When you take the time to craft content for your Facebook page, you want it to have the greatest chance of being seen. One of the factors the Facebook algorithm considers when choosing which content to serve for each user is when that content was posted.

That means you need to know the best to post on Facebook in order to get your content seen by the most people.

Posting at the right time also helps boost other algorithm signals, like early engagement. After all, you can only get early engagement if your audience is online to see your posts soon after they’re published.

So how do you know what is the best time to post on Facebook for your business page? Is there a general best day and time to post on Facebook? In this post, we’ll answer these important questions and highlight tools you can use to find the best Facebook posting times on any given day of the week.

Is there a best time to post on Facebook?

What is the best time to post on Facebook? In theory, it’s a simple answer: The best day and time to post on Facebook is when more of your followers are likely to be online.

This is when your audience is most likely to see your content and engage with it, which sends important signals to the Facebook algorithm to extend the reach of your posts.

In practice, it’s a little more complicated, since your audience is not necessarily the most active online at the same time as anyone else’s. Add in time zones and different social behaviors during weekdays and weekends, and things get a little tricky.

Here are some important factors to consider:

The average Facebook Page posts 1.68 times per day.
More than two-thirds (67%) of Facebook users log in every day.
About half of Facebook users (49%) visit the platform multiple times per day.
People spend an average of 33 minutes a day on Facebook.

So you have a few chances throughout the day to reach most Facebook users.

Fortunately, there are some great tools to help you learn the best day and time to post on Facebook for your specific Facebook Page. We’ll get into those in the last section of this post. For now, here are some general guidelines to use when planning your Facebook posting strategy.

Overall best time to post on Facebook

Based on an analysis of 30,000 social media posts, Hootsuite found:

The best overall time to post on Facebook is between 8 a.m. and noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Of course, you’ll need to think about the time zones in which your audience lives when planning these posting times.

For example, the Hootsuite social team likes to post at times that work for both the Eastern and Pacific time zones in North America, since that’s where many of Hootsuite’s Facebook followers are based.

That means 6:15 a.m. PST, 9:15 a.m. PST and 12-12:30 p.m. PST are usually the best posting times. That first slot may seem awfully early for followers on the West Coast, but it’s already 9:15 in the major centers or Toronto and New York by then, so it’s the perfect time to reach Eastern time zone followers as they sip their first workday coffee. It also catches audiences in the UK and Europe while they’re still at work, reaching them mid-afternoon.

“We are aware that our audience is global,” says Eileen Kwok, Hootsuite’s Social Marketing Coordinator. “So we try to schedule posts at different time marks to increase our chances of our posts getting viewed by a variety of followers.”

Best times to post on Facebook for every day of the week

In addition to the best time of day, you need to think about which days of the week make the most sense for publishing your content.

For example, the Hootsuite social team finds that Mondays through Wednesdays are the most effective days to post on Facebook. That doesn’t mean Hootsuite only posts Mondays through Wednesdays. You just have to think strategically about ways to boost relevance and engagement on those non-peak days.

“When we publish over the weekends or holidays we try our best to make the content playful or something aligned with the holiday/cultural moments taking place,” says Brayden Cohen, Hootsuite’s Manager, Social Marketing.

Hootsuite’s Social Media Marketing Coordinator, Eileen Kwok, adds that you can help boost engagement on non-peak days with specific copywriting techniques:

“Writing copy that is relevant to the day of the week can help boost engagement,” Kwok says. “For example, on Friday morning, posting something like, PSA: Remember to schedule your posts for the weekend would be a helpful reminder to our audience.”

With all that said, here are the peak times to post on Facebook day by day, based on a Facebook heatmap of when Hootsuite fans are online. (Learn how to find your own custom Facebook heatmap in the final section of this post.)

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Best time to post on Facebook on Monday

The best time to post on Facebook on Monday is between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

The worst time is between 9 p.m. and midnight.

Best time to post on Facebook on Tuesday

The best time to post on Facebook on Tuesday is between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

The worst time is between 9 p.m. and midnight.

Best time to post on Facebook on Wednesday

The best time to post on Facebook on Wednesday is between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

The worst time is between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Best time to post on Facebook on a Thursday

The best time to post on Facebook on Thursday is between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

The worst time is between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Best time to post on Facebook on a Friday

The best time to post on Facebook on Friday is between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

The worst time is between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Best time to post on Facebook on a Saturday

The best times to post on Facebook on Saturday are at 8 a.m. or from 10 to 3 p.m. EST.

The worst time is between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Best time to post on Facebook on Sunday

The best time to post on Facebook on Sunday is between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

The worst time is between 8 p.m. and midnight.

6 tips for finding your own best time to post on Facebook

The overall recommendations for the best time to post are a good guideline to get you started before you have your own data to dig into. But like we said above, you’ll get the best results if you tailor your posting time to your specific audience.

Here are some ways to find your own best posting time data.

1. Use Hootsuite

The heatmap used in the section above comes from Hootsuite’s Best Time to Publish feature. It shows you the best day and time to post on Facebook based on your specific goals:

Increasing reach
Building brand awareness
Increasing engagement
Driving traffic

Hootsuite also uses your specific audience data and past post performance to recommend optimal posting times within the Composer, so you can select the best time with a simple click.

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2. Check your audience demographics

While your target audience demographics won’t tell you when your followers are online, they will at least give you a sense of the time zones that are important for you to consider when planning your post times.

To find your audience demographics, open Meta Business Suite and click Insights, then Audience.

Scroll down to Top Cities to see where most of your followers are based. Here’s what this looks like for my Facebook Page:

Source: Meta Business Suite

It’s clear that I should plan my posting times around the Pacific Time Zone. Taking a look at your own Top Cities may reveal time zone clusters that you can focus on, too.

If you have an existing customer database that includes shipping addresses, this is another good source of timezone data.

3. Review past performance

Analyzing past performance can help predict what will work in future. If you’ve already been posting on Facebook for a while, take a look at your recent posts to see which ones have the highest reach.

Reach indicates the number of people who saw your post at least once, so this is a good representation of how much of your audience you reached with a post. There are many metrics for evaluating the success of a particular post, but reach is the most useful one for getting a sense of how effective your timing was for maximizing views.

To see the reach for your most recent posts, open Meta Business Suite, then go to Facebook Insights in the left menu. Click Content, then use the drop-down menus in the top left to select a 90-day timeframe and remove Instagram posts from the analysis. Click the Reach column header to sort posts by the highest reach, and then click on your top posts to see the posting times.

You can also easily access Facebook reach data alongside stats from all your other social channels in Hootsuite Analytics.

4. Test and tweak

Testing is an effective way to refine many aspects of your social media strategy. This also applies to learning what is the best time to post on Facebook for your business.

In order for your timing tests to be effective, you need to use very similar types of content. Otherwise, it will be unclear whether the time has an impact on the reach of your post, or if it’s seeing wider exposure because of high engagement.

If you regularly share links to content from your blog, try crafting similar posts – with similar lengths and styles of headlines and similar styles of photos. Then, share the posts at different times.

Again, this will not give you specific data about the best times to post, but you may start to see some general trends. You can then continue to test within narrower limits and refine your post timing strategy over time.

You can find more best practices for testing in our beginner’s guide to A/B testing on social media.

5. Ask your audience

Of course, it doesn’t make sense exactly to ask your audience when they want you to post on Facebook. But it does make sense to ask them when would be the most convenient time for them to participate in a Facebook Live event.

To use this strategy, do some brainstorming to come up with something valuable you can offer in a Facebook Live. Maybe it’s a chance for your audience to ask questions in real time, or to see a special live performance.

Once you’ve got your content idea, tease your Live event with a post announcing the special live experience you’re working on. Then ask your audience when would be the most convenient time for them to participate. Asking people to comment on the announcement post is a good way to collect real data from your most interested followers.

6. Be consistent

When you’re first testing to see what times work best to post Facebook content, your posting schedule might be a little all over the place. But once you start to get a sense of what works, your goal should be to aim for consistency.

That means if you find a time that seems to work well for your audience, it’s a good idea to start posting consistently at that time. Your audience will come to expect content from you on that schedule, which will lead to greater overall engagement.

You can still continue to test other times. Remember, the average Facebook business page posts 1.68 times per day, so you have more than one opportunity every day to see what might work best.

You can also play around with formats like Stories and Reels to experiment with new content sharing times while continuing to maintain a consistent posting schedule for Feed posts.

Get personalized recommendations for the best time to post on every network and manage your Facebook presence alongside other social channels with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish posts, engage the audience, and measure performance. Try it free today.

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The post The Best Time to Post on Facebook in 2023 [SOLVED] appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.

More than three-quarters of the world’s population aged 13+ uses social media. A whopping 4.74 billion people are active social media users.

Social media marketing provides a unique opportunity to connect with this massive audience on the platforms where they already spend their time.

But what exactly does social media marketing entail? Is it right for your business? How do you “do” social media marketing, and how do you get started?

In this post, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about marketing your brand on social media.

What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is the practice of using social media platforms and tools to promote a business and connect with existing and potential customers.

The intended outcomes can range from the somewhat abstract (like brand building) to the very specific (like selling products through social commerce).

At its core, social media marketing is about building relationships with your audience in the places they already spend their time online.

Unlike traditional advertising, social media marketing allows for two-way communication between individuals and brands. There’s also potential for building a sense of community, which creates brand loyalty.

Social marketers do a lot more than scroll through TikTok all day.

All in a day’s work

Shout out to all the social media managers juggling so many hats while keeping their social channels afloat. You’re all the true MVPs pic.twitter.com/7jtsbgkbhK

— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) December 8, 2022

Social media marketing activities can include:

Content planning and creation. This is the most visible component of social media marketing. It’s the art of creating appropriate types of content for each platform to connect with the audience there.
Content scheduling and publishing. This is the task of actually getting your content onto the appropriate platforms at the appropriate time.
Social media analytics. Using analytics tools to track how content performs, report on progress towards social media goals, and plan ways to improve overall response.
Social listening. Using social tools to keep a virtual ear to the ground, learning what’s being said about your brand and your industry. This is also a powerful tool for competitor research.
Community management. Connecting with followers to build a community online, then working to keep that community active and healthy by responding to messages and creating ongoing opportunities for engagement.
Social media advertising. Using paid tools on the social networks to get your content in front of a larger audience. This may include working with influencers or external content creators.

The benefits of social media marketing

Social networks are the second-most-popular type of website or app, topped only by chat and messaging.

Source: Hootsuite’s Global State of Digital 2022 Report (October Update)

They offer incredible reach and opportunities to engage with an audience in ways that are simply impossible in any other marketing format.

Here’s what that looks like in terms of real benefits for any brand that gets social media marketing right.

Build brand identity and awareness

From the smallest business to multinational corporations, every brand needs to stand for something if they want to connect with consumers. Social media gives you a chance to consistently show the personality behind your brand.

How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? On social, you can participate in conversations, encourage engagement, and even interact with your audience in real time.

Create community and brand loyalty

People naturally organize themselves into communities on social media. That might mean a Facebook Group or a hashtag like #DIYTok. When brands support and engage in these communities, they gain credibility with people who are naturally inclined to be interested in their products and services.

Providing helpful resources, information, or even entertaining content on social media helps people identify with your brand. They become loyal brand advocates who make repeat purchases and spread the word about your brand through their own social media channels.

Test ideas in near real time

Social media networks are an ideal platform for testing, as the feedback gathered through social media analytics tools shows you almost immediately what works and what doesn’t in your marketing.

This allows you to refine your marketing strategy very quickly, and reveals lessons you can apply to areas of marketing beyond social, too.

Support business goals

Social media marketing doesn’t always get credit for its contribution to the bottom line. Social media can drive customers to your website and generate sales leads. Social marketing efforts can even support social commerce sales, in which customers purchase from your brand without ever leaving the social platform.

Your social media marketing team also supports (or sometimes provides) social customer service.

Source: Hootsuite 2023 Social Trends Report

Customers expect to be able to connect with your brand on social media for service and support. Having an easily accessible and responsive social care team can win back annoyed customers or provide the extra boost of confidence needed for first-time customers to complete a purchase.

Top networks for social media marketing

There’s a social network out there to connect with every audience. These are our top picks, sorted by number of users.

Source: Hootsuite’s Global State of Digital 2022 Report (October Update)

Facebook

Facebook is still the world’s most-used social platform, with 2.934 billion global active users. It’s also the “favorite” platform of the largest number of social media users. And it accounts for the vast majority (71.64%) of web traffic referrals to third-party websites.

Check out our guide to marketing on Facebook.

Instagram

Instagram is the next-most-popular social network with 1.386 billion active users. It’s known to sometimes be a source of frustration for social media marketers because of its frequent feature updates and algorithm changes.

But the frustration is worth it, because nearly half (44%) of Instagram users shop weekly on the platform.

Learn more about how to market your brand on Instagram.

TikTok

TikTok has skyrocketed seemingly out of nowhere to become an incredibly important social network for marketing in the last few years. It has 1 billion active users, a year-over-year increase of 14.6%.

And here’s an interesting fact – if we’d sorted this list by average time spent on the app, TikTok would have come out on top. Users spend an average of 22.9 hours per month on the platform, more than any other social network. That addictive quality makes it an important network for brands to understand.

We’ve got all the details you need to know in our post on how to create a TikTok marketing strategy.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is unique on this list in that it’s a social network specifically focused on business life. That means its 875 million members are primed for business discussions and purchasing research. It’s a critical platform for anyone working in B2B, or for any companies that hire anyone, ever.

Business to consumer brands can find success on LinkedIn too. We explain all the details in our post on LInkedIn marketing for both B2B and B2C brands.

Snapchat

Snapchat may get less press than TikTok, but it’s still an important platform with 576 million active users. It’s far from fading into obscurity – in fact, the platform is still growing, adding 38 million users from Q4 2021 to Q4 2022.

Snapchat is particularly useful for brands targeting an audience ages 18 to 24. We explain all the details in our post on how to use Snapchat for business.

Twitter

Twitter has been in a bit of turmoil since its purchase by Elon Musk in October 2022. But social marketers still have the network’s 544 million active users on their radar, and its value as a marketing platform remains strong heading into 2023.

Twitter is especially useful for brands looking to participate in real-time trends and conversations, as we explain in our Twitter marketing guide.

Pinterest

Pinterest has the lowest number of active users on this list at 433 million. But it’s an important platform for social media marketing because of the way people spend time there.

The top reason people say they use Pinterest is to follow or research brands and products. The very top reason! That’s a key distinction from most of the other platforms, where people tend to focus on connections with people over brands.

Learn how to use this shopping-oriented usage pattern to your advantage in our post on using Pinterest for business.

Most important social media statistics

Here are the most important social media statistics marketers need to understand in 2023.

People spend nearly 2.5 hours per day on social media

Specifically, 2 hours and 28 minutes. That provides plenty of opportunities to connect with your audience on social platforms.

Nearly half of internet users seek out brands on social

To be exact, 49.2% of internet users worldwide use social media to learn about brands and see their content. And it’s not just kids – even in the 55-to-64-year-old age group, 41.3% of women are seeking out brands on social media.
Social media is also an important vehicle for brand discovery: 27% of Internet users aged 16 to 64 discover new brands through social ads, and 43.3% use social networks as a primary source of information for brand research.
For younger users, social networks are the preferred source of information for brand research (50%), outanking even search engines (46%).

Source: Hootsuite 2023 Social Trends Report

Social media users play the field

The average person uses 7.2 social media platforms every month. That gives you the opportunity to reach them through multiple touchpoints. But it’s a better idea to use one or two platforms really well than to spread yourself too thin by trying to be everywhere at once.

Short-form vertical video is critical

TikTok’s ad reach grew 14.6% from Q4 2021 to Q4 2022, now reaching 945 million adults over age 18. Note that ad reach is an important statistic even if you only plan to use TikTok organically, as it can be used as a general indicator of how many people are using the platform.
The global audience for ads in Facebook Reels grew by almost 40% from Q3 2022 to Q4.

5 essential social media marketing tips

1. Research your audience

In order for your social media marketing to be successful, you need to understand who you’re trying to reach. This will involve some audience research.

You can start your research by understanding the different demographics of each social platform. We’ve done a lot of the work here for you, comparing the key demographic details you need to know:

Facebook demographics
Twitter demographics
Instagram demographics
Pinterest demographics
Snapchat demographics
LinkedIn demographics
TikTok demographics

But this is just the starting point. You need to understand your specific audience, so you can get a clear picture of how to tailor your social media content, which platforms to use, and how to develop your brand voice.

As you come to understand who you want to reach, it can be helpful to develop audience personas.

2. Understand social media goals and KPIs

Everything you do on social media should be underpinned by a solid strategy based on realistic social media goals. Each of those goals will be tied to measurable data in the form of key performance indicators (KPIs).

For inspiration on what kinds of goals to set for your social media marketing efforts, look to the advantages of social media outlined at the top of this post. For example, you could aim to:

Increase brand awareness
Improve community engagement
Drive online sales

We’ve got a whole blog post filled with examples of social media marketing goals, if you need some help getting started.

One critical element of goal setting is determining how you will track and measure your success. That’s where KPIs come in.

Fortunately, social media analytics make it quite straightforward to track and report on your social media performance. For details, consult our post on everything you need to know about social media analytics.

3. Plan and schedule your content in advance

Creating effective social content takes planning. Rather than creating your content on the fly, take the time to map out your posts in advance. This allows you to be strategic and consistent in your messaging across platforms.

Creating and scheduling content in batches allows you to make much more effective use of your time. Instead of interrupting your work multiple times per day (or night) to post on social, you can create content in dedicated blocks of your workday, then schedule your posts to go live on the right networks at the right time. A social media marketing dashboard like Hootsuite will help you schedule all of your posts in one place and keep a bird’s eye view of your content strategy at all times.

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This advance planning also allows you to bring multiple people into the content creation process, so you can access more skill sets or just have a fresh set of eyes look at your captions before you post.

4. Involve your community

Social media marketing is unlike marketing on any other platform. It’s a two-way street, with communication flowing from the brand to consumers and consumers back to the brand.

So, it’s important to get your community involved in your brand. You could try a social media contest, or use a branded hashtag to collect user-generated content to share on your feed.

Above all, make sure to respond when your followers engage with your content. Answer comments, thank particularly active users, and be sure to stay on top of your DMs.

5. Monitor your competition

Social media is an incredibly effective platform for competitor research. You can see what your competitors are doing in real time, and even listen in on the conversation happening about competitive brands.

Social listening is a great jumping-off point for your competitor research. Using automated tools, you can track mentions of your competitors, even when they’re not tagged. You can see what’s working for them, and what strategies might backfire.

This is extremely valuable information as you develop your own social marketing strategy. You don’t want to copy your competitors, but you can certainly learn from their successes and mistakes. You can also learn about new promotions, products, or company shakeups in real time.

Helpful social media marketing courses and resources

Hootsuite Academy

Hootsuite Academy offers social media training and certification through online courses taught by professionals in the marketing and social media industries. More than half a million people have taken courses through Hootsuite Academy, and more than 1,000 universities are enrolled in the programs.

Once you pass the exam for a Hootsuite Academy program, you receive a digital certification you can display on your LInkedIn profile to highlight your expertise.

Native training and certifications from the social platforms

The social platforms want brands to find success with their tools. To that end, many of them have created their own social media marketing courses along with training and certification resources to help businesses and social media marketers learn how to use all of their features.

Meta Blueprint
Twitter Flight School
TikTok Business Learning Center
Pinterest Webinars

Udacity Nanodegree in digital marketing

This three-month online program takes you from the fundamentals through to immersive projects that help you understand how digital marketing really works. You get access to a mentor and career support.

Insider Intelligence

Insider Intelligence is known for its forecasts and analysis. Full access requires a subscription, but you can gain plenty of insight from the freely accessible articles and podcasts.

In particular, their daily Behind The Numbers podcast is packed with digital marketing insights, and is available wherever you get your podcasts.

The #AskGaryVee Podcast

Gary Veynerchuk accepts questions on Twitter using the #AskGaryVee branded hashtag, then answers some of the most pressing in every episode.

If you’re an audio learner, there are plenty of podcasts to help you develop your social marketing skills. We’ve compiled a list of some of our faves.

#TwitterSmarter

Whether you join in the weekly #TwitterSmarter Twitter chat or listen to the podcast, you’ll gain important and up-to-the-minute insights on how best to incorporate Twitter into your social media marketing strategy. Host Madalyn Sklar is a top expert in the Twitter space, and regularly participating in #TwitterSmarter will help you, well, do Twitter smarter.

Social Media Marketing: The Next Generation of Business Engagement

This textbook by social media strategist Dave Evans, founder of Digital Voodoo, offers practical tips on how to establish a social media strategy and increase engagement with your social followers.

This book also gets into the details of how to connect social media throughout your organization. Rather than focusing only on the social media team, it explains how to use social media for customer service, employee engagement, and even product development.

Google Scholar

If you want to dive into the latest academic research on social media marketing, Google Scholar is the place to start your search.

Some interesting reads include:

Friedland, The Next Step in Social Media Marketing?
Saravanakumar & SuganthaLakshmi, Social Media Marketing
Mason, Narcum & Mason, Social media marketing gains importance after Covid-19

Should you do social media marketing?

So, is social media marketing right for your brand? Let’s look at a few of the arguments for and against.

Pros of social media marketing

Connect with your audience where they already spend time online
Low barriers to entry – it’s free to create a business account on all major social platforms
Create brand loyalty
Expand your audience
Get audience feedback that can apply to all areas of your business
Learn about your audience through social analytics
Refine your strategy with real-time testing

Cons of social media marketing

Requires some time to do it right
Initial follower growth can be a challenge
Potential security risks if not managed correctly

For most businesses, the advantages of social media marketing far outweigh the risks. If your audience is already on social media, they expect to find you there. Without an active social media presence, you’re missing out on an important way to grow your brand.

Fortunately, it’s easy to get started. You don’t need to do everything all at once. The first step is building your social media marketing strategy.

Social media marketing FAQ

What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is the practice of using social media platforms to promote a brand and connect with customers.

The intended outcomes can range from building brand awareness to increasing sales.

How do beginners start social media marketing?

If you’re a complete beginner, start with research. Identify a few competitors, find their social accounts, and take note of what seems to be working for them. Then, create accounts on the social platforms that best fit your audience demographic and start creating your own content. Post consistently and closely watch your performance stats to get an understanding of which strategies are the most effective — and do more of what works.

What skills should I learn for social media marketing?

Important social media marketing skills include copywriting, graphic design, community management, marketing strategy planning, and performance analysis.

Manage all of your social media marketing from one place with Hootsuite. Create and schedule social posts, interact with your audience, track your results, and keep an eye on competitors from one easy-to-use dashboard. Try it free today.

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The post What Is Social Media Marketing? [Complete 2023 Guide] appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.

If you’ve worked in social media for the last few years, you know that digital accessibility and inclusivity have become top priorities. And one guiding principle of accessible content is using alt text on images. Adding Facebook alt text to your posts is a great way to make your content more accessible and discoverable.

To help you get started, here’s how and why to add alt text to your Facebook posts (plus a few examples of great alt text in action).

What is Facebook alt text?

Facebook alt text is the written text that describes an image for both screen readers and search engines.

Alt text, also known as “alt tags” or “alt descriptions,” doesn’t appear on a page or in a Facebook post like a caption. Instead, it’s embedded in the image’s HTML code and is read aloud by screen reading tools used by visually impaired users.

If you don’t include your own custom alt text, Facebook will automatically generate a description using AI. But automatic alt text isn’t always complete or accurate.

While Facebook has taken measures to improve the platform’s accessibility, brands and creators can also do their part by adding alt descriptions to their images.

Why is Facebook alt text important?

The main reason to add alt text to your Facebook posts is accessibility. Alt text allows visually impaired users who use screen readers to access the content of an image. It also helps them better understand the context of your Facebook posts.

Plus, if an image fails to load on your page, the alt text will be displayed in its place, ensuring all users still understand the content.

On the back end, alt descriptions also help search engines — in this case, social media platforms — understand the content of an image.

As users’ behavior has evolved, social media platforms have incorporated more search elements into the user experience. The goal is to make it so people can find the brands and posts that match what they’re looking for.

That’s why alt text can also help boost social SEO. Including these tags on your Facebook images can help Facebook better understand and index your content so it can show up in search results.

TL;DR: Using alt text in your Facebook images is essential to make your content more accessible and discoverable to all users on the platform.

How to add alt text to your Facebook posts

Here’s how to add alt text to new and existing Facebook images.

Adding alt text to new Facebook posts

If you use the native platform to publish your Facebook posts, you can easily add alt text during the uploading process. Follow these steps to get started:

1. At the top of your Facebook page, click Photo/Video to add a new image.

2. Once you’ve uploaded an image, select Edit to access the alt text options.

3. In the edit menu, select Alternative text.

4. Here you’ll have the option to choose the alt text that Facebook automatically generates or write your own alt text. Keep in mind that the auto-generated alt text is pretty generic, so it’s best to create your own to describe the image with more accuracy.

5. In the custom alt text box, write a short sentence or two that describes the image.

6. Hit save when you’re done writing the description and your alt text is ready to go.

Adding alt text using Hootsuite

If you use a scheduling tool like Hootsuite, you can also add alt text to your Facebook posts during the uploading process. Follow these steps in your Hootsuite account:

1. In Composer, upload an image for your Facebook post. Once your image is there, hover over the thumbnail and select Alt.

2. Write a description of the image in the text box, and then select Add.

Updating existing Facebook posts with alt text

Whether you want to change the image description you just wrote or want to update old posts, you can edit alt text on existing posts on Facebook by following these steps.

1. Select the image you want to edit, and click on the three dots in the top right corner.

2. Next, you’ll see a menu of options. Select Change Alt Text to edit your image description.

3. Edit the text, and then hit Save when you’re done.

How to write great alt text for Facebook

Writing effective alt text takes practice. But when it’s done right, alt descriptions can make your content more inclusive to everyone on Facebook.

There are a few best practices when writing alt text for social media, including:

Describe the content of the image
Consider the context
Use keywords sparingly
Keep the text concise
Avoid filler words and emojis
Review for typos

Let’s go over each of these and review some great examples of alt text best practices in action.

Describe the content of the image

The main intent of adding alt text to your Facebook posts is to accurately describe what the image shows. This means using specific, descriptive words rather than writing something too generic.

For example, the alt text on this image from home goods brand Brooklinen reads: “Dog sitting on a queen bed with Brooklinen sheets and duvet comforters on it in dusk blue, sienna, and macadamia tan.”

A more generic alt description for this image could have been “dog sitting on a bed.” But that doesn’t paint a picture quite like Brooklinen’s version, does it? Including the size of the bed and the specific colors of the bedding is much more descriptive and relevant to the brand.

Consider this example a formula for how to write alt text. Great descriptions should include a subject, a verb, and a descriptor or two that paint a complete picture of what’s happening in the image and set your brand apart.

Consider the context

Another important aspect of writing alt text is to take the context of the image into account. Consider what people who cannot see the image might need to know to better understand the post’s content.

Is the image being used to illustrate a specific point or idea? For example, if the image contains text — such as a chart or graph — it might be helpful to include that text in the alt tag so that users who use screen readers can still access it.

New York Public Library offers a great example of writing alt text that provides more context. The institution put its own spin on the Spotify Wrapped campaign in this Facebook post which includes an alt description that says, “Parody of Spotify Wrapped graphic reads…” and then lists the made-up books featured in the image.

When you consider what the less descriptive version of this alt tag could’ve read (an auto-generated caption may have been something along the lines of “a graphic with books”), NYPL’s version provides the necessary context that all users need to make the cultural connection to the graphic.

Use keywords sparingly

If alt text can help make your images more discoverable, what about keywords? Do all of your image descriptions need keywords? How can keywords help your Facebook performance?

While keywords can help boost your social SEO, they should be used sparingly. The primary goal of alt text is to accurately describe an image, so accuracy should always be prioritized over keyword optimization.

When keywords are forced into your alt descriptions (a tactic known as keyword stuffing), it’s usually noticeable and sounds unnatural — especially when being read by a screen reader.

Take this image posted by Starbucks as an example of how to seamlessly incorporate your brand’s keywords into alt text. The alt description reads: “A cold brew sits atop a layer of pistachios—half shelled, half unshelled—split down the middle diagonally.”

Source: Starbucks on Facebook

The description leads with a keyword — cold brew, one of the brand’s popular drinks — that people may be searching for. But it’s used organically, and the alt text provides context for the rest of the image.

Only include keywords if they can be used naturally and don’t take away from the flow of the description. If you want to include a keyword that doesn’t organically fit into the sentence, consider using a semantic keyword — i.e., a phrase or keyword that sounds similar — that makes more sense with the context.

Keep the text concise

Alt text should always be clear and concise. While there isn’t a maximum number of characters that HTML will allow in an alt tag, the character limit for screen readers varies, with some even stopping after 125 characters.

If you want to ensure your description gets read, it’s best to keep alt text on the shorter side.

When alt text is too wordy, it can disrupt the flow when being read by a screen reader. A screen reader will read your image’s caption followed by the alt text description. So if your image includes a long caption *and* long alt text, there’s a good chance all of that information will lose the user’s attention.

If you want to keep your audience engaged, make sure your alt text is short and doesn’t repeat what was already said in the caption.

For example, the alt text on this Facebook post from Princeton University reads: “Tree with orange, red, and yellow leaves behind a bike rack on Princeton’s campus.”

This alt description works because the text is specific (not just any college campus, but Princeton University’s campus), descriptive (a tree with orange, red, and yellow leaves tells us that this scene takes place in the fall), yet succinct. The description doesn’t include any unnecessary keywords or filler words.

Another reason to keep alt text concise is that when an image doesn’t load, the browser will display the image’s alt text in its place. Your alt text should fit within that visual space so it doesn’t overload the user with too much text and information.

Avoid filler words and emojis

There are a few words and phrases to omit when writing clear and concise alt descriptions. For example, avoid using phrases like “image of” or “picture of.” Screen readers typically provide that information, so you don’t need to include it.

Plus, when you have a small character limit to work with, it’s important to use that space wisely by opting for specific descriptors and cutting down on filler words.

And sadly? It’s also best to skip the emojis. Screen readers translate emojis into text, so they usually don’t have the same effect when read aloud. If anything, emojis disrupt the flow and make your description unclear. Leave them out of your alt tags to ensure a smooth user experience.

Review for typos

When was the last time you posted an off-the-cuff Facebook caption? As in, wrote the first thing that came to mind, didn’t check for any typos, and pressed share. Probably never, right?

Alt text shouldn’t be an afterthought. You should put the same care and attention into your alt text descriptions as you do with your Facebook captions. This includes planning ahead and reviewing for typos and grammar mistakes before publishing.

After carefully crafting your alt text and reviewing for accuracy, read your alt descriptions out loud to catch any typos you may have missed and ensure the text sounds natural.

Frequently asked questions about Facebook alt text

What should you write for alt text?

Alt text should include a descriptive and specific explanation of the relevant content that appears in an image.

What is an example of alt text?

Alt text describes the content of an image in a concise and specific way. Here’s an example of an alt text description from a Princeton University Facebook image. The text reads: “Tree with orange, red, and yellow leaves behind a bike rack on Princeton’s campus.”

What’s the difference between alt text and captions?

Both alt text and captions provide information about an image. The main difference is that alt text is intended to be read by screen readers and search engines and is hidden, while captions always appear alongside the photo.

How do you enable alt text?

To enable alt text on your Facebook images, choose the image you want to add alt text to and select Edit. In the edit menu, select Alternative text. Here you’ll have the option to select Facebook’s auto-generated alt text or write your own custom text.

How do you view Facebook alt text?

To view Facebook alt text as a user, you can use a screen reading tool or inspect the page’s HTML code. As a creator, you can add or edit Facebook alt text in the Edit menu on each individual Facebook image.

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The post Why Facebook Alt Text Is Important (And How To Do It Right) appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.

Do you want to start a YouTube channel but don’t want to show your face? Maybe you’re not interested in being famous, or get nervous in front of the camera. But, you know how lucrative YouTube can be and want to get in on the action.

If this is you, don’t worry. Plenty of great YouTube channel ideas don’t require you to show your face! Let’s explore the best faceless YouTube channel ideas that let you express yourself without being a public figure.

14 faceless YouTube channel ideas

YouTube is the second-most visited website in the world, with users spending an average of 19 minutes a day on the platform. There is money to be made for those who create compelling videos. But, not everyone wants to be a celebrity.

Here are 14 of the best YouTube channel ideas without showing your face.

1. DIY tutorials

Source: 5-Minute DECOR

DIY tutorials make up some of the most popular YouTube channels–with some of the most popular DIY’ers boasting subscriber counts of 9 million and up.

You can make instructional videos on anything from arts and crafts to plumbing, electronics, or cooking. Or, show off your skills with crafting videos or teach viewers how to make your favorite recipe.

The great thing about these tutorials is that you never have to show your face. Many videos simply show the hands or other body parts of the person creating the tutorial. You can also have someone else do the tutorial for you. Or, use animations and graphics to help viewers understand what you’re teaching them.

2. Video game reviews and walkthroughs

Source: Gamer’s Little Playground

Do you have a passion for gaming? Then why not start your own YouTube channel to review games and share walkthroughs with the world?

These types of channels require no face to be shown, because viewers are typically more interested in seeing the game being played. But, even as a faceless YouTube channel, they still provide plenty of entertainment to fans of video games.

When creating your channel, consider specializing in specific genres of games such as role-playing, sports, and adventure. Building a niche audience of gaming enthusiasts will help you gain more subscribers and viewers, which can translate to higher earnings.

3. Technology reviews

Source: Tech Zone

If you know your way around technology and gadgets, try starting a tech channel. From laptops and gaming consoles to phones and cameras, you can review the latest gadgets and advise on what’s worth buying.

These types of YouTube channels show viewers how different products work and how to maximize their use. Not only will this provide an opportunity for you to stay up-to-date with new technology, but it will also give viewers the insight they need to make informed purchases.

Tech review channels can easily be faceless by using a voiceover to discuss the products. Or, if you’re okay showing some of yourself on camera, you can provide demos and reviews using just your hands.

4. Illustration/animation channels

Source: angrymikko

For those with an eye for art, drawing, illustration, and animation YouTube channels are a great choice. This can range from making a series of animated shorts to creating educational illustrations.

The best part is that viewers won’t need to see your face to appreciate the beauty of your art. All you’ll need is a pair of hands, drawing utensils, and an eye for detail.

5. Podcast channels

Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular, with forecasts suggesting there will be more than 160 million in 2023. So, setting up your own Youtube channel for podcasting could be a great way to reach potential viewers.

You’ll need to record audio, source the right music, and maybe add some fun animations–as YouTube is a primarily visual platform–but apart from that, you can keep it faceless.

Check out this faceless YouTube channel idea from the Distractible Podcast, which uses simple animated characters in place of the hosts’ faces.

6. Meditation channels

Source: Healing Soul

Meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation have become increasingly popular in recent years, and Youtube channels discussing these topics are a great way to share content without showing your face.

You can create videos on guided meditations, yoga workouts, breathing techniques, and more. Try custom animations, scenes from nature, or compiling stock footage for visuals.

7. Motivational channels

Source: Motiversity

Hey, we get it, sometimes you need a little push and a reminder of your potential. Youtube channels focused on motivation and personal growth are great for those looking to market their ideas without showing their face.

Create inspiring motivational videos, post quotes or podcasts with success stories, provide tips and advice on building confidence, and more. Videos featuring simple animations or graphics will help keep viewers engaged while they watch.

8. Music channels

Source: Lowfi Girl

If you’re musically talented, consider starting a faceless Youtube channel featuring your music or covers of popular songs.

To avoid being on camera, use a karaoke-style setup or have someone else record your hands while playing an instrument. Other tips for remaining faceless include wearing a mask or disguise to conceal your true identity. Or, creating an animated virtual self–like the famous anonymous band the Gorillaz.

9. News channels

Source: Vailskibum

Like it or not, many people get their news from YouTube. So why not start a Youtube channel featuring news coverage, celebrity gossip, industry news, or other current events?

You don’t have to appear on camera if you use voiceovers or off-screen narration. You can also rely on guests, presenters, and animated characters to provide the content. And, because news is so shareable, your YouTube channel will promote itself in no time.

10. Tour videos

Source: The Local Project

One of the best things about the internet is that it lets you go places without leaving your home. So why not start a Youtube channel that offers virtual tours of places worldwide, without showing your face?

You can use photos, audio, and video clips to build an immersive experience for viewers, from museums and ancient cities to nature reserves and theme parks.

Even luxury home walkthrough tours can be popular, as people can imagine what it would be like to stay in such a fantastic place. All you need are some beautiful visuals to get this faceless YouTube channel idea off the ground.

11. Tutoring channel

Source: The Organic Chemistry Tutor

Online learning has become widely popular, with many people turning to Youtube channels for help in various subjects. You can start a Youtube channel offering tutoring services, without showing your face or revealing your identity.

Use visuals such as infographics, diagrams, and charts to explain concepts, especially those related to math or English grammar. Or, create videos offering test prep advice and tutorials for subjects ranging from grade school to college.

In terms of monetization, you can offer private tutoring services or create a subscription plan where viewers pay a monthly fee to access the content. You can also collaborate with other Youtube channels related to education and promote each other’s content.

12. 3D/360 channels

Source: 3D VR 360 VIDEOS

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to ride the tallest roller coaster in the world? Or maybe swim with the dolphins in Florida? Now you can do that and more with 3D/360 Youtube channels.

No face needed here! This Youtube channel idea does require a 360-degree camera to capture breathtaking footage from all angles. From there, upload your videos to YouTube and let your subscribers explore the world you’ve created.

13. ASMR channels

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and is gaining more and more popularity on Youtube. ASMR revolves around making certain sounds that create a tingling feeling of happiness and satisfaction. The technique includes a variety of methods like tapping a microphone, whispering, scratching, and more.

ASMR videos don’t require you to show your face, so they are a great Youtube channel idea if you want to remain anonymous. You’ll need a great microphone that can pick up the sounds clearly, but other than that, it’s all about creating the most calming and satisfying environment possible for your viewers.

14. Gardening channels

Source: GARDEN TIPS

Gardening channels are another Youtube channel idea that doesn’t require you to show your face. Gardening channels can be a great way to make money as they appeal to a wide variety of people.

You can give guides and tips on the best plants for specific seasons or show your audience the proper way to plant flowers and vegetables. Consider adding tour videos here, as well. Showing beautiful gardens worldwide is a great way to draw in viewers.

Frequently asked questions about faceless YouTube channel ideas

How do faceless YouTube channels make money?

Faceless Youtube channels can make money in much the same way as any other Youtube channel: from Google Ad revenue, sponsored videos, YouTube subscription revenue, and selling merchandise related to the topics of their videos.

How do you become a faceless YouTuber?

To become a faceless YouTuber, all you need to do is create a Youtube channel and post videos without showing your face. You can use voiceover narration, off-screen narrators, or hire guests to host your videos. Or rely on animated videos, graphics, and virtual characters.

Grow your YouTube engagement rate and manage all your other social media content, engagement, and analytics with Hootsuite. Try it free today.

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The post 14 Faceless YouTube Channel Ideas (Make Money Anonymously) appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.