Another Reason Posting via Other Apps Can Cut Facebook Likes and Comments

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Mashable recently posted a study from Applum that found that posting via third-party APIs gave you an average of 88% fewer comments and likes, compared to posting directly to Facebook yourself.  It was speculated, based on the results, that this may do to a Facebook penalty, people blocking certain third party apps, or the type of content and timing.  However, one thing Mashable nor Applum touched on was how the content is presented once it hits Facebook.

When posting to Facebook directly from your page you get a lot of customization opportunities. You can change the title that displays, the description, and even the thumbnail associated with the post.  Like anything online, these are elements that can greatly impact clickthroughs.

However, with many third party apps, the choices are made for you.  For instance, in this post below made with dlvr.it, the app and Facebook are grabbing the RSS image from the website, and not particularly an image contained within the post.  In this particular case,this image displays next to every post on the Page made by dlvr.it. That being said, dlvr.it does offer options to improve this, but it will require some magic via Facebook Open Graph, but that’s for another post.  The point here is that the system is making the choice for you, and in this case in particular it’s a poor one.

Another thing to point out from this example, is that you are left without any insight from the Page itself. It’s nothing but a link dump in the feed.  This will limit engagement because it doesn’t offer the opportunity to ask questions, or share any added details about the post that might further interest or engage your fans.

At the end of the day it’s best to try out different solutions for automated postings to Facebook. Time, quality, and presentation will all play in to clickthroughs.  The key is to find a solution that works best for you and your fans. Find a solution that offers as many options and customization opportunities as possible. This way you are able to provide Page content that is on par with what you would post if you were on Facebook itself.

More about: Applum, Facebook, Facebook Apps, Mashable