I'm in Austin today for the Newsletter Marketing Conference. Looking forward to nerding out on newslettering. Drop me a note if you're around.
Today, a recap of yesterday's Online Forum on how publishers can win in social media in 2025. We covered a lot, but I zeroed in on the lessons shared around Facebook. This was a very tactical and actionable session. I encourage you to check out the replay. Later on, a member's piece about why Jeff Bezos is making the right decision for the wrong reasons.
Winning at Facebook in 2025
Data from True Anthem
Facebook is still critical for publishers – it has 3.1 billion users – but the playbook has changed. The days of posting links and expecting reliable referral traffic are over. Publishers who want to win on Facebook in 2025 must embrace engagement-first strategies, algorithmic volatility, and AI-powered optimization.
In The Rebooting’s Online Forum yesterday, James Kosur, director of marketing for gaming at Valnet, a collection of sites in entertainment, tech and gaming, and Chris Hart, CEO of social media automation platform True Anthem broke down how to navigate Facebook’s new reality.
Here are five takeaways from the Online Forum:
Mix up your content formats
The traditional link post is not enough. Facebook is now a discovery engine, prioritizing high-engagement content formats like photos, memes, and discussion-based posts over direct referrals. The more interaction your post gets, the more the algorithm will push it to a broader audience.
Photos outperform link posts in driving clicks
Memes and graphics boost engagement signals
Breaking news images (without links) spark conversations
“If you’re only posting links, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Facebook doesn’t want to be a traffic source—it wants to keep users engaged on-platform.” – James Kosur, Valnet
Engagement and traffic work together
Likes, comments, and shares now directly impact visibility. Facebook wants to keep people engaged, so it incentivizes posting that does that. The more engagement a post gets, the more Facebook will surface your future content. This shift means community-building and audience interaction are essential for growth.
Winning tactics include:
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