Podcast Summary: Social Media Marketing Podcast - "Facebook Content Strategy 2025: What's Actually Working Right Now"
Release Date: January 2, 2025
Host: Michael Stelzner
Guest: Mari Smith
Introduction and Overview
In the January 2, 2025 episode of the Social Media Marketing Podcast, host Michael Stelzner engages in an insightful conversation with renowned Facebook marketing expert Mari Smith. The episode, titled "Facebook Content Strategy 2025: What's Actually Working Right Now," delves into the evolving landscape of Facebook marketing, exploring organic strategies, content types, algorithm updates, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing practices.
The Resilience of Facebook in 2025
Mari Smith begins by dispelling the myth that Facebook is declining, emphasizing its continued dominance in the social media realm.
Mari Smith [03:20]: "There's no question that Facebook continues to hold onto that crown of being the number one social network in the world, over 3 billion monthly active users."
She highlights the expansive reach of Meta's suite of applications, noting that over 3.3 billion daily active users engage with at least one Meta app daily. This vast user base underscores Facebook's enduring relevance despite the rise of newer platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
Organic Reach and the New Algorithms
A significant focus of the discussion is Facebook's algorithm shift towards interest-based content rather than purely friend-based interactions, inspired by platforms like TikTok.
Mari Smith [03:20]: "Organic is really starting to have its heyday again. And the reason being, Mike, is because the algorithms have shifted to what is more interest based than friend based."
This change, powered by Facebook's AI-driven discovery engine, predicts and recommends content that users might be interested in, regardless of whether they follow the content creator. Approximately 50% of the feed is now populated with content from unconnected sources, leveling the playing field for marketers of all sizes.
Michael Stelzner [05:54]: "It's a little frustrating, but at the same time, it's very exciting because it does mean now that there's an equal playing field."
Content Strategies: Videos, Images, and More
Mari Smith outlines various effective content types for Facebook in 2025, emphasizing the dominance of short-form video content.
Short-Form Video (Reels)
Short-form vertical videos, or reels, remain paramount in engaging audiences.
Mari Smith [07:47]: "Short form video is really the king, if you will, of content types. So marketers would do well to adopt a bit more of that like up to 90 seconds vertical video format."
She advises keeping reels concise, ideally within 90 seconds, and stresses the importance of strong hooks within the first few seconds to maintain viewer retention.
Image Posts
Image posts continue to be effective when personalized with real people and minimal reliance on AI-generated visuals.
Mari Smith [11:20]: "Compelling image posts, ideally using real people."
Smith recommends using a 4:5 aspect ratio for images and cautions against overusing AI-produced content to maintain authenticity and avoid audience fatigue.
Color Background Posts
Posts featuring vibrant color backgrounds with concise text can significantly boost engagement.
Mari Smith [15:38]: "Color bar... gives you a smaller amount of text, but it's large and the algorithms read it as a text post. But it really stands out in the feed because it's got these bright colors."
Such posts are most effective when framed as questions or engaging prompts to encourage interactions.
Text-Only Posts and Stories
While text-only posts are less favored, Mari suggests experimenting with them alongside media elements. Stories remain an underutilized tool, offering prominent placement at the top of feeds for increased visibility.
Mari Smith [16:50]: "Stories are top of mind, top of feed, visibility, awareness, reach tools."
Live Streaming
Live streaming is poised for a resurgence, particularly with the rise of live shopping experiences.
Mari Smith [17:00]: "Live streaming works really well for any businesses that are doing like arts and crafts demonstrations, cooking, DIY or sharing their screen."
Professional Mode for Individual Profiles
Facebook's Professional Mode is designed for entrepreneurs, creators, and solo professionals to enhance their presence without managing a separate business page.
Mari Smith [19:56]: "Professional mode... gives metrics, a professional dashboard... anybody can follow, as many public followers as you want."
This mode allows users to switch seamlessly between private and public interactions, providing analytics and tools akin to a business page while maintaining personal privacy settings.
Analytics: The Shift to 'Views'
A critical update discussed is Facebook's overhaul of its analytics system, replacing "impressions" with a unified "views" metric across all content types.
Mari Smith [26:14]: "Views is replacing impressions. Views is not just video or reels. Views is your images, your stories, your carousels..."
However, this new metric counts a view as mere browsing past a piece of content, even if the video only plays for a fraction of a second.
Mari Smith [27:28]: "A reels play is 1 millisecond... so if you see a thumbnail going by, that's considered a view."
This change may inflate view counts, necessitating a focus on deeper analytics like retention graphs to gauge true engagement levels.
Artificial Intelligence in Facebook Marketing
Mari Smith delves into Meta's AI integration, highlighting both its potential and the accompanying privacy concerns.
Meta AI and Llama
Meta's AI, including the open-source Llama model, competes with other AI giants by offering versatile tools for content creation and customer interaction.
Mari Smith [37:41]: "You can ask @Mea AI... including creating those images."
However, concerns arise regarding data privacy, as Meta utilizes publicly shared content to train its AI models, with limited opt-out options.
AI in Content Creation and Ads Manager
AI tools within Ads Manager assist in generating copy and enhancing images, streamlining the ad creation process.
Mari Smith [44:32]: "You can just literally pop in a couple of words in your primary text, your headline and poof. It will just absolutely produce all of these alternative versions for you."
Additionally, features like Advantage Plus leverage AI to broaden audience reach beyond predefined parameters, optimizing ad performance.
Monetization and Ads Enhancements
Mari addresses the complexities of monetization on Facebook, cautioning marketers to view AI-generated revenue as supplementary rather than primary income sources.
Mari Smith [25:09]: "Treat it as your 'Starbucks money.' It's just bonus money."
She also discusses advancements in Ads Manager, emphasizing AI-driven improvements that facilitate more effective and creative advertising strategies.
Final Insights and Recommendations
Concluding the discussion, Mari Smith offers actionable advice for marketers:
- Embrace Short-Form Video: Prioritize reels with strong hooks and concise messaging.
- Leverage Image Posts Wisely: Use authentic images featuring real people to foster connection.
- Utilize Color Backgrounds and Questions: Engage audiences through visually appealing and thought-provoking posts.
- Adopt Professional Mode: Enhance personal profiles with professional tools without sacrificing privacy.
- Monitor New Analytics Metrics: Focus on deeper engagement metrics beyond inflated view counts.
- Integrate AI Thoughtfully: Utilize AI tools for efficiency while maintaining authenticity and addressing privacy concerns.
Mari Smith [33:04]: "The more engagement a post gets, the more reach it gets. There's no question it does go hand in hand."
She emphasizes the importance of creating shareable content that encourages private shares and interactions to amplify reach organically.
Conclusion
The episode underscores the evolving nature of Facebook marketing in 2025, highlighting the platform's resilience, the resurgence of organic reach, and the critical role of diverse content strategies. Mari Smith's expertise provides marketers with a comprehensive roadmap to navigate Facebook's dynamic ecosystem, leveraging AI tools prudently while maintaining genuine audience connections.
For more detailed notes and resources, visit Socialmediaexaminer.com/podcast