Several search engine optimization (SEO)/ social media consultants, businesses, and marketers that I network with regularly have been investing some time into observing and sorting out various aspects of Facebooks Edgerank algorithm. At some point last year we started asking ourselves if Facebook has more members than Twitter and those members spend more time on the site … “Why doesn’t Facebook’s wall look and read like Twitter’s?” Thus far we have found more questions to ask than answers, but, we feel we’re moving in a positive direction. We have been paying closer attention to our actions and interactions and have been sharing notes amongst ourselves. One of the apparent aspects of Facebooks filter that we are finding most surprising is that what it filters changes in real time based on what you are doing at that time on Facebook.
Unlike most of my SEO/Social Media associates I enjoy playing a little Farmville from time to time. I don’t put a lot of time into it, but occasionally have a half hour or so to kill between projects. Early one morning I was looking over my “Top News” on my Facebook wall and found a few articles I wanted to read. I decided to finish my coffee, play some Farmville, and get to work in about a half hour. As I was playing Farmville I was for the most part switched to the “most recent” setting on my Facebook wall. I interacted with Farmville players and did Farmville things … it was FUN! It was time to go back to work!
When I clicked to go back to “Top News” to find the articles I intended to read … THEY WEREN’T THERE …
IT WAS ALL FARMVILLE STUFF!!!
While I was a bit surprised I was undaunted … I knew who had written the articles I wanted and set out to find them on their respective business pages and websites. After I’d finished with my reading it really struck me as odd that i couldn’t find the articles on “Top News” so I went to my wall, clicked on “Top News” and there they were… the articles (and more) that applied to my business interests had reappeared. Facebook had monitored my activity, and altered what it showed me twice in the space of an hour!
Since that day I’ve spoken with several others who have observed similar reactions. Whether or not this can be used to create a more effective presence on Facebook for our businesses remains to be seen … but I thought it was interesting enough to share. Have you had any similar experiences? Let us know what you think!
SEO and Social Media Marketing for Ft Myers Small business by Rick Thomas, Social Media/SEO Consultant. Internet Advertising for Ft Myers Florida Small Businesses. Company Facebook Page Creation and Management.
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