Facebook’s Algorithm Just Changed Here’s How I’m Beating It

Summary

Creator Bobby Orr explains how he believes Meta’s recommendation changes are affecting Facebook reach and shares tactics based on Meta’s announcement and his analysis of more than 2,500 of his own posts. He says he continued earning $5,000–$10,000 per month from Facebook content, but this is his personal experience, not a general earnings guarantee.

What changed

• Meta has launched a generative-search-based recommendation system for Facebook Feed and Reels. It uses semantic representations of content to predict which posts may interest people—including users who do not follow the creator—before those posts accumulate much engagement.
• Orr says this makes it more important to make a post’s subject clear so the system can match it with likely viewers.
• Facebook now lets users indicate which topics they want to see more or less often. In Orr’s view, this can reduce exposure to uninterested audiences and help content reach people who are more likely to engage.
• Orr says Meta’s system covers a substantial share of Feed and Reels recommendations, and that Meta reported increased Reels watch time. The video suggests Reels are receiving greater emphasis, but Orr advises creators not to abandon other formats.

Posting and content guidance

• Use a clear page theme. A page can cover several subtopics, but should give audiences a consistent idea of what to expect.
• Make the topic obvious immediately. Use relevant text on images and clear captions, especially in the opening lines. Orr recommends plain language and suggests simplifying specialized terms with tools such as ChatGPT or Claude.
• Avoid hashtag overload. Orr usually uses a few relevant hashtags but is also testing posts without them.
• Mix formats based on your own results. Orr posts mostly images—roughly 16–20 per day—and has recently added one to three Reels daily. In his experience, scheduled images perform similarly to manually published images, while his Reels seem to do better when uploaded directly to Facebook.
• Use data rather than generic rules. Review your best-performing posts for shared topics, visuals, and formats. Orr says the first five to six hours can be important for a post to gain distribution, though posts may continue circulating later.

Six strategies he recommends

1. Create share-worthy content. Capture attention with an effective visual or opening line, then give people a genuine emotional reason to share. Don’t copy others’ work or use insincere engagement requests. Open-ended questions may encourage meaningful discussion.
2. Find original, timely angles. Look for emerging stories in your niche on X, Facebook, or Instagram, then adapt them with an original perspective rather than copying viral posts.
3. Clarify the subject early. Apply this to images, text posts, and Reels. Avoid confusing language and introduce the person or issue promptly.
4. Adapt successful formats into Reels. Turn high-performing image topics into short videos. Orr suggests this structure: hook, story, repeat hook, more story, then an open-ended question.
5. Study proven posts and develop new angles. Examine posts that generated revenue—their topics, headlines, images, and timing—and create fresh versions rather than simply reposting them. Orr generally prefers waiting around 60–90 days before reposting older material.
6. Engage with comments. Respond meaningfully to comments on posts gaining traction, and pin a comment that may encourage discussion. Orr says Facebook’s author AI can draft replies, but he prefers to respond personally when possible.

Main speakers and sources

• Bobby Orr: The video’s sole speaker, presenting his own posting practices, results, and analysis.
• Meta: Cited as the source of the announcement about Facebook’s recommendation system and user topic preferences.
• ChatGPT and Claude: Mentioned as optional tools for rewriting captions in simpler language.