Just as PageRank is to Google.com placement, EdgeRank is to Facebook placement in a reader’s News Feed. In other words, your EdgeRank on Facebook will determine if a fan sees your updates in their News Feeds and where.
First, here’s a graphical image from TechCrunch and LiveStream that explains the concept of EdgeRank.
The bottom-line is that when you have more comments, likes, and tags on a Facebook Business Page wall post, your EdgeRank will be higher. Additionally new news is preferred over old news. If your EdgeRank meets a certain threshold, your post will be show in a subscriber or fan’s News Feed. There appear to be not only EdgeRank numbers for posts but for whole Facebook accounts.
Here’s one free tool that I have found that allows you to check your own Business page’s EdgeRank. Most of the pages we work with that have under 100 fans but more than 80 fans will have an EdgeRank that is about 12 to 15 or average. The free interface is quirky and you may have to refresh the page several times to see your numbers, but this tool will give you a general idea.
Can you ever really know your “real” EdgeRank. Most likely not. It seems this number is like Google’s PageRank (not to be confused with Google Toolbar PageRank) and is secret and a part of the special algorithm that racks and stacks sites.
So what can you do to improve your Facebook EdgeRank?
- Post regularly on Facebook.
- Post four to five times a day on Facebook.
- Post shareable items that are current events or trending topics.
- Move away from an all about me focus.
- Actively work to engage readers.
- Start a log sheet of all fans when added as Facebook will hide their names once added.
- Use your list of fans to interact with @messages.
If you have additional suggestions or thoughts on Facebook EdgeRank, make sure to click comments and let me know!