts selectively to a handful of people who follow you. When they like, comment, or share, FB will then show it more often.

9. Keep the Technical Low-key

When you get too technical, you alienate people.

10. Use "Pattern Disrupts" 

Break for the expected and use emojis, deliberate misspellings, slant. Talk about subjects that are taboo – sex, failure, loneliness – but stay away from religion or politics.

11. Space Out Posts in Two Places 

Facebook will favor whichever post makes it first, especially when it is done within a short time span. Besides spacing them out, change some wording.

12. Keep Posts Short 

My posts are under 5,000 characters. This is a good number that keeps me on point. Also, it is the limit on Buffer where I tend to write before I send posts out.

Also, some people balk at scheduling software. True, it can hurt your reach on your business page, but if you can tell me the trick to posting three high-quality posts a day on Facebook while getting the rest of your work done, I’m all ears.

For me, my Sunday night ritual of writing my posts in advance ensures I get everything done. Besides, you only need 3,000 characters, so people don’t have to click the “continue reading” button to open a new tab.

13. Don't Skip a Day of Posting 

When you don’t post, you’re wasting time.

14. Spread Out Posts 

Anytime you put up two posts within a 4-hour window, the second one will not get a share by FB.

15. Bump Old Posts

Put in a new comment OR post a new comment and then delete it.

16. Aim for the New Facebook "Gold Standard"

When you reach the 5,000+ followers on your personal FB page, you begin to look respectable – AND FB will give you the analytics to your live posts!

17. Review the Personal Profiles of Those Who Add You

Check them out and begin a conversation with them. You’ll probably get more friend requests than you want, so keep it all business and start the discussion. You don’t have to add everyone as a friend.

18. Try Creating Scarcity

The idea is that if you post less, when you do post or comment, people will be sure to see what you have to say. This works best if you are well-known in your space.

19. Welcome Unfollows and Unfriendings

Again, this is from Dan Meredith. He suggests that it is better to be in your audience’s face so much that those who don’t like you will leave, and those that love you will drool over your stuff. True, you may lose some that do like you, but the price is worth it.

20. Rumor

Some think that changing up the times you post will make your posts seem “real” to FB.

21. Convenient Forgetfulness Gets Engagement

After you make a post, comment on it as if you forgot something. This helps those who don’t want to be the first commentor.

22. Write a Note

Look on the middle left of your home screen. It looks nicer as opposed to status updates, gets pushed to your friends, and (this is the best part) gets indexed on Google to get the SEO juices flowing. Be sure you have the setting to “public” to make the most of this technique.

23. Stories Rank Higher in Feeds

People like stories, so reveal your day as it happens. Don’t want to use video? Post your quotes or ideas in a pleasing way or recycle Instagram post. Do this and get easy visibility!

24. Facebook's Newest Concept Gets Pushed Hardest

Look at posting 360 videos, live videos, stories now. AR and VR are coming in the future.

25. Variety is the Spice of Facebook 

Use a variety of post types from text, video, and photos. Look for what works best, but don’t be afraid to mix it up occasionally.

26. Avoid Posting the Same Time Each Day

To look more organic and to appear to be an average user, post at different times of the day.

27. Get Likes, Shares and Comments Within First 10 Minutes of a Post 

Ask everyone in your office, your friends, and your family to respond within the first ten minutes, and you will get the visibility you’re seeking.

BONUS: Put your best posts on the Traffic and Copy Facebook group. You’ll find a community of friends who will like everything you post.