Like most businesses now, you’re likely using Facebook to reach your customers online. However, over the past year, you’ve probably noticed a drop in the number of customers you’re reaching if you aren’t placing ads on the social networking site.

The head of Facebook’s Ad Product Marketing Team, Brian Boland, posted answers today to commonly asked questions about organic reach.

Two of the reasons Boland gave concerning the drop in organic reach numbers included the growing number of posts that are now being exchanged over the network, and a change in Facebook’s policy to only show those posts that are most relevant to users.

It can sometimes seem like the only way to keep your business in front of customers is to place a targeted Facebook ad. Yes, ads definitely help, but if you aren’t already providing relevant, interesting content on a regular basis, the money you put toward ads won’t get you very far.

I struggle with these same issues with one of the Facebook pages I run, EatingOxford.com. It has become extremely important to make all of my posts relevant to my visitors and page; timely; interesting; and most importantly–encourage interaction and reciprocate. All of these things help to deliver my posts to thousands of readers each day. I constantly remind myself that readers want to learn something and interact; that’s what social networking is all about, after all.

So if your reach has been steadily dropping over the past few months, take a look at your posts before you start sinking money into ads. Are you posting every day? Are you posting relevant and interesting content? Making a few small tweaks can get you back on track and back in front of your customers.