We post on our Facebook pages so followers and our target audience and find and read our content. Most users have been posting pretty regularly since Facebook began in 2004. We’re told we have to get meaningful engagement. So, what does Facebook mean by “engagement”?
Engagement and Updates
Facebook defines and measures “engagement” as comments, reactions, and shares. Comments and shares have always been part of their algorithm; now Facebook is putting more focus on these engagements in their analytics.
A change made on March 24, 2026, now prioritizes these three engagements among friends, followers, and groups. Remember, engagement is still a two-way street vs. a one-way megaphone. If someone leaves a comment — even a negative comment — reply back to the viewer.
Another change addresses competition from TikTok: Facebook prioritizes Impressions (Reach) and Views. Why? Facebook is prioritizing original, organic video & Reels. This follows their report in 2025 that time spent watching Reels doubled. Time spent watching a video or Reel is valuable digital real estate. Creators should pay attention to both impressions and views, as many watching may not comment if the viewer doesn’t feel it’s necessary.
Also, Meta encourages viewers to rate each video. Content creators should review the ratings and create more similar content with higher ratings. Meta calls this interest-based engagement. Because the ratings are optional, viewers may not leave any initially. Keep an eye on this as ratings start coming in.
Emoji In Comments
My opinion of emoji in comments: it’s as weak as a “thumbs-up like”. It’s very easy to rate a heart or caring emoji as engagement, but the reactions available on Facebook are limited. If friends or followers were able to leave something different than the five offered by Facebook, would that be less or more authentic? Is a quick reaction meant to keep content creators engaged and focused?
Using This Info For My Business
- Assess what each post gets for engagement, impressions, and views, especially videos or Reels.
- Choose the content you want to create. If viewers are motivated by a certain topic or theme, create more of that content.
- Engage authentically with your followers and viewers. Pay attention to interest ratings and comments.
Content is still king, and consistency is queen. Keep your content original, authentic, and real. Don’t rely on ChatGPT or another AI program to write out content for you; write for Human Search Optimization™.
Be strategic. Be visible. Be found.
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