Facebook is dead! Now what?
I am sure you have seen this headline floating around countless times. It is a huge discussion in ironically many social media groups and I have read tons of articles about the very topic of if Facebook is dead! Truth be told, I also got caught up in the hype of it all at one time, until I did my own research.
Facebook changes its algorithms often and that is one of the main reasons, people have been saying it is dead. Sometimes it seems difficult to keep up with all the changes floating around. But it is definitely not dead! If you are using Facebook as one of your main social media platforms to stay connected to your audience, then consider these 5 things.
- Be in the know!
Want to beat the algorithms? Then be in the know. One of the first things I did when I fell into the trap of saying Facebook is dead, is to find Facebook experts. There are a few people online who I have found really get Facebook. I am not speaking about the people who are only encouraging you to runs ads…even though that helps…but persons who know the ins and outs of the platform and can give you some real insight into how each change can benefit your business.
Stay updated with news coming out of the Facebook camp and listen intently to what is being shared
2. Spice things up!
By following and listening to these masters of Facebook, one consistent thing they all say and I have found to be true. Is that you can increase your reach and engagement organically by spicing things up on your page. Because so many people are using the platform to sell to their audience, their pages looks like a photo album of repeated images and messages.
Spice things up, by sharing different types of content on your page and really engaging your audience so they get to know more about your business. It is not about YOU, it is about THEM! So speak to them daily as if you were there best friends. I found that when I consistently started to do a mix of videos, memes, pictures only, polls and engagement questions that my reach and engagement increased without spending a dime on ads. More people responded to the content I shared and thus my clients increased as well
3. Birds of a feather flock together
You know when you first started your page, you wanted to increase it so quickly that you invited everybody you knew and you followed and liked every page that you could find and also joined every group? Well that does more damage than good.
A great way to ensure your messages reach in front a specific audience who needs exactly what you are sharing is by paying close attention to your neighbours. Who is following you as well as who you are following . Once I cleaned up my list, unfollowed a bunch of pages I would never buy from, came out of groups that added no value and make an intentional effort to follow and associate my page with leaders in my niche and companies I could partner with, the eyes on my page increased. I started a attract a different type of audience responding to the content I was sharing. And the content I was seeing in my feed, helped me to stat connected to my audience and share more value.
4. Use thE AVAILABLE TOOLS
One of the greatest things about Facebook to me is that there are sooo many free tools that are available to the user. With a built in scheduler, news feed targeting, audience insights, custom audience builder just to name a few, any user of the platform has the opportunity to optimize their page so they get maximum results daily. Yet so many people are not using the tools and then complain it is dead!
The tools are there for you to be the best version of yourself. And there is also training available on how to use the tools to maximize your reach and engagement. Even if you run a group on Facebook, there are ways for you to stay top of mind with your audience and get the most out of the platform.
5. Yes, you have to run ads
I never get why people get irritated that the platforms keeps encouraging your to boost your posts or run ads. It is a business! Their goal is to help you but also to make money and they make money when you run ads. Don’t you want people to buy from you? And don’t you encourage them daily to buy from you as well? The idea is the same.
While there are many free tools and resources around the platform ultimately, having an ad budget every month works wonders for your reach and engagement. The myth is that you need to spend a ton on ads. I have found with my best performing post, if I spend as little as $2USD a day for a week or two that I see huge results. So you can imagine if I increased that budget to $50 or even $1000 a day. The amount you spend really depends on your budget, but if Facebook is your preferred platform because that is where your audience is showing up, then invest in it. It is an investment in yourself and your business. And learn how to run the ads that will give you the most bang for your buck! (Not simply boosting everything you post…..there is a difference)
Facebook is definitely NOT dead, but it is challenging you to be intentional in how you show up and engage with your audience. That is the catch and the sooner you embrace that and make the necessary changes, the sooner the platform will start to work in your favor.
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