Podcast Summary: Small Business Quick WINS w/ Jay Schwedelson Presented By Thryv

Episode Title: MASTERING META ALGORITHMS FOR BUSINESS GROWTH! Navah Hopkins on Boosting Content Engagement
Release Date: February 27, 2025
Host: Jay Schwedelson
Guest: Navah Hopkins

Introduction

In this insightful episode of Small Business Quick WINS, host Jay Schwedelson welcomes back returning guest Navah Hopkins, an evangelist for Optimizer and an international speaker specializing in marketing topics, particularly pay-per-click strategies. The episode delves deep into understanding and leveraging Meta's algorithms—crucial for businesses aiming to enhance their online presence on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Understanding Meta's Organic Reach Limitations

Key Discussion: Navah Hopkins begins by highlighting the significant reduction in organic reach on Facebook, noting that up to 90% of organic content is often filtered out or suppressed by the platform's algorithm. Consequently, businesses typically reach only 3-7% of their organic audience without employing paid strategies.

Notable Quote:

Navah Hopkins [03:34]: "There's a really unfortunate mechanic of Facebook in particular, where I believe the current threshold is 90%. It might have gone up to 90.7%, of organic content is just filtered out or stifled."

Insights:

• Algorithm Challenges: Meta's algorithms prioritize content that generates immediate engagement, making it challenging for new or less engaged businesses to gain visibility organically.
• Solution via Groups: To combat this, Navah emphasizes the importance of joining and actively participating in relevant Facebook groups. By sharing valuable content within these communities, businesses can bypass algorithmic suppression and achieve higher engagement rates.

Strategies to Enhance Content Circulation

Key Discussion: Navah outlines actionable strategies to increase content visibility despite Meta's restrictive algorithms:

1. Joining Relevant Groups: Identify and become active in three to five groups related directly or tangentially to your business. Authentic participation builds trust and authority, facilitating greater content sharing within these communities.

2. Engagement: Encourage early engagement within the first few minutes of posting. This includes likes, comments, and shares, signaling to the algorithm that the content is valuable and should reach a broader audience.

3. Buddy System: Establish a network of trusted contacts who can engage with your content promptly. This initial boost can significantly enhance visibility across Meta platforms.

Notable Quote:

Navah Hopkins [05:03]: "Find three to five groups that are either directly related to your business or at least tangentially related. Join them, be honest and transparent about who you are and build up the trust and authority to share content there."

Insights:

• Content Authenticity: Sharing valuable, non-promotional content fosters genuine engagement, which is favored by Meta's algorithms.
• Avoiding Solicitation: Distinguishing between useful content and direct solicitation is crucial to prevent being flagged or removed from groups.

Crafting Engaging Content

Key Discussion: The conversation shifts to the format and style of content that resonates best with audiences and aligns with Meta's algorithms:

1. Be Human and Authentic: Authenticity builds long-term credibility. While negative or dramatic content may garner higher immediate engagement, maintaining a consistent and genuine brand voice is essential for sustained growth.

2. Content Hooks: Effective hooks that highlight the utility and relevance of the content significantly increase engagement. For example, offering interactive elements like quizzes or challenges can drive higher participation.

3. Consistency: Regular posting schedules help audiences anticipate and engage with new content, reinforcing visibility and algorithmic favorability.

Notable Quote:

Navah Hopkins [10:45]: "Be human. ... it's important that you are authentic to your brand."

Insights:

• Positive vs. Negative Engagement: While negativity can spike engagement temporarily, it may harm brand reputation. Balancing authenticity with positive interactions is key.
• Interactive Content: Encouraging audiences to interact with content through questions or challenges can enhance engagement metrics that algorithms prioritize.

Optimal Timing for Posting

Key Discussion: Timing plays a pivotal role in maximizing content visibility. Navah provides strategic advice on when to post for optimal engagement:

1. Best Times to Post: Between 8 AM and 11 AM in the target audience's time zone. This window captures active users while accommodating different time zones.

2. Avoiding Low Engagement Days: Fridays and weekends typically see lower engagement rates. Instead, focusing on mid-week days like Thursdays can yield better results.

3. Consistency is Key: Maintaining a regular posting schedule helps the algorithm recognize and anticipate content, improving overall reach and engagement.

Notable Quote:

Navah Hopkins [13:46]: "The best time to post is between 8 and 11 AM in the time zone that I'm reaching because that will give enough people active time with the content."

Insights:

• Audience Activity: Understanding when your specific audience is most active ensures higher engagement rates.
• Avoiding Sporadic Posting: Irregular posting schedules can confuse the algorithm and reduce content visibility.

Leveraging Platform Features

Key Discussion: Navah emphasizes the importance of utilizing platform-specific features to boost engagement:

1. Follow Encouragement: Encourage customers to follow your business profiles, possibly incentivizing with gift cards or discounts. Unlike reviews, following is less regulated and can organically increase your audience base.

2. Engagement Signals: Explicitly asking your audience to like, share, and comment on your posts provides clear signals to the algorithm about the desirability of your content.

Notable Quote:

Navah Hopkins [10:15]: "Tell your customers that you need them to follow you or that you'll give a gift card or a discount for follows because there aren't as strict rules about follows as there are for reviews."

Insights:

• Incentivizing Engagement: Offering rewards for follows can effectively grow your follower base, enhancing content reach.
• Clear CTAs: Direct calls-to-action (CTAs) guide audiences on how to interact with your content, improving engagement metrics.

Final Thoughts and Personal Insights

Towards the end of the episode, Jay and Navah briefly discuss Navah's personal interests in gaming, highlighting how strategic thinking and engagement in games like Magic the Gathering and Risk parallel effective marketing strategies. Although this segment deviates from the core topic, it underscores the importance of strategic planning and engagement—qualities essential both in gaming and business.

Conclusion

This episode provides small business owners with a comprehensive understanding of Meta's algorithms and practical strategies to enhance content engagement on Facebook and Instagram. By leveraging relevant groups, fostering authentic interactions, optimizing posting times, and utilizing platform features, businesses can navigate algorithmic challenges and achieve significant growth in their online presence.

Key Takeaways:

• Join and Engage in Relevant Groups: Builds trust and amplifies content reach.
• Foster Early Engagement: Boosts content visibility through algorithmic favor.
• Maintain Authenticity: Ensures long-term credibility and sustained growth.
• Optimize Posting Times: Aligns content release with audience activity for maximum impact.
• Utilize Platform Features: Enhances follower base and engagement through strategic actions.

For more actionable tips and insights, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to Small Business Quick WINS and implement the strategies discussed to drive remarkable business growth.