Jacqui Rabel, Director of Communications, Murrindindi Shire Council

Facebook is about to deliver a severe blow to the social media operations of Murrindindi Shire Council, and the Alexandra Standard and Yea Chronicle newspapers. The organisations’ online audiences will shrink dramatically under the sweeping changes announced this week by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Facebook is now to give substantially less priority to posts made by organisations such as the Council, and the paid-circulation newspapers whose only other online presence is current copies of their newspapers hidden behind a paywall. Standard and Chronicle readers are required to pay $85 upfront for a 12-month online subscription to view the current issue on the web. Other prices, such as $60 (six months) and $35 (three months), apply for shorter-period subscriptions. Back copies are unavailable freely online.

Under the social media changes to be completed over the next few weeks, local Facebook users will see less of Council’s Facebook posts, and instead see more social media posts from family and friends. The Facebook changes will have less impact on The Local Paper, which has its own free website for readers, which is updated daily with local news. More than 1000 readers use the LocalPaper.com.au website without charge each publication day.

The Council, under Communications Director Jacqui Rabel, has made much of the Shire’s online communications strategy, In its claim to be spreading its messages to the 14,000 residents across the municipality. Outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Margaret Abbey, last September claimed that over a four-week period the Council’s Facebook page had a total reach of Facebook page had a reach of 13,262 (3316 weekly) and post-engagements of 5646 (1404 weekly).

Information technology sources say that the definition of “Facebook reach” is “the number of unique people who saw your content.” They question if the Council’s audience achieved anything close to the 13,262 figure over a month, given that Facebook ‘likes’ for most posts usually number less than a dozen people each. ‘Engagements’ on Facebook is when people perform actions on a page. They may like a post, click on a link or comment on an image for example.

Facebook chief Zuckerberg says his organisation has closely studied what kinds of posts people like most. He wants to reduce “passive content”: “We want to make sure that our products are not just fun but are good for people. We need to refocus the system.”

Faecbook acknowledges that “de-emphasising” posts from organisations such as Murrindindi Council, and old-style newspaper publishers, will most likely hurt those organisations. Facebook’s Adam Mosseri, Vice-President of Product Management, says “there will be anxiety” from partners and publishers.

Publishers and brands set for drastic fall in Facebook traffic after major news feed revamp