Facebook, since its inception in 2004, has grown into a global phenomenon, becoming the primary social media platform for billions to connect and share. Boasting approximately 2.93 billion monthly active users as of early 2022, Facebook offers a vast audience for your content, whether it’s personal updates, engaging videos, or informative posts.
To maximize the impact of your Facebook content, understanding and utilizing the platform’s visibility settings is crucial. Making your posts shareable allows your content to reach beyond your immediate network, potentially going viral and broadening your influence. If you’re wondering how to ensure your Facebook posts can be shared by others, this guide will walk you through the necessary steps.
Understanding Facebook Shareability: Visibility Settings Explained
When you create a post on Facebook, you’re presented with several audience visibility options. These settings directly control who can see your post and, consequently, who can share it with their networks. Here’s a breakdown of the key options and their impact on shareability:
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Public: Selecting “Public” makes your post visible to “Anyone on or off Facebook.” This is the most shareable setting. When set to public, anyone, including those who aren’t your Facebook friends, can view and share your content. This maximizes your post’s reach as shares by your friends will expose it to their friends and followers as well.
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Friends: Choosing “Friends” limits visibility to “Your friends on Facebook.” Posts set to “Friends” can still be shared by your friends, but their reach will be limited to their networks. It won’t be visible to the wider public or friends of friends unless directly shared.
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Friends except…/Specific friends/Only me/Custom: These options further restrict visibility for specific privacy needs. However, they significantly reduce or eliminate shareability beyond your chosen group. “Only me” posts are entirely private and cannot be shared. “Custom” and “Friends except…” offer limited shareability within your defined parameters.
To make your post widely shareable, the “Public” setting is the optimal choice.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Posts Shareable
Changing your post’s visibility to “Public” is a straightforward process. Here’s how to do it:
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Locate the Post: Navigate to the Facebook post you wish to make shareable. This could be a new post you are creating or an older post you want to adjust.
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Access Edit Options: Look for the three horizontal dots located in the top right corner of your post. Click on these dots to open a drop-down menu of options.
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Select “Edit Audience”: From the drop-down menu, find and click on the “Edit Audience” option. This will open the audience selection settings for your post.
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Choose “Public”: In the “Audience” settings, you’ll see the current visibility of your post. Select the “Public” option. This ensures maximum shareability for your content.
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Confirm and Save: Once you’ve selected “Public,” click “Done” to save the changes. Your post is now set to be shareable by anyone on or off Facebook.
Why Can’t Someone Share a Post? Understanding Sharing Restrictions
Sometimes, you might encounter a situation where you want to share someone else’s post but find the share option unavailable. This usually occurs because the original poster has set their post’s visibility to an option other than “Public.”
If a user has chosen “Friends,” “Only me,” or a custom audience for their post, it restricts the ability of those outside their intended audience to share it widely. In most cases, if you cannot share a post, it’s because the post’s creator has intentionally limited its shareability through their privacy settings. Respecting these settings is important as it reflects the content creator’s choice regarding their content’s distribution.
In Conclusion
Making your Facebook posts shareable is about understanding and utilizing the platform’s visibility settings effectively. By choosing the “Public” option, you unlock the full sharing potential of Facebook, allowing your content to reach a broader audience and maximize engagement. Whether you’re sharing personal updates or content intended for wider distribution, mastering these settings empowers you to control your message’s reach on Facebook.
