Can’t keep up with Facebook’s changes?

Frustrated about the drop in organic reach?

Wondering if it’s worth it?

I have heard them all and feel your frustration, I’ve been there too. Facebook constantly changes its game, so should you still invest time in it?

Firstly, we need to acknowledge that Facebook is a business and they’re entitled to make money just as much as you’re entitled to get paid for your products or services. I think we’ve been quite spoilt for a while in getting this free ride, but at some point a business needs to have a sustainable business model otherwise it won’t exist for long.

Secondly, we need to give Facebook time. As with anything that changes, we need to observe and monitor before we complain. Facebook is actually working on improving services for all their stakeholders.

So should you still spend your time on Facebook?

Of course it’s entirely up to you and I’m the first one to tell you to only do what feels right to you, but if your potential clients are on Facebook I think you should most definitely be on Facebook. I’ll also tell you why:

• Facebook is still the largest network out there, meaning that it has a large potential reach for your business. With such a large following, it’s likely that your clients are on Facebook so you should probably be on it to build a relationship with them. Why do I say ‘probably’, because I believe wholeheartedly that you should only do what you truly believe is right for you. That said, I also give the advice to only ‘hang out’ on social platforms that your clients’ use.
• The improvements made by Facebook are for the better, even if you don’t see it that way because you’re seeing a drop in organic reach. Facebook is working on making it a better user experience, because they don’t only look after us businesses. They have to keep all stakeholders happy, that means their social followers, the businesses, and their shareholders. They are actually optimising their platform so that it works for all of us. If they didn’t make the changes, their social followers might feel upset with all the salesy/pushy posts from businesses which could have resulted in them leaving Facebook, them unfollowing you, or them reporting you. So Facebook is upgrading things to make it a better experience for all of us, which is a good thing in my opinion.
• With all these upgrades and changes that Facebook is making, us business owners will get better targeting options. This means that it will become easier to talk to those who REALLY want to hear from us. It also make it easier to advertise and have laser sharp targeting. The more targeted your advertising, the more people who really want to hear from you will show up and the cheaper your advertising gets. For me that’s a win-win.

So next time you complain about having to pay to play, remember that Facebook is a business who has to keep all of its stakeholders happy. If they didn’t they’d go out of business, just like any of us.

Facebook is a fun social tool, so just have fun and see it as another tool in your marketing toolkit but don’t put all your eggs in the one basket. Use it in addition to all your other marketing tools such as your website, your newsletter, your shopfront, your customer service calls etc.