Change is constant, especially with Facebook. Not too long ago it changed its algorithm to allow users to see their favorite content within their New Feeds first. Then it introduced Instant Articles to help publishers create interactive articles on Facebook. This week, Facebook updated its logo and its algorithm again. This update helps users prioritize stories and posts by allowing them to select the friends and pages they'd like to see at the top of their News Feed. And now for the grand reveal…
 
Facebook will no longer use likes in its cost per click measurement definition.
 
 
Yes, you read correctly, Facebook is discounting the value of its likes to the point where it doesn't factor into their click metric.  
 
Why is this happening now? 
At the end of the day, ads cost money. If Facebook wants to keep that ad revenue flowing, they've got to connect those ads to the things that drive the bottom line — items that tie back to business goals, to justify the expense to marketers. Going forward, these clicks will factor into CPC:
  • Clicks to visit another website
  • Call-to-action clicks (Shop Now)
  • Clicks to install an app
  • Clicks to Facebook canvas apps, and
  • Clicks to view a video on another website.

Our advice? 

Make your content count. You have a variety of options to help you drive business value. Be strategic and mindful when you use them. Start by creating content with clear objectives that tie back to a marketing objective be it reach, depth, or relationship. Take a read of our "The Social Programs Every B2C Marketer Should Study" report to see how our winners demonstrate this.  This report highlights this year's Forrester Groundswell winners who do a great job of sharing good content throughout the customer lifecycle across different industries. Have no fear B2B Marketers, our "Forrester Groundswell Award Winners Provide Hope To Struggling B2B Marketers" report provides inspiration for your efforts.