Facebook's latest tweak to the News Feed isn't great new for marketers, as friends will now be given priority over brand Pages.

Friends first

Facebook announced the news in a blog post. 

"The goal of News Feed is to show you the content that matters to you.

"This means we need to give you the right mix of updates from friends and public figures, publishers, businesses and community organizations you are connected to," wrote Max Eulenstein, Product Manager and Lauren Scissors, User Experience Researcher.

Balancing act

Now users will see status updates, videos and images from friends higher up in their News Feed, at the expense of brand Pages. However, friends aren't completely exempt from the chopping block.

Facebook says users aren't so keen on seeing posts their friends have Liked or commented on. So these will be pushed further down the News Feed, or banished altogether.

So how will this affect brand Pages? Facebook says it depends on your audience and posting activity. To help out, Facebook posted a Page post best practice guide. 

In short, more than ever marketers must ensure their content is engaging, targeted and entertaining. Or pay to play, as the age of free Facebook exposure seems well and truly over.

To find out more visit newsroom.fb.com.