Facebook confirmed Thursday that it’s pulling the plug on a test that removed content from publishers and businesses from the News Feed, and put it in a separate “Explore Feed.”
During the five months it carried out the test, publishers from six selected countries saw a significant decrease in the number of users engaging with their content. And that was even before the algorithm change that took place in early 2018.
Adam Mosseri, head of Facebook’s News Feed product said that Facebook has decided against the separate feeds after polling users, explaining that
“People don’t want two separate feeds. In surveys, people told us they were less satisfied with the posts they were seeing, and having two separate feeds didn’t actually help them connect more with friends and family.”
The end of the test also marks the end of the “Explore” feed itself, a section of the app where users could find public content from brands or publishers they didn’t follow.
The bad news for businesses though, is that Mosseri confirmed that Facebook will still show more content from friends and families – and less from brands and publishers. At least now we will all get to compete in the same arena.
As Recode notes, the irony is that the separation of friends’ posts, and publisher content, is the premise of Snapchat’s redesign. Yes, that very unpopular redesign people are freaking out about…
You might also like
More from Facebook
Meta Is Killing Its Messenger For Apple Watch App
Meta announced it will remove the Messenger for Apple Watch app on May 31 “After May 31st, Messenger won’t be available …
Facebook And Instagram Start Selling Blue Checks With Meta Verified
Meta Verified will give you a blue check badge on both Facebook and Instagram, along with other benefits for $12 …
Meta Brings Back #BuyBlack Friday For A Third Year
Meta is bringing back #BuyBlack Friday for a third consecutive year in North America. Meta emphasized the importance of the Holiday …
Facebook Is Giving You More Controls Over What You See On Your Feed
Facebook is introducing new "show more" and "show less" controls to let you adjust what you want to see on …
Meta Introduces Facebook Reels API, Offering An Option To ‘Share To Reels’
Meta has introduced the Facebook Reels API, a solution allowing developers to build a 'share to reels' option into their …
Facebook Gets Into Delivery With DoorDash Partnership
DoorDash is partnering with Meta to pilot Facebook Marketplace deliveries across multiple cities in the U.S. Drivers will only transport items …
Meta Rolls Out Horizon Worlds In France And Spain
Meta Horizon Worlds, the VR community and game, is now available in France and Spain.
Meta Refreshes Facebook Groups With New Features
Facebook Groups now have an updated invitation system to reduce admin workloads and limit sharing of misinformation.
Meta Offers Digital Security Course For Journalists And Human Rights Defenders
The Meta Journalism Project and the ICFJ have put together a self-paced 90-minute course and webinars to provide online safety …
