When Facebook announced last week it will show users more posts from friends and family, while hiding the news, the Berkeleyside team — along with publishers around the nation — was disturbed. It’s ironic that Facebook’s so-called “News Feed” will now suppress news stories rather than help people find them.
Our team works hard to bring the community the stories that matter, and to connect with readers on our Facebook page. Berkeleyside has spent a significant amount of time building our Facebook presence because it has historically been such an important megaphone for us in terms of how some readers come to our site. But times are changing, and we have to change with them.
On the bright side, if you’d still like to see Berkeleyside posts on Facebook, there are some simple steps you can take. Not a Facebook reader? Keep scrolling, because we have tips below that will help you, too.
5 tips to stay plugged into Berkeleyside
(1) CHOOSE ‘SEE FIRST’ On the Berkeleyside Facebook page, click the “Follow” button (it may say “Following”) and make sure “See First” is checked. You can do the same on a mobile device following essentially the same steps. And these same steps will work for the Berkeleyside Nosh Facebook page, too.
(2) BOOKMARK Bookmark the Berkeleyside Facebook page (we find this link to be the best view). Like what you see there? Please comment and share our posts, which helps us get greater visibility. The Bookmarks menu appears at the top of the browser. On a Mac, the shortcut to create a bookmark is command+D from any website you like.
(3) BOOKMARKS BAR Put Berkeleyside’s Facebook page in your “bookmarks bar” (Chrome) for easy access. It’s called “Favorites” on Safari and “Bookmarks Toolbar” on Firebox. That way you can find our page with just one click. When you’re saving your bookmark, just make sure to choose the location that works best for you.
(4) PHONE HOME SCREEN Not a Facebook user but want to access Berkeleyside quickly on mobile? Put Berkeleyside on your home screen. We have directions for that too.
(5) NEWS IN YOUR INBOX Sign up for the Berkeleyside Daily Briefing (and other newsletters) to get our headlines right in your email inbox.
If you’re a fan of Berkeleyside’s work, and would like to support us, please share our stories on social media, NextDoor and email. On Facebook, your comments, shares and likes will help us avoid losing readers. Looking for more ways to support us? There’s a lot you can do that doesn’t involve your wallet.
Have other thoughts or questions about how best to access Berkeleyside? Let us know in the comments.
