Is featured on Facebook public?

Whether being featured on Facebook is public or not depends on the specific context. Generally speaking, content that is promoted or featured by Facebook through its algorithms is considered public and can be seen by many users. However, there are some caveats and specifics to be aware of.

What does it mean to be “featured” on Facebook?

There are a few different ways content can be featured or promoted on Facebook:

Appearing in users’ News Feeds – Content that shows up prominently in users’ News Feeds, either from pages they’ve liked or algorithmic recommendations.

Featured or suggested posts – Posts that Facebook proactively highlights with labels like “Suggested Post” or “Featured Post.”
Ad promotions – Paid ads or promoted posts that businesses or organizations pay to boost.
Recommendations – Content suggested in places like Facebook Watch, Marketplace, or the sidebar based on users’ interests.

Viral popularity – Content that gains a lot of organic shares, comments, or engagement and starts trending.

So in general, being “featured” means Facebook’s algorithm has identified your content and is actively promoting it to users in some way. This gives your posts much more visibility and reach.

Is featured content only seen by your followers?

No, being featured by Facebook means your content is being shown to a wider audience beyond just your page’s followers. Some specifics:

News Feed features expose your posts to your followers’ networks and friends.
Suggested or featured posts are shown to users who don’t follow your page based on relevance.
Ad promotions can target any specific demographic or audience.

Recommended content is shown to users Facebook’s algorithm thinks may be interested.
Viral content gets engagement that extends far beyond your follower count.

In most cases, being featured gives your content much broader reach. The goal is to surface relevant and engaging content to users who may not actively follow your page.

Can you restrict featured content only to certain people?

Most of the time, no. The main exception is paid ad promotions – those can be narrowly targeted to specific demographics and locations. But organic features like suggested posts or feed recommendations are controlled by Facebook’s algorithms.

There is no setting where you can restrict who sees your content if Facebook decides to feature it. The increased visibility is the tradeoff for getting that promotional boost from the platform’s algorithms.

When is featured content not made public?

There are a few cases where featured content may not be public to all users:

Private groups – Content featured within closed groups is only visible to members.
Demographic targeting – Ads can be limited to narrow audiences.
Geographic targeting – Ads can target users in specific countries or regions.

Audience restrictions – Pages can exclude specific demographics from seeing ads.
Personalized recommendations – Suggested posts in the sidebar may vary for each user.

So content can be “featured” in a customized way via ads or recommendations, but organic features like News Feed exposure are broadly public.

Can you opt-out of algorithmic features?

There is no way to opt out of Facebook’s organic algorithmic features like suggested posts or feed exposure. The platform controls how it surfaces content to users – you cannot restrict that as a page owner.

However, you can opt out of being eligible for ad promotions through Facebook’s self-serve ad system. This involves submitting a request and having Facebook manually review your page to exclude it.

Should you be concerned about public exposure from features?

Major public exposure is usually a good thing and goal for most pages and creators on Facebook. Wider reach and engagement from algorithmic featuring is typically positive.

However, there are a few cases where you may want to limit exposure:

Content meant for a narrow audience – e.g. inside jokes or niche community references.
Controversial or polarizing content – divisive posts can spark backlash.

Pages representing individuals – increased reach can feel invasive.

For situations like that, the loss of control from unexpected viral reach could be concerning. But for most organizations and creators, more exposure is beneficial.

How can you influence what content gets featured?

It’s difficult to guarantee having your posts featured, since Facebook’s algorithm is complex and not very transparent. But you can take some best practices to try to increase your odds:

Post engaging, shareable content. Emotional, inspirational, or funny posts generate more interest.
Use relevant keywords, hashtags, and @mentions to signal topic relevance.
Encourage engagement with strong calls to action in your posts.

Analyze competitors’ content and mimic their successful posting style.
Experiment with different post formats – video, images, live broadcasts.
Leverage trends and tie posts to current events users are interested in.

Essentially, create content tailored to what Facebook’s algorithm typically favors and values. But there are never any guarantees it will be picked up.

Can you pay to be featured?

Yes, you can pay Facebook to feature your content through ad promotions. Some options include:

Boosted posts – Pay to increase reach of individual posts.

Page promotions – Have your page suggested to users who may be interested.
Suggested videos – Get your video content featured and recommended.
Marketplace spotlight – Promote listings in Facebook Marketplace.

In-stream ads – Video ad spots that run between other videos.

When you run Facebook ads, you have precise control over the targeting, placement, duration, and total budget. However, ad promotions can get expensive at larger scales.

What are the risks of paid promotion?

While paying to boost posts can guarantee more exposure, there are some risks to weigh:

Higher cost than organic reach.
Potential to annoy users who will see promoted posts as “spammy.”
More difficult to achieve viral, authentic word-of-mouth buzz.

Algorithms may view heavily promoted content as lower quality.
Diminishing returns on spend as users get fatigued by repeat ads.

Finding the right balance between paid and organic promotion is important. Relying too much on ads can erode audience trust and get expensive fast.

How can you tell if a post is being promoted?

There are a few signs that indicate a post you’ve come across has been promoted in some way:

Sponsored or suggested tags – Clear indicators the post was boosted.
Unrelated page or content – Getting exposure despite no obvious relevance.

Odd placement – Displayed prominently despite recent or low engagement.
Repeat impressions – Seeing the same post multiple times.
Call to action buttons – “Learn More” or “Shop Now” buttons imply a paid boost.

However, due to the opaque nature of Facebook’s algorithm, it’s not always 100% clear why a post appears in your feed or is being featured. But in general, posts that seem out of place for the page or your interests are likely promoted.

Can you report inappropriate featured content?

Yes, if you come across content that is featured or promoted in your feed that seems abusive, offensive, spammy, or otherwise violates Facebook’s rules, you can report it:

Click the three dots above the post.

Select “Report post” or “Report ad.”
Choose the option that best fits your reason for reporting.
Add any extra context to help Facebook review.

Click “Report” to submit.

Facebook will review all reports and take appropriate action if the content does violate their standards. Reporting is anonymous unless you choose to provide your info.

Conclusion

In summary:

Being “featured” on Facebook typically means much broader reach and exposure beyond just your existing followers.
Organic algorithmic features cannot be restricted only to certain audiences.
You can pay to promote posts via ads, but this risks annoying users with “spammy” content.

Try to create engaging, relevant posts that play to what Facebook’s algorithm favors to gain organic reach.
Watch for sponsored tags, irrelevant content and other signals that a post has been promoted.
Report any featured content that seems abusive, offensive or otherwise inappropriate.

Understanding how Facebook’s news feed works and when posts are being artificially promoted can help you make informed decisions about what you engage with and how you use the platform.