According to a Facebook report posted by Vadim Lavrusik (Journalist Program Manager) and Betsy Cameron (Data Analyst), thousands of journalists have enabled their subscribe button since its release last September. It allows users to receive status updates from another user, without sending out a friend request.

Lavrusik and Cameron didn’t disclose any traffic referral numbers regarding their report. However, they shared tips on how journalists can take advantage of the Subscribe button.

Types of Content that Generate User Engagement

According to the report, Facebook found that the following types of content generate more user engagement:

• Photos: While photos add dynamics to your profile’s content, sneak peeks and behind-the-scene footages generate more engagement by two to four times.
• Shout-outs: Asking for your followers to recommend your profile can increase engagement up to three times.
• Humor: Showing your lighter and more personal side has five times higher user engagement than the usual.
• Analysis on Global Issues: Profiles with Subscribe button can yield almost double in likes and triple in shares.
• Commentary and Analysis: Starting a discussion about timely news generates three times the likes and twice the shares. You can double your user engagement by including controversial material on your profile.

Framing Your Posts

Other than the type of content, you can also increase user engagement by how you frame your post. An interrogative post receives 64% more comments, likes and shares. Meanwhile, introducing your post with an analysis receives 20% more recommendation. Adding photos on your post generates 50% more like than the usual. Posts with a strong call-to-action are also effective, as it can generate 37% more engagement.

The Subscribe Button and the Readers

Other than letting readers follow a status update from someone they don’t personally know, the Subscribe button also has other purposes. It can let them choose what they see on their News Feed, and it lets other people hear from them even if they’re not friends.

If you’re subscribed to interesting personalities like journalists or celebrities, you can see their public updates on your News Feed. Moreover, you can also choose the quantity and type of content that you can receive.

As for brands and public figures who are using the Subscribe button, it lets them share their content to the public. If you enable the feature, you can select the type of comments and notifications that you can receive. Additionally, there’s a Subscribers tab on your profile which lets you see who your subscribers are.

Compared to other social networks, the Subscribe button lets you tap a much larger audience. In turn, startups can use this feature to see if promoting their business on Facebook can work.