Genoa – “Welcome to all Ligurians (and not) to the page dedicated to the historic Ligurian newspaper called “Il Secolo””. It was November 25, 2008 and so our newspaper greeted the people of Facebook. 2008 is the year of the great boom in Facebook registrations in Italy and our newspaper does not miss the event.
The first post published on the Secolo XIX Facebook page, on November 25, 2008
The first comment on the page, however, arrives on the third post, created January 7, 2009. An exceptional snowfall hits Liguria, an event that with the heat of these winter days seems very distant. Giovanna Maria Rocca writes to us: “I was born in Genoa and I lived a lot in Foce Alta… now in Turin for many years, but just as the sea is missing, it never passes”. Yes, the first comment is from a neo-forest. And a Genoese replied to her (second comment): “Go back to Genoa, you'll see that the nostalgia will pass.” Demonstrating a certain practical problem solving ability that we later discovered to be typical of our readers.
Secolo XIX's post on the exceptional snowfall that fell on 7 January 2009
The first photo posted on the Page is that of Ligabue with the “Prima Pagina” award plaque, 15 likes and one share. It seems like very little today, but back then, on Facebook, looking for followers was like looking for Scrooge's gold nuggets in the Klondike.
Ligabue receives the Prima Pagina del Secolo XIX award
On 2 December 2009, Secolo fans became 3,700 and we gave our followers a photo of a nice plate of Genoese-style stewed stockfish: we have always been lovers of Ligurian traditions. The photo receives 12 likes, 3 less than Ligabue's, a success.
At the end of 2010 the followers became almost 15 thousand. But it was in 2012 that Secolo XIX decided to get serious and start posting 15-20 articles a day (today we post about double that). It becomes essential to speak the language that readers use. And if before it was enough to be there, in 2012 it becomes essential to “relate”. We invite our readers to participate in the news, to write to us, to send photos! “We are the newspaper of the Ligurians, Ligurians make yourself heard!”. And so… who remembers? In July 2012 we ask you what you would like to name the newborn penguin at the Genoa Aquarium. Unexpectedly there is a plebiscite: Burzum! Complete with subsequent articles on the reason for choosing this name.
These are wonderful years, in which Facebook's algorithm is not a problem, the fans are growing and there is great familiarity with the commentators. In the editorial office we are also thinking of inviting someone, choosing “the commentator of the month”. The first is Roberto Bellone (did you understand Roberto? We wanted to invite you to the editorial office). But then the idea foundered. Mixing virtual spaces with real ones could be destabilizing, or in any case an invasion of the privacy of a reader who perhaps wanted to be just a name.
In 2015 the Facebook algorithm changes and introduces the “show first” feature. In 2016, Facebook gives priority to content where users spend the most time. In January 2018 Mark Zuckerberg officially announced the algorithm change to improve the experience of his users. To deal with the change (and the drop in visibility) resulting from the new algorithm, we slowly increase posting on the channel. More than 33% in 2016, more than 41% in 2017. The Facebook news feed For many users it becomes the bar counter where they quickly scroll through the titles of their favorite newspaper. Because there is no time to read, while there is plenty of news. For example, in 2016 the news “Evicted and jobless tries to set himself on fire in front of his wife and daughter” collects 24 comments from people who write “But we think about immigrants”. Only 4 hours later a user pointed out that the citizen was a foreigner: “4 comments and no one read the article”.
2020 is the year of the pandemic. Facebook is seeing a significant increase in users and time spent on its pages, with an explosion of live video and virtual interactions. The Secolo XIX page becomes a way to remain united. Lots of photos of you with the signs “It will all be fine” or a picnic on the terrace of the house. Far, but close.
From October 2021 Facebook becomes “Meta” and Facebook of the Century changes again. In 2023 we are wearing a new graphic design for all cards and trying to make our contents more recognisable.
And today? We continue to relate to you, we have not changed our way of “being there”, and we fill the page with articles relating to Genoa, the economy, work, Liguria, climate change… even if we realize that if no one clicks “like” the news becomes less valuable and disappears from the news feed. So, if you have recently received news from Il Secolo XIX about Ferragni's Pandoro, know that we post a news story every 20 minutes and if Facebook offers you exactly that one, which you have probably already seen a thousand times before, it's not our fault! And in any case, you will have understood, we prefer a nice plate of stewed stockfish.
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