In the opening paragraphs, I’ll provide quick answers to key questions about Facebook’s publishing tools:
Does Facebook still allow users to publish posts and share content?
Yes, publishing and sharing content is still a core part of the Facebook experience. Users can publish text posts, share links, post photos and videos, and go live, just as they always have.
What happened to Facebook Notes?
Facebook Notes used to allow long-form writing and was promoted as a blogging platform on Facebook. However, in 2022, Facebook removed the ability to publish new Notes. Existing Notes are still visible, but no new ones can be created.
Can Facebook pages still be used for publishing?
Yes, Facebook Pages remain a key publishing platform. Page admins can continue to post content just like a regular user profile. Features like photo albums, events, and Story sharing are still available for Pages.
Does Facebook still have Instant Articles?
Instant Articles allow news publishers to post articles directly into the Facebook news feed. This feature still exists and publishers can continue using it to quickly share content with Facebook users.
What happened to Facebook’s news feed algorithm?
In 2018, Facebook updated its news feed algorithm to prioritize content from friends and family over public content from brands and publishers. This reduced the organic reach of Facebook Pages, requiring more paid promotion to reach wider audiences.
Conclusion
While certain publishing features like Notes have been removed, core sharing abilities remain intact. Facebook continues to evolve as a platform, but still allows users and Pages to publish a variety of content. Paid advertising is now more critical for content distribution, due to algorithm changes.
The History of Publishing Tools on Facebook
Facebook has offered various built-in tools over the years to allow users and organizations to publish content. Here is an overview of some key milestones:
Launch of Facebook Notes (2006)
Facebook launched Notes in 2006 as a blogging tool that allowed users to write long-form posts. Notes could be shared to a user’s profile or Page for friends and followers to read.
Introduction of Facebook Pages (2007)
Pages were introduced in 2007 as a way for businesses, brands, celebrities and organizations to establish an official presence on Facebook. Page admins could publish content just like individual profiles.
New Profile Design with Built-In Blogging (2007)
In 2007, Facebook rolled out a major redesign of user profiles. One big new feature was a built-in blogging section that allowed users to write blog-style posts and share them on their profile.
Launch of Facebook Live (2016)
This feature allowed Facebook users to broadcast live video streams for their friends or followers. It provided a new way to share live content and events.
Introduction of Instant Articles (2015)
Instant Articles enabled news publishers to post articles directly into Facebook’s mobile app. This provided a fast, seamless reading experience for Facebook users.
Removal of New Facebook Notes (2022)
In September 2022, Facebook removed the ability for users and Pages to create new Notes. Existing Notes still remain visible, but no new ones can be added.
Changes to the News Feed Algorithm (2018)
Facebook updated its algorithm in 2018 to show more posts from friends and family. This reduced the organic reach of Pages, requiring more advertising to promote content.
Publishing Content on Facebook Today
While certain tools have come and gone, Facebook remains a major publishing platform. Here are some of the key ways content can be published today:
Text, Photo and Video Posts
The core Facebook user experience still revolves around publishing posts that can include text, photos, videos, emojis, stickers, and more. This allows users to share a mixed media update.
Facebook Stories
The Stories format allows sharing photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Stories are now available both for individual profiles and Facebook Pages.
Facebook Live
Live broadcasting remains a popular way to share real-time video. It’s commonly used for Q&As, events, breaking news, and other timely content.
Instant Articles
News publishers can still publish Instant Articles for fast mobile distribution, though adoption has declined since 2018.
Facebook Events
Creating Facebook Events allows publishers to invite people to upcoming events. Events have dedicated pages with details, discussion forums, and more.
Facebook Groups
Groups remain a popular way for people to gather around shared interests. Publishers of all kinds can create public or private groups as another way to engage audiences.
Facebook Ads
More than ever, running Facebook ads is an essential part of content distribution for publishers seeking wide audience reach. Ad formats include photo/video posts, Stories, and more.
Major Publishers Using Facebook
Many top publishers distribute content on Facebook to leverage its huge audience. Some examples:
New York Times
The New York Times has over 15 million Facebook followers. They share headlines, article excerpts, and video highlights.
BuzzFeed
Known for viral content, BuzzFeed uses Facebook to spread its entertaining articles and quizzes. Their page has over 18 million likes.
Washington Post
With over 7 million fans, the Washington Post shares primarily politics and news content on Facebook. They also promote subscriber sign-ups.
Bleacher Report
This sports site has a thriving Facebook presence with over 13 million followers. They share scores, news, funny sports memes, and more.
Food Network
Food Network engages its audience of foodies with cooking videos, recipes, kitchen tips, and more. Their page has over 12 million likes.
MTV
The youth entertainment brand uses Facebook to promote its shows and pop culture content. MTV has over 6 million page likes.
Pros and Cons of Facebook for Publishers
Here are some key advantages and disadvantages for publishers on Facebook:
Pros:
- Huge global audience (over 2 billion monthly active users)
- Built-in tools for publishing different content formats
- Allows engagement through comments, shares, events, and groups
- Analytics provide data and insights on content performance
- Ad platform enables promoted distribution
Cons:
- Organic reach has declined over time
- Frequent algorithm changes require constant adaptation
- Young users are shifting to other platforms like Instagram and TikTok
- Risk of overdependence on a single channel
- Content can become lost in crowded News Feeds
Publishing Best Practices on Facebook
Here are some tips for publishers looking to succeed on Facebook:
- Post consistently, but avoid oversaturation
- Use high-quality, eye-catching images and video
- Write clear, engaging headlines
- Use a conversational, audience-first tone
- Respond to comments and questions from followers
- Use relevant hashtags, tags, and @ mentions to extend reach
- Promote content through ads to boost distribution
- Analyze performance data to refine posting strategy
- Engage followers through Live broadcasts, polls, quizzes, and groups
- Stay on top of algorithm changes that impact publishers
Following these best practices helps ensure content resonates and spreads as far as possible on Facebook.
The Future of Facebook as a Publishing Platform
While Facebook remains a critical channel for publishers, there are some uncertainties around its future trajectory:
- Declining organic reach may push more publishers toward paid distribution.
- Rising competition from ByteDance platforms like TikTok.
- A potential continued loss of younger users to other platforms.
- More algorithm shifts away from publisher content toward friends/family sharing.
- Antitrust regulation or break-up could fundamentally change Facebook’s model.
On the other hand:
- Facebook still offers publishers unparalleled scale, with billions of users worldwide.
- New publishing formats like Stories and Live video may present opportunities.
- Facebook is investing heavily in metaverse technology that could reshape social media.
- Its advertising platform should continue enabling paid distribution at scale.
Publishers will need to monitor Facebook’s evolution closely and be ready to adapt publishing strategies as its role continues changing. But the platform remains too big for publishers to ignore or abandon completely in the near future.
Conclusion
While Facebook has simplified its set of built-in publishing tools, its core utility for content sharing remains. Through a combination of organic posting and paid promotion, publishers can still leverage Facebook’s unrivaled scale to distribute content to a wide audience. But declining organic reach makes it harder than ever to break through. Publishers must take advantage of formats like video and Live that favor engagement, while keeping a close eye on any algorithm shifts that affect their content visibility. As competition from newer platforms intensifies, publishers will need to maintain a diversified distribution strategy. But for now, Facebook remains a crucial channel for publishers seeking to maximize the reach of their content online.