They also need to make money, so they have to reserve some of that news feed for sponsored content. There is far too much content being published to show it to all of the people who have вЂњsubscribedвЂќ to see it via вЂњfanвЂќ or вЂњfriendвЂќ connection. IвЂ™m not sure thatвЂ™s optimal from a personal connection standpoint, because it smells of forced virality. The вЂњgood stuffвЂќ will be seen by more, and the вЂњboring stuffвЂќ will be seen by few or none. Informationally, Facebook has set it up so that the rich get richer. Consequently, sheвЂ™s not seeing them as much. So, she enjoys quick updates from friends about their location and similar stuff, but those posts do not solicit gobs of clicks, likes, or shares. The way the EdgeRank algorithm works is that historical and post-level engagement is the key to exposure. Friends In News Feed OnlyД«ut back to my wifeвЂ™s query. They do this, not with their own content, but also whatвЂ™s being posted by influencers on behalf of their brand.

Of course, companies are already leveraging their media budgets to pay for space in your News Feed. So, if you want even more people to see your cat doing that funny thing, you can spend $7 to make it so. ThatвЂ™s right, Facebook also (somewhat quietly) announced that they are opening up the option for individuals to buy exposure on a per-post basis. This opens up more real estate for Promoted Posts (ads) from companies or people. What you need to know about EdgeRank is this:ДЇacebook has altered the math of the game so that only posts that get a disproportionate amount of engagement (likes, clicks, comments, shares) will be seen by a lot of people вЂ“ regardless of whether those people are fans or friends. Every time Facebook makes tweaks to the EdgeRank algorithm that governs what gets seen in your news feed, the вЂњFacebook is deadвЂќ stories regenerate and draw a new round of attention in the media.

Facebook IsnвЂ™t Dead, But It Is ChangingД«ut, that doesnвЂ™t mean Facebook isnвЂ™t changing. Let me summarize by saying that for now, anyone that tries to tell you that Facebook is over is either misleading or misinformed. There are more 18-34 year-olds using Facebook monthly than who are watching traditional television in the US, which Nielsen reported as 76% in Q2 2015.Д®nough math. If you think thatвЂ™s impressive, just wait.

But USAGE of Facebook is most assuredly not slowing.ДЄccording to the Digital in 2016 Report from We Are Social, there are more than 69 million Americans between the ages of 13 and 29 using Facebook each month, which equates to roughly 80% of the total US population in that age range. The truth is that yes, GROWTH of Facebook usage is slowing because ubiquity puts a natural brake on expansion. Never fall into the trap of thinking your behavior, or the behavior of your friends and business associates, is representative of how the masses do anything вЂ“ and most especially how they use Facebook. First of all, if youвЂ™re reading this post YOU ARE NOT AVERAGE. The other favorite theorem of the digital royalty is that the technologists, early adopters, and ironic T-shirt wearers have moved on to the next hot thing (can you say Snapchat?).Д«ut the reality is that itвЂ™s all hokum. вЂњKids donвЂ™t use Facebook anymore because their parents are on it,вЂќ they sniff. Some in the social media cognoscenti will tell you itвЂ™s because the masses are tiring of Facebook.

Jamie spacie