Facebook is dying?
For those of us in business or internet marketing, you will probably see or hear a lot of press around that Facebook is dying. Mostly that Facebook is fast declining so the end must be near.
Facebook is certainly declining in the younger age group, particularly under 17 ( up to 10% in some segments) and also some marginally older. What does this mean to you?
First of all, what is your demographic?
Is your demographic in this group? If so move your talents on to another Facebook product.
Instagram is owned by Facebook and that is a vehicle of choice for the young.
Facebook recognized this and that is why they paid $1 billion for a relatively new platform.
They also bought Whatsapp for$19 billion just 2 years later. (2014)
This means that Facebook is not missing out they are just diversifying and catering to the needs of everyone.
I use Instagram and can relate some great stories of success but I just don’t get it, saying that I am certainly not in the sub 22 age group so I don’t really count.
Is Instagram going anywhere
Last year Instagram was valued at $50 billion and WhatsApp believed on its way to $100 billion so they just might know something you don’t.
Furthermore, Facebook in 2016 was worth $350b, last year over $500B going to the magic Trillion very soon
If your target market is anything but kids we are still on track.
Facebook has changed
It sure has, in the latest news feed changes many plugged advertisement have gone and more social content is shown. Social. teaching, training type articles and videos What this means to you is not to push advertising but connect with your audience in a more social manner. The end result is the same. Facebook is still a very powerful medium and should be a tool of all that want to promote a business.
Facebook and websites.
Do you need both?
I think so, as long as you understand what each does. Your Web page can sell, It can be information, provide contact details even legal requirement. Not to mention online orders, download information etc The idea is to keep people on the site until they find something that they like and then take the option to buy.
If perhaps you divert people from your website to your Facebook page you are undermining what you need to do. Taking them out of a buying cycle and into an entertainment media. Nothing to buy here.
On the other hand, your Facebook page is a channel to your web page. The reason for Facebook is to capture new clients and deliver them to results. This applies equally to Instagram, Snap chat, LinkedIn etc.
Furthermore, you want face to face clients or internet orders from an online form and these all come via the Web page.
Will you get banned from Facebook if you over advertise? The answer appears to be yes. Facebook want entertainment and followers that get news or learn something along the way.
Your SEO endeavours all lead to the webpage not the Facebook page
Having got to this point Facebook has got even smarter with Re-targeting (or re-marketing) those add that pop up after you have been somewhere similar.
Where does it take you? Straight to the web page or shop page.
Why is this OK when normal Advertising is not? My friend, the answer is simple, Facebook gets paid for this when you click on it. Second quarter 2017 a lazy $9.3 Billion in revenue for Facebook and they are trying to find more ways to make money from the feed.
In conclusion.
Do you really believe Facebook is dying? Facebook is going nowhere but up. Use it to your advantage and make use of the many ways to maximize your return on effort.
Peter Hanley
Todays free product,
