Zach Spuckler is the founder of Heart, Soul & Hustle, a company that helps businesses make the most of Facebook ads to grow their digital business.

He’s also the host of the company’s podcast, where he spreads his digital marketing wisdom to business owners.

At just 24, Zach has helped his students to execute six-figure launches and create sustainable sales funnels that leverage Facebook ads.

On this podcast, Zach passes this very same knowledge to listeners.

What is Facebook’s Algorithm and How Does it Work?

The Facebook algorithm is just a fancy way of describing Facebook’s prioritization of posts in your newsfeed. The algorithm decides what piece of content you’re going to see – and it’s not as simple as just showing you the most recent post.

However, this algorithm isn’t static, and Facebook is constantly changing it. Recently, Facebook has garnered some controversy for prioritizing posts from family and friends over businesses.

Naturally, the blowback came from businesses, who felt like they were being left out, especially considering Facebook is a primary advertising tool. The only way for a business to really reach people is with paid ads or content that goes viral.

How Important Are Videos on Facebook?

Going by Facebook’s current algorithm, live video is going to get you the most reach, as Facebook has it prioritized over other things, like pictures and text. Regular videos are effective, too, but not as much as live video.

The best way to use video is to put something out and wait to see if it performs well – sort of like throwing your line into a pond and waiting for a bite. Once people start biting and you see your video is effective, turn it into an ad.

Facebook’s tracking software available to businesses is great for pinpointing the specific audience you’re looking for.

How Do You Make the Most of Facebook Live?

For live video, you’re going to get the best turn-out if you schedule your videos in advance. The next thing is to promote it on other social media platforms. Don’t be afraid to use Facebook Messenger, either, which Zach swears by.

Zach also says that having a professional backdrop or photography isn’t very important, especially if you’re just starting out. It’s your content that’s going to turn people’s heads.

Most people who use Facebook Live are getting some results.

How Can Facebook Messenger Help You?

Zach has built up a Facebook Messenger audience partly through using live video. During the video, he uses a CTA for people to get on his messaging list.

Because you should also use Facebook Messenger to promote Facebook Live, these two mediums can have a reciprocal effect on one another, for the good of both.

However, he’s seen the most growth with big promotions, where he will put a link on the “Thank You” page. About 25% of people who opt-in will take him up on the email reminders.

What’s the Best Way to Stimulate Engagement on Facebook?

Getting engagements on Facebook has gotten a bad rap, thanks to spam-like posts which usually involve “like if you agree.” As Zach puts it, this is a cold way of engaging users.

Zach prefers open-ended questions when fishing for engagement, as they feel more genuine and the users feel like you actually care about their answer.

Another thing you need to take care of is figuring out what yo ur audience truly wants. This information is important for garnering engagements in the future, but the very compiling of the information can also get you engagements.

As an example, Zach suggest posting a video and then prompting users to comment below with what they learned.

When rolling out ads, make sure to target your followers first, before branching out to the general public. This allows you to get a feel for how people are likely to react.

By the time it does reach the general public, the post will already have likes and reactions, which will make it more enticing to the average scroller.

Are Facebook Groups Worth It?

Zach believes that Facebook groups are still incredibly effective, as long as you take the time to foster them. You’ll also need the ad dollars to keep the group growing, otherwise it will grow stagnate.

Another important aspect of starting a Facebook group is your intention. This should be well planned out before beginning. If not, the group might not grow and your engagement rate won’t be great. If you do this right, you can actually create something that’s more like a community than a business page.

You’ll also want to make sure that you’re not posting the same stuff in the group that you’re posting on your page. There needs to be some level of inclusivity.

Should You Hit the “Boost” Button?

While the “boost” button on Facebook still isn’t great, Zach has found that it’s improved.

The main problem, Zach finds, is that it’s incredibly limiting, especially when there’s the power editor and ads manager so easily accessible.

He compares the “boost” button to having access to only two aisles of the grocery store. For some, that might be enough, but it’s worth it to browse the whole store.