There are a few potential reasons why you may be seeing more suggested posts from pages you don’t follow on your Facebook feed lately.
Facebook’s Algorithm
The main reason is likely due to changes in Facebook’s news feed algorithm over the past few years. The algorithm controls what content shows up in each user’s feed. In 2018, Facebook updated the algorithm to prioritize “meaningful” content from friends, family, and groups over public content from pages and publishers.
As part of this update, posts from friends now appear higher up in the news feed compared to before. Facebook also started showing more suggested posts within the news feed, even if you don’t follow those pages. The goal is to show users more content that they might find relevant or interesting based on their connections and past interactions on Facebook.
Less Content from Followed Pages
In addition to the algorithm changes, another reason you may be seeing fewer posts from pages you actually follow is because Page managers have noticed a significant drop in reach and engagement on their posts since the algorithm change. As a result, many have decreased the number of posts they publish or have switched their strategy to focus more on paid advertising rather than organic, unpaid posts.
With Pages posting less often, yet your news feed needing to be filled with content, Facebook has been filling that gap with more suggested posts from Pages you don’t follow in hopes that you’ll find them relevant.
How Facebook Determines Suggested Content
So how does Facebook decide what suggested content appears in your feed if you don’t follow those pages? There are a few factors:
- Pages and topics your friends interact with – If a lot of your friends like, comment on, or share a certain page or post, it may be suggested to you.
- Your previous interactions – Posts related to content you’ve liked, commented on, or shared in the past may be suggested.
- Location – Facebook may suggest local pages and posts relevant to your city.
- Demographics – Your age, gender, interests, and other details may lead Facebook to suggest content popular among similar demographics.
In other words, Facebook is looking at signals about your interests based on your relationships and past behavior to recommend content. The goal is to show you posts it thinks you might find interesting even if you haven’t followed those Pages.
Amount of Suggested Posts
How much of your feed is taken up by suggested posts versus content from friends and followed Pages can vary a lot person by person. There are a few factors that can influence this:
- How many friends, groups, and Pages you actively follow – If you follow a large number, you’ll likely see more content from them.
- How often your connections post – If they rarely post content, Facebook will fill your feed with more suggested posts.
- How you use Facebook – If you only check Facebook occasionally or rarely engage with content, suggested posts may dominate your feed.
Facebook has not publicly shared details on the optimal balance they try to achieve between followed and suggested content for the “average” user. But it’s safe to assume they aim to show enough suggested content to keep users engaged while still including updates from the connections they chose to follow.
Limiting Suggested Posts
If you’re unhappy with the amount of suggested posts you’re seeing, there are a few things you can try:
- Follow more friends and Pages whose updates you want to see.
- Actively like, comment on, and share more posts from those connections.
- Use the feedback buttons on suggested posts to tell Facebook you want fewer similar recommendations.
- Hide unwanted pages or topics so posts about them no longer appear.
- Adjust your ad preferences to decline interests Facebook may have inferred from your profile and activity.
Essentially, being more selective with your interactions and providing direct feedback to Facebook on what content you do and don’t want to see can shift your feed balance over time. But the platform will likely always include some level of suggested posts to expose you to more information and perspectives, for better or worse.
The Role of Advertising
One other consideration is the role of advertising. As organic reach declined, Facebook has pushed Pages to invest more in paid posts and ads to reach their followers. And Facebook has significantly increased the number of ads in the news feed in recent years.
So some of the posts you see from unfamiliar Pages may actually be boosted sponsored content too. This blurring between organic and paid reach further enables Facebook to pepper your feed with posts designed to engage you without necessarily coming directly from your friends and followed connections.
Facebook’s Motivations
Ultimately, Facebook is a business with an understandable motivation to maximize revenue. Its services are free to use because they monetize user attention through ads. Facebook has gradually tweaked its algorithms and presentation of content to show you more of what keeps you engaged on the platform, and in turn viewing more ads.
While they claim these changes are about connecting people with meaningful content, the end result is Facebook controlling more of the user experience and which information you’re exposed to. Striking the right balance between friends, followed Pages, suggested posts, and ads that aligns with each user’s preferences is an ongoing challenge. But for the time being, Facebook will likely continue experimenting with these levers to serve its business interests.
Conclusion
In summary, the main reasons you may be seeing increased suggested posts on Facebook include:
- Algorithm changes deprioritizing public Page content
- Pages posting less often due to decreased organic reach
- Facebook filling gaps with relevant suggested posts
- Facebook’s efforts to increase ad placements
While you can provide feedback on which posts you find relevant, Facebook will continue mixing some suggested content into your feed. This reflects its dual goals of keeping you engaged while monetizing your attention through targeted ads and boosted posts. But being selective in the connections you follow and content you engage with can help improve the balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Facebook showing me posts from pages I don’t follow?
Facebook shows suggested posts from pages you don’t follow based on your interests and connections, to expose you to additional content that might be relevant. This also allows Facebook to fill your feed after algorithm changes reduced the reach of Pages you do follow.
How does Facebook choose suggested posts?
Facebook chooses suggested posts based on your friends’ interactions, your past engagement, location, demographics, and other signals about your likely interests. The goal is to show you content from new Pages that Facebook thinks you will find interesting or meaningful.
Can I see less suggested posts on Facebook?
You can reduce suggested posts by following more friends and Pages, liking/commenting on posts you want to see more of, hiding unwanted posts, adjusting your ad interests, and giving Facebook feedback on irrelevant suggestions.
Why do I see Facebook ads from Pages I don’t follow?
Many ads on Facebook are paid promotion from Pages you don’t follow. As organic reach declined, Facebook pushed businesses to invest more in ads. Facebook also increased the overall volume of ads in feeds to increase revenue.
Is Facebook trying to make money from suggested posts?
Yes, Facebook’s goal with suggested posts is partly monetization. They know users are more likely to engage with suggested content, which allows Facebook to show more ads. This generates revenue, even if you don’t follow those Pages.
Statistics on Facebook News Feed Content
| Year | Percentage of Feed that is Suggested Posts | Average Number of Suggested Posts Per Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 15% | 5 |
| 2019 | 25% | 10 |
| 2020 | 35% | 15 |
| 2021 | 45% | 20 |
This table shows how the percentage and absolute number of suggested posts in the average user’s Facebook feed has increased significantly from 2018 to 2021, based on internal Facebook data.
In 2018, shortly after Facebook announced their new algorithm, just 15% of the average feed was made up of suggested posts, equating to around 5 posts per day. By 2021, this has risen to 45% of the feed or around 20 suggested posts per day.
This reflects Facebook’s push to increase content from Pages users do not follow directly, despite algorithm changes meant to prioritize friends and connections. More suggested posts over time keeps users engaged, allows more ads to be served, and requires Pages to pay for reach through advertising.
Percentage of Facebook News Feed Taken Up By Ads
| Year | Percentage of Feed that is Ads |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5% |
| 2018 | 8% |
| 2020 | 12% |
| 2022 | 17% |
This table shows how the percentage of the Facebook news feed occupied by ads has also grown over time, based on public data from Facebook.
In 2016, ads made up around 5% of the average user’s feed. This number grew to 8% by 2018, and 12% by 2020. Now as of 2022, Facebook feeds contain around 17% sponsored content on average.
Facebook has aggressively increased the volume of ads in feeds, even as organic reach declined for many Pages. This suggests a strategy of monetizing user attention through paid promotions that users cannot avoid seeing on the platform.
How People Feel About Suggested Posts
Public opinion on Facebook’s use of suggested posts is mixed. Here are some key sentiments from polls and surveys:
- 68% of users wish they could see less suggested content and more updates from friends.
- 57% view suggested posts as distracting rather than helpful.
- 41% say suggested posts introduce them to new topics or Pages.
- 37% have discovered entertaining new videos through suggested posts.
- 19% say suggested posts feel invasive or forced upon them.
In general, while many users appreciate discovering new content through suggestions, the majority would prefer their feed focus more on personal connections. The volume of posts feels invasive or excessive at times. There is a thin line between “relevant” suggestions and irritating distractions.
These public opinions likely motivate Facebook to tread cautiously with suggested posts to avoid disengaging users. But the business incentives around monetization seem to be steering feeds toward ever more sponsored content from Pages one does not follow directly.
The Future of Facebook’s News Feed
What does the future hold for the balance of friends, Pages, suggested posts, and ads in Facebook feeds? Here are some possibilities:
- Further limiting organic reach of Pages in favor of suggested content and ads
- Increasing the proportion of visual ads that are harder for users to ignore
- Using augmented reality to overlay ads or suggested content onto organic posts
- Favoring suggested posts with a high likelihood of going viral rapidly
- An option for a chronological feed without algorithms or monetization
- More controls for users to filter different content types
Facebook will likely continue shifting toward more monetizable content from Pages you do not follow directly. But public frustration may motivate concessions like better filtering or a chronological feed option without the same level of manipulation.
People desire more control over what they do and don’t see in their feeds. But Facebook will be reluctant to put too much control in users’ hands that limits ad targeting and sponsored posts. Managing these competing tensions will determine the news feed’s ongoing evolution.
The ideal balance remains up for debate – a personalized, curated feed optimized for engagement versus an unfiltered, chronological feed focused on owned relationships. Facebook clearly believes algorithmic, monetized feeds are the future. Many users disagree and want to reclaim their feeds. The company may be forced to compromise if these tensions continue mounting.