Brands that post more strategically on Facebook with videos and photos have seen significant engagement improvements, despite posting less.

There’s a misconception in content marketing that “more is better,” but recent data from Simply Measured’s annual Facebook report shows that brands are beginning to realize less can be more in social marketing. The study, which features data from the top 100 global brands, showed that marketers decreased quarterly posts to their Pages by 12 percent in Q1 2015. Yet, average engagement rates are rising.

By focusing more time and strategy on individual posts, marketers are honing into exactly what their audiences want to see. And there’s evidence it’s working: In Q1 2015, brands received 28 percent more shares than ever before.

What DO audiences want to see? Visuals

Brands are doing away with standard posts featuring links –  in fact, 40 percent fewer were published in Q1 2015 than in Q4 2014. Video and photo posts stayed relatively the same – but engagement for both formats has seen a major lift:

Simply Measure Facebook Video Stat Simply Measure Facebook Photo Stat

Facebook’s new Instant Articles bring multimedia to the forefront

Facebook has recognized users share more videos and posts directly within the network as opposed to links to content on outside pages. In response, the network announced a new publishing tool, Instant Articles, that aims to create fast, interactive articles that will live within the social network.

Facebook instant articles

Instant Articles cater to users’ preference for visuals, utilizing videos and interactive infographics. The tool comes with advertising options as well, unsurprising to skeptics who worry the network only offers results to brands that pay for reach.

While the new feature is currently available to only a handful of brand publishers, including The New York Times and Buzzfeed, it acts as a good reminder that successful Pages require more than just posts pointing back a company’s site. Brands should make it a priority to keep users engaged within the social network.

 

Learn more tips on what works on Facebook in Brafton’s complete eBook: Content for Social.

Molly Buccini is Brafton's community manager. She joined the team with a background in digital journalism and social media. She's a theatre nerd, pop culture junkie and lover of summertime.