Optimizing Facebook Content For Mobile: Simplicity is Key

The hot topic in the digital world right now is mobile. Every year the market share increases, as more consumers adopt smart phones and data plans. Gone are the days of accessing the Internet from a desktop only. Portable devices such as the smart phone and tablet have allowed the fluidity of “anywhere” internet access. With increased access to the Web, more consumers are sharing on Social Media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Due to the surge in accessibility over the years, social platforms have had to overhaul their mobile apps to create a better user experience on the small screen.

Facebook recently surpassed 1.15 billion active users, and over 800 million of those access their content through a mobile device (Facebook Key Facts).  Recognizing this, Facebook optimized their Facebook app for a better user experience. Facebook’s mobile optimization has changed the way brands must market.

The Newsfeed is King: Gone are the days when everyone accessed your Facebook Brand Page from the desktop. The new upgrades to Facebook give more merit to the Newsfeed, and feed less traffic into fan pages. On mobile, this is especially important. Content is what will drive likes and engagement, and the key is captivating through the Newsfeed.

A backwards approach: When designing your social content for Facebook, the traditional approach is to design for desktop. Unfortunately, with user habits shifting from desktop to mobile, content needs to be optimized for the small screen first. Using an inside-out approach to content creation and execution is important. Facebook’s notion to cut the meat has helped funnel marketers to create compelling content in the simplest of forms.

Below is a list of questions to ask when designing for mobile:

• Is your content compelling?
• Is your content visually appealing?
• Will your content be noticeable?
• Is your message clearly conveyed?

Think like your audience when you create: The goal of content on Facebook mobile is to be captivating upon scrolling through the newsfeed. In the split second that a user scrolls across your post, it must grab and engage them. You must ask yourself what would make you engage. Below are some tips:

• Keep the Message Buttoned Down:  the shorter you can make your message, the better. Keep the copy under 160 characters to avoid the “see more” link.
• Get them Engaged: Using a call to action, asking your audience a question, or requesting some form of simple engagement can work well on mobile. Make sure that these fit within the 160 character messaging limit. Some simple engagement ideas:
  • “LIKE” if you agree
  • Caption this photo:
  • What are your weekend plans?
• Use Photos: Using shorter messaging allows images to speak for your content. Images are the traditionally the most shared content on Facebook. According to Kiss Metrics, photos on Facebook receive 53% more likes, 104% more comments, and 84% more click-throughs than the average post. With mobile, the images hold even more merit in the news feed. Photos can serve as content and messaging, but consider these when designing your images:
  • Are my fonts easy to read?
  • Do the colors work together?
  • Is it visually pleasing?

Make it share-worthy: making content sharable is what all brands want to do, but on mobile, sharing is even easier. A simple swipe of the screen can share the content to a wall, or with a friend. Because of this, focusing on what is traditionally “viral” can help increase the chances of more people seeing your content. Keeping it simple and engaging will help keep your audience engaged.

Don’t make them travel: If users access a link from one of these social apps using a mobile device and they are redirected to a non-mobile optimized site, the chances of these users returning drop off dramatically (Amp Agency).The further a user has to go to get to the supplied content, the more likely you are to lose them indefinitely. Keep your content on Facebook as much as possible, unless your landing page is mobile optimized. Make sure everything is optimized and easy to navigate. If you are linking to Facebook Tabs, make sure that even those are ready for mobile!

Don’t forget the Desktop: Though we have to use a backwards approach to creating content for small screens first, that doesn’t mean we need to forget the desktop altogether. Many Facebook users still access their accounts from a desktop, which is why your content must translate across multiple devices. What works for mobile will work for desktop, and vice versa.

The notion that we must simplify content to relate to our audience wherever they may be is one that marketers must adopt to keep current. The bare bones of what makes businesses unique should be clear through all content on social media. Facebook’s shift from Fan Page to News Feed has opened the door for simplicity, which resonates well for Facebook users. To optimize for mobile, you must strip down to what makes your company unique, and engage your audience on a visual level. This will lead to sharability and virality.

Have you optimized your content for Facebook Mobile yet?