Get All Access for $5/mo

Why Your Facebook Page Is Becoming Less Relevant Gone are the days of "free marketing." Get ready to pony up if you want your Facebook page to be seen.

By Wendy Frink

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Organic may be all the rage in the culinary world, but on Facebook, it's falling out of favor.

Facebook defines organic reach as "the number of unique people who saw your post in News Feed or on your page, including people who saw it from a story shared by a friend when they liked, commented on or shared your post, answered a question or responded to an event."

In other words, organic is basically free marketing. But it looks like organic is dying a slow death.

At a time when Facebook is rolling out a new look and controls for its Facebook pages, it is also making it harder for businesses to get their content seen for free. In February, organic reach hovered around 6 percent, about half of what it was in October of 2013, according to recent analysis by Ogilvy & Mather.

Facebook has been having conversations with clients over in recent months about what it calls the "declining organic distribution in News Feed," a spokesperson told Entrepreneur.com. Facebook says the reach of posts will vary, so it hasn't specified what an average page can expect to see.

Related: Is Facebook Really a Failure to Marketers?

"Like many mediums, if businesses want to make sure that people see their content, the best strategy is, and always has been, paid advertising," the spokesperson said.

Of course, Facebook has never been completely free. Regardless of whether or not a company pays for visibility, someone has to run the account, even if that person is an intern. As with traditional advertising, paying for reach doesn't mean users will "share" or like something either. The article, photo or video still has to strike a chord with the audience.

The demise of organic reach could end up hurting the small businesses trying to make a name for themselves on what could very likely be a shoestring budget.

It's not all bad, though. Brands will have to be more selective in the content that they share and promote to make sure they get more engagement with their followers. As Ogilvy & Mather points out, the Facebook changes reinforce the need for businesses to explore all channels like Twitter, Pinterest, etc. instead of committing to a single medium.

Facebook, meanwhile, is offering brands new (and free) ways to experiment with pages. This month, Facebook is rolling out what it calls a more "streamlined" look to the Pages. One fixture is the "Pages to Watch" feature in the Page Insights tool that allows administrators to create a list of other businesses and compare their performance to their own.

Related: 10 Signs You're Using Social Media Wrong

Wendy Frink

Social Media Editor at Entrepreneur.com

Wendy Frink is the social media editor for Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Making a Change

Learn All of Rosetta Stone's Languages for $152

A lifetime subscription is nearly $250 off for a limited time.

Leadership

How His Personal Battle With Cancer Inspired This Founder's Solution for Patient Care

On this episode of "The Founder CEO," Michael O'Neil, founder and CEO of GetWellNetwork, discusses his inspiring journey as a leader and the transformative role of AI in healthcare.

Marketing

5 SEO Hacks to Help You Rank Fast

Discover the best SEO hacks you can use to rank fast and avoid waiting for months to see results.

Business News

Homeowners in These 10 States Pay the Most in 'Hidden' Upkeep Costs

Hidden home costs pile on top of mortgage payments.

Starting a Business

Inside the Exclusive Private Club Devoted to Food, Wine and the Arts

Barrett Wissman breaks down the passions and partnerships behind his latest venture Domus Artium Reserve.