following Ask a Manager on Facebook? there’s something you should know

by Alison Green on July 30, 2014

A service announcement: If you follow Ask a Manager on Facebook, be aware that Facebook has changed its algorithm for the pages you follow, and you might not be seeing all (or even any) updates.

What can you do about this, if you don’t want to miss any updates? Three things:

1. When you do see Ask a Manager posts, if you interact with them (like them, comment on them, share them), Facebook will show you more of them in the future.

2. Remember that you can click “pages feed “on the left sidebar of your Facebook news feed to see content from all the pages you’ve liked.

3. Consider following the site a more reliable way (such as with an RSS reader, on Twitter, signing up for the AAM email list, daily visits, or whatever works for you).

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{ 59 comments }

{ 59 comments… read them below }

  1. Kristen*

    Hi AAM! How soon after we submit a request to your fantastic blogs emailed to us should we expect to receive a link to confirm our email address? I sent mine and still haven’t received my email. Thanks! p.s. I LOVE your blog!

    2. Ask a Manager* Post author

      Hmmm, it should be immediate. Check your spam folder in case it’s in there. If not, email me and I’ll add you manually or see what the issue is!

  2. Zahra*

    If you hover on the “Liked” button, you can ask to “Get Notifications”. You should be able to get alerts that way, depending how your email settings are on FaceBook.

    1. Ask a Manager* Post author

      I thought that too, but then someone on Facebook told me last week that they’d done that, but it doesn’t notify them about new posts — only if I post something there that’s just a stand-alone thing (so not the links to posts here).

      1. Jen RO*

        Hm, I still get all the posts (or 80%+ of them). Facebook is showing me this post and the company truck one at the top of my feed now… and I’ve interacted *maybe* once or twice. I can’t figure out if I enabled “Get Notifications” too… if I try to click it now, nothing happens.

  4. LBK*

    You mean other people don’t immediately load AAM when they sit down at their computer in the morning, then sit and madly refresh the page every day at 11 and 2? Am I a weirdo?

    6. Stephanie*

      I’m out west, so I get all the posts in the morning and then in the afternoon, it’s just nothing.

      1. Kelly O*

        Alison, this is seriously a part of my day. Y’all have been such a support, and you have provided a solid, level head and reminded me that common sense does still exist, and if I keep trying hard enough, I’ll finally land somewhere great. (And maybe if I ever wind up being the manager, I’ll remember these lessons.)

        This is a great community, and I’m pleased to be part of it, even when I’m not commenting much.

        Sidebar: I am totally reminding myself that “AAM” would say to NOT email this recruiter back about a decision, and that I can wait until tomorrow. It is taking EVERY ounce of restraint I have to not do that, but y’all are a reminder to not let my zeal get ahead of the situation.

        2. Jill-be-Nimble*

          I’m in the SAME BOAT! I had a phone interview for my perfect job three weeks ago. They told me that it was just a formality because I was so amazingly qualified, they already knew they were bringing me in. They told me to expect a second interview two weeks ago, and to poke them if I didn’t hear within a week. I poked them; still didn’t hear. I just repeat the mantra that, “Two weeks really isn’t that long in interviewer time; It’s really just taking longer than they thought; I should just move on mentally and apply to other things; AAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMM…..”

        3. Mimmy*

          Ditto Kelly…it’s part of my daily routine too. After FB, I go right to the “short answer” post. Then, at 11 a.m., I check for the next one.

          A big +100 for the rest of your post as well :)

      2. the gold digger*

        But work is such a huge part of our lives! You give great advice and you have such great commenters. I read this blog even when I was unemployed and not looking for work. (I miss those days.)

      3. Not So NewReader*

        There is a huge need out there for work place advice. I don’t see anyone that even comes close to the job you are doing here!

        1. Ruffingit*

          This. For real. I am now navigating all kinds of workplace issues with a much clearer and more level-headed approach than I ever knew existed.

      4. Stephanie*

        Well, a lot of workplace and job hunting advice online is terrible and salesy and will recommend escalating everything to an HR complaint (for the former) or tell you to follow up on your online application (for the latter), so it’s nice to see advice rooted in common sense. Also, the comments section doesn’t make me want to bleach my eyeballs after reading.

      5. Wakeen's Teapots Ltd.*

        You’re in my routine.
        I actually hit AAM *before* my work email when I get up in the very early morning.

        It’s like the morning news, only without the hard news anchor hair.

        And then once in the evening.

        (If there’s a really hot thread, I try to steal time to check back during the day, too.)

      6. Mary (in PA)*

        I tell everyone I know about this site. It is my daily lunchtime routine – I eat at my desk and read all the new posts and as much of the comments as I can, and I LOVE IT. I wish everyone read this site.

      7. Mallorie, the recruiter*

        I have been an avid reader of AAM for years now – I look at the articles daily. I am now managing a team and I truly believe that the years of AAM advice has allowed me to excel in this role. This blog has changed my LIFE in this way — my career path has been altered due to AAM. I think there are probably a lot of people who can agree. KEEP IT UP! You are AWESOME!

      8. LBK*

        Well, everyone’s had a bad boss or a bad coworker. Everyone’s been rejected for a job they really wanted or been passed over for a promotion they thought they deserved. It’s hard to get a direct, honest, realistic perspective on these situations – you talk to a friend who tells them the hiring manager was an idiot who was obviously playing favorites, or you talk to another coworker who commiserates but doesn’t have any real advice.

        I really like that you don’t speak in platitudes and you don’t tell people to quit today and sue their company – those answers feel good but they don’t help in the long run. In the same way that employees are better served by clear, direct feedback from their managers, I think your readers respond really well to that style in your answers.

        On a personal level, I’ve lost touch with my mentor who used to provide the same kind of perspective, so this blog is a much-needed substitute when I’m seeking guidance that I can trust.

    12. Nina*

      AAM is in my top five favorites on my cell phone browser. I’m constantly refreshing it!

    14. JamieG*

      First thing in the morning (I read it with breakfast), and then on my breaks at work. Usually once or twice afterwards as well, just to catch up on the comments.

      It’s just so interesting!

    15. Ruffingit*

      Yeah, what is wrong with you people who are not doing this? It’s my go-to so much so that I have it bookmarked on the front screen of my phone so I can immediately get to it. Seriously. If Alison is tracking my visits to her page, I’m pretty sure I’m in the stalker category at this point. Don’t take out a restraining order Alison, I just love your blog. ;)

    16. Sharm*

      YUP! Because of my timezone (much further out west than the West Coast), I see posts go up right as I’m going to bed. Talk about being a weirdo! It’s fun to see posts right as they go up with just a few comments and then seeing how they shake out with the larger group by the time I get up in the morning.

    18. littlemoose*

      I check Feedly a lot during the day, especially around 10 and 1 (Central time). I always read the short answer posts while eating my breakfast. I usually click through to read the comments as well.

    19. Kat M*

      Of course not. I load AAM immediately when my lunch break starts and when I finish at Job #1 for the day.

      Lunch is at 11. I get off at 2. Wait …

    20. MJ (Aotearoa/New Zealand)*

      In the morning on the train on the way to work, at lunchtime (and in between if it’s quiet), again on the train on the way home, and before I go to bed… do I have a problem?

    21. AdminAnon*

      I do! I think at this point I have an internal clock because I clicked over already even though it’s only 10:51 here, so I scrolled down to read the comments on this post since I didn’t have a chance yesterday :)

      AAM breaks are probably my favorite part of the day.

  5. Beth Anne*

    Unfortunately facebook is like this…it’s really frustrating! Some blogs get awesome interaction…others get awful interaction :(

    Recently I just added you to a twitter list I check often as well as getting the weekly emails. I can say this is one of the few blogs I will actually just go to the website URL and read through posts. Probably because I’m job searching and it’s full of really practical job advice (which trust me is hard to find) :)

  6. Puddin*

    On an tangential note not only do we not have access to most blogs, FB and nearly all social media, as of this morning LinkedIn was blocked as well.

    /cant have nuthin nice (cept AAM)

    1. Chinook*

      I was crushed when AAM was blocked at work for a few months. It was soooo hard not to check it on my phone during the slow times at work.

    1. CT*

      Yeah, I run a Facebook page for a small business (where they definitely don’t have the money for this) and I’m pretty disgusted at the whole thing.

  8. A Kate*

    I posted an article about this algorithm change (and its effect on non-profits and charity groups that can’t pay for advertising) to the Facebook page of the organization I work at. The caption was something along the lines of “Can you see this post? You’re one of the lucy few.” Ironically, it was shared and liked enough to be our most viewed post ever, reaching far more people than we usually can via Facebook under the new algorithm.

    It’s totally understandable that Facebook wants for-profit companies to pay to broadcast to their “fans.” But man, it sucks for non-profits with no advertising budget. Maybe Facebook will come up with some sort of limited promotion feature for non-profits, so they can get the word out on occasional important announcements. Google has a cool program through which it donates ad space to non-profits. You apply, and selected organizations are granted a pretty generous budget for Google AdWords. Could be an interesting model for a similar program for Facebook in the future in which organizations get a certain budget to “boost” the visibility of their posts, an option you have to pay for now.

    1. Stephanie*

      Or small businesses! One of my favorite consignment shops here was having a similar issue where posts weren’t showing up. The owner had to pay Facebook to promote the post so it’d show up in fans’ feed. She also was wondering why they were getting so many out-of-state orders (they’ll ship phone orders). Turns out Facebook was using the promoted posts and ads and having them show up out-of-area.

    2. Lynn Rainham*

      Hello A Kate!
      Sorry to thread hijack, but would you be interested in sharing that article? I work for one of those non-profits feeling the pinch, and I am struggling to find good advice on how to deal with the change (other than to move off of Facebook, but we had a very active Facebook community!)

        1. A Kate*

          Yes, that’s it! We chose it because of the great graphic, which really illustrates the change in reach we’ve been experiencing.

    3. Monodon monoceros*

      It really sucks from the advertising standpoint, but also just basic communication in the nonprofit I volunteer for. They use their page to get out requests for help (examples, need more towels at the shelter, can anyone pick up more cat good at the vet, anyone willing to drive a litter of kittens to new foster home, etc) I just realised I wasn’t seeing all of their posts. There were things recently I could have done, but I missed the post. So stupid. I realise FB is free, but it’s like a bait and switch. All these organisations set up active FB communities and then suddenly it stops working the way you expect it to.

      The annoying thing for me personally is I really only started using my FB when I started volunteering at this org so I could keep up with the info. Now that’s not even working.

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