I talked to library users. And what they revealed shook me.
The conversation ignited unexpected controversy on LinkedIn and exposed a blind spot many libraries don’t realize they have. In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I break down what I heard, why it matters, and how libraries can turn this uncomfortable insight into a powerful opportunity.
Plus, kudos go to a library reaching a new section of its community with book recommendations!
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
A few weeks ago, I heard a tip for writing email subject lines that made me equal parts excited and annoyed. Excited because it works. Annoyed because it’s so obvious in hindsight.
In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I’m sharing the simple shift that can make your library emails more compelling and more likely to get opened!
Plus, the first kudos of the new year go to an academic library that managed to poke fun at AI and highlight the staff’s human expertise.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Library friends, we did it! We made it through 2025. We faced numerous issues and threats to libraries, yet we celebrated many triumphs. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of this community. And if no one has told you this lately, GOOD JOB YOU!
And now, we look forward to a new year and new chances to grow the connection between your library and your community.
Want to make 2026 your best year yet? Let’s start by learning from the content your fellow library marketers found most helpful this year.
Most Popular Super Library Marketing Articles of 2025
I hope you are looking forward to 2026 as much as I am. My next post will be on Monday, January 5, when I’ll unveil the State of Library Marketing. I’ve got a calendar full of posts and videos featuring tips to make your work easier, as well as profiles of libraries to inspire you. Happy holidays!
Library social media is feeling a little chaotic lately.
Trending audio. Memes everywhere. Funny videos that make you stop scrolling and think, Wait, is this really a library account?
Here’s the twist: I think this shift might actually be the best thing that’s happened to library social media in a long time.
In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I’m breaking down why the “silly” stuff matters, what it gets right about attention and relevance, and what libraries can learn from it.
Plus, kudos to a library with the most original Instagram account idea I’ve ever seen!
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Once again, Facebook remains the single most popular social media platform for libraries, but only by a fraction! According to the 2025 Super Library Marketing Survey, 95 percent of libraries use Facebook for promotions. Libraries use Instagram at nearly the same rate.
Statistically, this makes sense. Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world by number of users. And every day, about 69 percent of those users check their Facebook feed.
The average Facebook session length is approximately 10 minutes and 12 seconds.
Most Facebook users are male.
Most Facebook users in the U.S. (nearly 99 percent) use the mobile version of the platform. That statistic rose by 16 percentage points this year! So, as you create Facebook content, assume everyone who sees your library’s Facebook posts is doing so on a mobile device.
The largest segment of Facebook users is aged 25 to 34 years. Facebook has a reputation as a social media platform for older generations, which makes this stat somewhat surprising. However…
Facebook users aged 55 to 64 years spend the most time on Facebook, an average of 45 minutes a day. I think younger generations are looking at content, but not engaging with it. (This opinion is based on the use of Facebook by my own Gen Z daughters.)
How much success can libraries expect to see on Facebook?
Facebook has, by far, the lowest engagement rate of any of the social media platforms we’ve covered in the series. In fact, these rates are shockingly low.
I want you to look at this list of engagement statistics from Demandsage and really consider whether your time is well-spent when you post on Facebook.
Facebook Reels have an average fan engagement rate of 0.26 percent.
Images or photos get an average engagement rate of 0.24 percent.
A plain status update with text, no video, or no photo gets an average engagement rate of 0.12 percent.
And posts that include a link get an average engagement rate of 0.06 percent. OUCH.
Why is the engagement so low? Among the reasons is the motivation of the users: Nearly 75 percent of Facebook users say they use the platform primarily to message their friends and family.
The Facebook Algorithm for 2026
Here are the ranking signals Facebook uses to decide who sees your posts, according to Followeran. These are quite different from other platforms.
Facebook AI: As much as half of a user’s feed now features “recommended” content from creators or Pages they don’t follow, chosen by Facebook’s AI based on their interests and engagement behavior.
Deep conversations: The algorithm heavily favors content that sparks exchanges between users. It also looks to boost posts with longer, more considered reactions. Simple likes and short comments no longer drive reach.
Time spent: The algorithm will show your content to more people if the post requires users to spend time reading comments, scrolling through a carousel, or finishing a video. Longer sessions boost its distribution.
Video: Facebook still prioritizes short-form video formats (Reels, Facebook Live, Stories), followed by carousels and native videos. Posting consistently also helps, as newer content tends to perform better.
Original content: Reposts, duplicate content, or AI-generated content will be penalized with suppressed reach.
Here are 4 ways to get the best organic reach for your library’s Facebook account in 2026
#1: Optimize for AI recommendations.
Half of all Facebook feed content now contains posts from pages that the user does not follow. Those recommendations are sourced by Facebook’s AI. The good news is that your library can reach new audiences without paid ads if you play by the algorithm’s rules.
Make sure you create original posts with strong potential for engagement. For example, ask your audience a question. You can also put book covers in a carousel of photos and encourage people to swipe through to the end.
Avoid duplicating or reposting content from other people or organizations. That’s a bummer, because many libraries repost their partner organizations’ content or content from publishers to save time. It’s okay to share that content on your Stories. But for your feed and Reels, make sure your posts are original works from your library account.
#2: Design your posts to maximize dwell time
I know many libraries post a graphic of their event calendar or a graphic promoting an upcoming program to Facebook. And if you’ve been wondering why those posts aren’t getting engagement, this is why. Facebook wants to keep people on the platform as long as possible. And those posts don’t help them achieve that goal.
Every time you post to Facebook, ask yourself, “How can I keep my users engaged longer?” You’ll want to use formats that encourage people to scroll, read, or watch to the end.
What do you do about promoting your programs? Share the graphic and program details on Stories or make a Reel about the program.
To share your calendar and get better results, ask people to sign up for a monthly email to receive a downloadable version. That’s a win for your library’s Facebook account and for your patrons, who will have a copy they can refer to all month long.
#3: Work on building early momentum for posts.
Posts that gain traction in the first 24 to 48 hours are rewarded by the Facebook algorithm. Look at your insights and post when your audience is most active. If your post starts to get comments, make sure you reply as quickly as possible (within 24 hours) to keep engagement flowing.
You can also try to drive traffic to your Facebook feed from your monthly email newsletter. Here’s how:
Post something fun and engaging on the day before your newsletter goes out. This “something” should be a piece of content that is NOT in your email newsletter. For example, you can post a carousel of photos of new books that just arrived at your library. Ask people to vote in the comments for the book they’re most excited to read.
In your email newsletter, write a tease that suggests people will be missing something if they don’t head over to your Facebook page to check out the post! For the example above, you could say, “Want to see which new arrival everyone is excited to read? Head to our Facebook page to cast your vote before the big reveal!”
Wait 1-2 days after your email newsletter goes out to post anything new on your Facebook page so your email users can find your teaser content easily. Or, if you must post more content, pin the teaser post to your profile for 1-2 days.
#4: Lean on authenticity and hyperlocality.
Meta rewards pages that post content that is clearly not generated by AI. This is where libraries can shine! Share patron stories, staff picks, book recommendations, and other highlights that show your library is a vital part of your community. Be sure to use your town or city’s name in the post and write the copy to show that your library is integrated into the community.
When to post on Facebook
Hootsuite says the best time to post is early morning, between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m., local time.
How often should you post to Facebook?
Post to the Facebook Feed 3-5 times each week.
Post at least one slide to Facebook Stories every day.
Does your library’s marketing ever feel like a patchwork quilt — one person doing social media, another making flyers, someone else juggling program promotion — yet everything is still supposed to look consistent and effective? If that sounds familiar, this episode of The Library Marketing Show is for you!
I’m sharing practical, easy-to-use tips to help your marketing team work better together, even if you’re spread across branches, juggling different tasks, or working without clear leadership or shared expectations.
Plus, I’ll give kudos to a library that got a huge shout-out for its partnership with a local school district.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
If you’ve ever promoted a library program and quietly wondered whether you’re supposed to be tracking how well it worked… this week’s video is absolutely for you!
In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I’m tackling something that a lot of library staff avoid because it feels intimidating: Measuring your promotions. Not in a scary, spreadsheets open in 30 tabs way, but in a “here are simple tools you can start using today” way, even if you’re not the person running your library’s full marketing operation.
Plus, kudos go to a social media specialist whose videos are taking the internet by storm!
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
We’ll cover Instagram and Facebook in the following weeks.
LinkedIn for libraries
The number of libraries using LinkedIn dropped this year. According to the 2025 Super Library Marketing Survey, 30 percent of libraries reported posting to the platform, a 10-point decline from the previous year. I have a few guesses as to why this is happening.
A shift in the LinkedIn algorithm in mid-2025 reduced the organic reach of pages. Instead, LinkedIn now favors content posted by individual employees of the library.
Staff buy-in and lack of resources.
Focus on other platforms that reach a younger audience.
There is still a significant benefit to sharing library content on LinkedIn. I’ll make that case in this guide!
LinkedIn continues to grow substantially, with over 1.2 billion users globally. The U.S. leads with about 243 million LinkedIn users.
56 percent of LinkedIn users are male, and 44 percent are female.
LinkedIn’s user base continues to trend towards a slightly younger audience, with nearly 71 percent of users aged 25-34. That’s a key target audience for libraries.
40 percent of LinkedIn’s social media users log in daily.
LinkedIn users spend an average of 14 minutes per session.
What are the key benchmark metrics for libraries on LinkedIn?
According to LinkedIn, the average engagement rate for organic posts on LinkedIn is 5 percent. That’s a 30 percent increase over 2025! LinkedIn has a higher engagement rate than Facebook, but lower than TikTok and YouTube.
On LinkedIn, engagement rates highly depend on the type of post. These insights come from Social Insider.
Multi-image posts generate the highest engagement rate of 6.6 percent, making them the top-performing format.
Native documents like PDFs have an average engagement rate of 6.1 percent. Libraries don’t tend to share documents all that often, but this stat is a reason to share things like your annual report.
Text-only posts get an average engagement rate of about 4 percent.
The LinkedIn Algorithm for 2026
Here are the ranking signals LinkedIn claims to use when deciding who sees your posts.
Relevance: The algorithm now uses advanced natural language understanding to determine whether your library’s posts are relevant. The algorithm matches your content with people’s current industry and the interests they’ve indicated in the past. That means evergreen content can resurface weeks later. I’ve seen this happen in real life, and it definitely increases the long-term benefit of posts that are not timely.
EngagementQuality: If your post sparks “meaningful comments” of 20 or more words, you’ll get a boost in reach. Posts that spark conversation in the first 60-90 minutes after they’re been posted will also get a boost in reach.
Dwell Time: The longer a user spends reading or commenting on your post, the more reach you’ll get. Formats that encourage scrolling, such as carousels, documents, and videos, increase dwell time, which increases reach.
Clarity and Authenticity: According to Propel Growth, an algorithm update at the end of this year (2025) now emphasizes clarity, storytelling, and authentic engagement over clickbait or AI-generated content. That means you’ll want to use your library’s tone and voice to speak clearly about the topic you’re posting on, as you would if you were talking to your patrons face-to-face.
4 ways to get the best organic reach for your library’s LinkedIn posts in 2026
#1: Optimize for early engagement
As mentioned above, LinkedIn rewards posts that get meaningful interaction in the first 60–90 minutes. To get that early engagement, your library can:
Ask open-ended questions in your post to spark conversation (for example, “What’s the best book you’ve read this year?”).
Post during peak engagement times (usually weekday mornings). See below for more information on when to post.
Encourage staff and partners to comment thoughtfully right after publishing.
Now, I know that the third tip is tricky. Library staff may be uncomfortable about commenting on the library’s posts (although, to be honest, I cannot really understand why!). They might also see it as extra work. So, to make it easy, you can:
Start with a few champions: Approach staff that you know will be enthusiastic about participating and ask them to lead by example.
Explain why it matters: Share the algorithm insights from this post. Let them know this is part of the library’s mission, to share information and ideas with the whole community, and that they play a role in that, both at the desk and online.
Make it simple: Provide comment prompts in advance. And keep your expectations small. One thoughtful comment in a week can make a big difference.
Celebrate those who participate: Highlight great comments in internal newsletters or in staff shout-outs. And share the analytics so they can see the impact.
#2: Create content that builds authority.
LinkedIn prioritizes expertise and original insights. And the library has plenty! So share posts that showcase this, such as research tips, book lists, and local reading trends. You can also profile staff or use data to position your library as a trusted source of information.
#3: Focus on formats that increase dwell time.
Posts that keep users engaged longer, like carousels, documents, and videos, rank higher.So share videos with captions. You can create video tutorials or event highlights.
You can also turn book lists or guides like your “Welcome to the library” brochure into carousel posts or downloadable documents.
#4: Post the link for further info in the comments.
I confess that I hate this. But I am committed to giving you the best advice. And LinkedIn downranks any post with external links in the body, so I feel compelled to include these tips.
In fact, it’s such a big deal that I’ve changed the way I do NoveList’s posts on LinkedIn. I post when I have the time, and I immediately go to the post and add the link. It’s a hassle, but it works.
Put your link in the first comment, not in the main post. And use native formats like downloadable documents or natively posted videos whenever possible.
When to post on LinkedIn
According to Sprout Social, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the best days to post on LinkedIn.
Mornings and early afternoons are the best times of day to post.
One note: Avoid posting more than once a day on LinkedIn. The algorithm actually penalizes posting more than once a day.
Every year, Meta releases its Holiday Playbook. It’s full of strategies designed to boost engagement and sales. And while we’re not selling anything at our libraries, many of these ideas translate really well to the work we are doing!
In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I pulled out five practical tips from the playbook that you can start using right away on Facebook and Instagram.
Plus, discover how one library’s short-form video garnered over one million views!
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Super Library Marketing: Practical Tips and Ideas for Library Promotion 