Mathew PaquetChecklist · 4 min read
The Stranger Test Audit Sheet
Run your Facebook posts through one question before they go out: what would a stranger type to ask for more of this? Plus the three fixes for the ones that fail.
On October 13, 2026, Meta announced a feature called Your algorithm for Facebook's Feed and Reels. Two parts matter for a business:
Why it matters: Meta's own report says that in the second quarter of 2026, 36.6% of what Americans saw in their Facebook feed came from recommendations, posts from accounts they don't follow. Only 14.8% came from the Pages and people they do follow. That recommended part is where a stranger finds you for the first time, and it's the part people can now steer.
What nobody knows yet. You don't get to read what anyone typed. Meta hasn't said who has the feature, how much a typed sentence counts against everything else Facebook knows, how long a request lasts, how many people will open the menu, or whether any of it is used for ads. It's rolling out, with no countries or date named.
People used to hide one post or unfollow one Page. Now they can name a kind of post, in their own words. So before a post goes out, ask one question.
What sentence would a stranger type to ask for more of this?If you can write it in a few seconds, the post passes. If you can't, or the only honest sentence is "less of this", flag it. Here it is on six posts from a small running shop (an invented example):
The meme gets flagged twice because Facebook said in July 2025 that accounts that keep reusing other people's content get reduced distribution on everything they share.
1. Pick two to four topics a stranger could name, and stay inside them. Facebook describes people with plain topics (Meta's example: music festivals, fitness, grill recipes), not with accounts. For the running shop: running form, gear, races, recovery. Not running, plus your lunch, plus a holiday greeting.
Topic 2: [ ]
Topic 3: [ ]
Topic 4 (optional): [ ]
Out of bounds: [THE POSTS I'LL STOP MAKING]
2. Make it yourself. Your shop, your customers, your advice. Facebook said in 2025 that Pages do best with original content they filmed or created.
3. Put the offer inside the useful thing. The sale doesn't go away. It rides inside the post someone would ask for.
and if [THE READER'S SITUATION], [THE OFFER].
Example: Here's how to tell your shoes are done,
and if yours are, it's 20% off this weekend.
Read how Facebook describes you. Open the three dots on any post and tap Your algorithm. Notice the words: short, plain topics. Grill recipes, not "elevated outdoor dining experiences". Meta hasn't published how it labels posts, so this part is my read: captions in the plain words a person would type, like running shoes or marathon training, are easier to put in the right place.
Watch the trend, not the box. Nobody will tell you how many people asked for less of you, and you can't separate this from every other change Facebook makes in a month.
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Flags: [COUNT]. Rework these first.
Sources
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Write the sentence a stranger would type to ask for each of your last ten Facebook posts, and flag every post where you can't write one.
Saving works best in your phone's browser. A copy is also in your inbox.