Learn which types of posts Facebook is targeting as Engagement Bait
With Facebook’s recent algorithm changes, it is more important than ever to make sure you are steering clear of Engagement Bait. Engagement bait will downright kill your visibility in news feeds. And as tempting as it may be to strive for those likes and comments, utilizing these tactics will have the opposite effect on your engagement rates.
So, what exactly is engagement bait? There are 5 types that will knock you out of visibility. We’ve listed them below so you know exactly not what to do. We have a feeling once you see them laid out, it will be obvious why these should be avoided. Chances are, you’ve probably been annoyed by these types of posts. Imagine being a member of your target audience! It will be more than easy to steer clear of engagement bait.
Types of Engagement Bait
Tag Bait
You know those posts, “Tag a friend who does this!”, or something of the like. That is tag baiting. An obvious attempt to get that post in front of as many people as possible.
React Bait
This type of post can be just about anything that is open-ended. A statement encouraging people to “Like” if they agree or it could be an image of something like a beautiful tropical landscape with the request to “Like” if you could live here.
Comment Bait
Sometimes posts can create a narrative which asks for commenters to reply with certain and specific answers. These posts directly ask the audience to comment below saying XYZ.
Share Bait
In an effort to have posts broadcasted to a larger audience, these posts are designed to entice the audience to share in exchange for a freebie, a prize or a chance to win something. They entice someone to take an action in the hopes of gaining something back.
Vote Bait
Personally, I’ve seen this type of posts the most, and my eyes immediately roll to the back of my head. These posts take a statement or an image and in an effort to take a poll, asks it’s audience to use the reaction emoji’s to indicate how they feel about what is being posted. You’ll see this as “Like” if you disagree, “Love” if you agree. And so on through the different reaction buttons.
What now?
Have you been guilty of using these offenders to promote your business? If so, get that behavior in check now, because Facebook is on to you and you will be close to zero engagement by continuing this behavior. Not only does Facebook consider this spammy, it is downright annoying.
We know that organic engagement under Facebook’s new algorithm has become increasingly tougher to get in front of your audience, but it is still better than using engagement bait. More so, you are better off setting an advertising budget on Facebook and really tailoring your ad to get in front of as big of an audience that you can. Take the time to craft well thought engaging posts – it is worth it to invest in your brand!
Sara Husted is a partner, owner and digital media mixologist at Think Big Marketing, LLC. She helps businesses and coaches streamline their online marketing through social media strategy and management. For a FREE 15-minute Discovery Session, click here!