Is Facebook really dead?
In the ever-evolving world of social media marketing, a question has been on the minds of small business owners and marketers that I speak to: Is Facebook dead or is it still alive and kicking?
With new platforms emerging and algorithms constantly changing, people I speak with often speculate about Facebook's relevance. What’s the answer? Well it depends on who you ask and, when you ask me I’ll give you my honest, experienced opinion and it goes a little like this:
Facebook is not dead. In fact Facebook remains an incredibly powerful marketing tool for small businesses and community organisations because people are still using it - actively and daily. Now that’s obviously not a blanket statement because it might not be the platform for you and you need to make that decision. I hope you’ll read on to get some thoughtstarters.
Social media users in Australia are some of the most active in the world. In February 2023 there were around 18.4 million monthly Australian Facebook users and Facebook reports that 16 million Australian users are ‘active’ which is about 64% of our population. 1 in 2 Australians use Facebook on a daily basis!
You might also be surprised by these numbers (I sure was):
Age and number of users in Australia:
13-17 = 1.1m
18-25 = 3.5m
25-39 = 6.3m
40-55 = 4.3m
55-64 = 1.7m
65+ = 1.5m
Sources: Meta, socialmedianews.com.au
So is Facebook dead or have you just killed your own Facebook Page?
That sounded a bit dramatic, but from where I’m sitting, the biggest thing wrong with my clients’ Facebook Pages is how they are using them. Here’s a list of common mistakes being made:
Only pushing content from Instagram to the Page
Only pushing content from Instagram into Stories and Reels
Posting too often or not enough
Not having the right balance of give and ask content
Not using the platform to engage with others through Groups, Events and Page content
Not being responsive to comments and messages
Not using calls to action that elicit comments and messages
Continuing to post the same type of content even if it’s not working
In a nutshell, if your attitude to Facebook is to just share the same content from Instagram and that’s all, you will find your reach and engagement drifts away into a coma BUT the good news is that you can revive your Page and tap into all the benefits and exposure that Facebook is still capable of providing.
How to revive your Facebook Page in 10 easy steps
Make time. You’re probably not making any time for Facebook at the moment so, before you start anything, make sure you can keep it up. Even 10 minutes a day will breathe life back into your Page.
Set yourself some goals. How will you know if you’re successful if you haven’t set any goals? There’s got to be a reason why you want to revive your Facebook Page so have a big think about what you want to achieve - who you want to reach, where you want to drive that new traffic. Set yourself some time goals too. How long are you prepared to put in this effort? (remembering it could take a few months to turn it around).
Look at your insights. Who is following you, where are they, how old, what’s been popular content in the past? Set a baseline and make sure you are consistently monitoring your insights looking for data to prove it’s working (according to the goals you set).
Clear the decks. Spend a bit of time looking at the Pages you are following from your Page - are they still relevant? Write a list of who you should be strategically following (but don’t follow them yet). Same goes for Groups - what Groups are you in? Are they still relevant to you or even active still? Go and find some groups you want to join (again write a list or save the URLS into a note or Word Doc so you can easily find them again) and bounce out of Groups that no longer serve you. Cut back on the noise so you can focus.
Clean up your Page. Fill out all the details using good keywords and approachable language. Delete or archive old posts and videos that no longer serve you or look good. Pop up a new cover image and profile pic if it’s cropped oddly. Use the fabulous FAQ messaging tools and consider adding the Messenger chatbot to your website to drive more interactions. Clean up your Business Suite backend!! Make sure you have all the proper information in place, that you’re secure and have added things like the Pixel to your website (ask me how to do all that if you need to).
Develop a new content strategy and make sure it’s a little different to your other social media and marketing channels. Facebook is pretty flexible but to be successful you do need to post natively into it - that means posting directly, not sharing from another app. Video is still popular on Facebook if that’s your thing - short instructional videos, Reels, lives could all go into your mix provided you can do it in a relevant way and quality that matches your brand. Don’t forget to develop a bit of a plan for the days and times you’ll be posting - this will be a bit of trial and error so experiment and record when you have a post that performs particularly well.
Develop a checklist of things you need to add to your content and captions to help with search and recommendation. Keywords and phrases, hashtags, accounts you collaborate with so you can ‘mention’ them. Calls to action (CTA) are super important! Go back to your goals and work out what CTAs will help drive people to do, think or feel what you want them to. For example if you want Facebook to deliver you more website traffic then don’t forget to tell people to visit your website or create content like blogs that you can post an intro and then move your audience to the website to read more.
Get posting! Do it for a few weeks and collect your data. Start following those Pages and joining those Groups and be active in both places, commenting and helping out with advice. Ask questions, be interactive, send messages and be supportive of other businesses (don’t be salesy). Seek out genuine connections and this part of your strategy will actually be fun and rewarding, both professionally and personally). Develop a content calendar and stick to a schedule to ensure a steady stream of fresh, engaging content that keeps your audience coming back for more.
Advertise. Once you get moving, it might be a good time to run some ads to put your content, products or services in front of the ‘right’ people. If you’ve got a regular posting schedule and you’re gaining traction, then advertising will give you a big push in the right direction. Facebook's advertising tools empower you to reach specific demographics, interests, and locations. Take advantage of advanced targeting options to ensure your ads are seen by the right people, boosting your chances of conversion.
Keep going. Once you start seeing results you will see that Facebook is most definitely not dead.
And please come back to me in a few months time and tell me how you went!
Facebook is alive and thriving, I promise you! It continues to offer immense potential for expanding your online presence and reaching your target audiences. By understanding Facebook's algorithms and what they need from you, by engaging your audience authentically, using targeted advertising from time-to-time, and embracing video content and groups, you can unlock this platform's power BUT you might also need to adjust your expectations. Remember to steer clear of common pitfalls like over-promotion, neglecting analytics, and inconsistent or irrelevant posting. Focus on posting less, but posting better, more strategic content and building a community around your business or community organisation.
Good luck and please let me know how you go if you follow these steps.
. . .
❤️ Hi I’m Erika ✌️ I’m a marketing specialist with a BA in Media and Comms, Masters of Marketing, Certificate in CX (Customer Experience) and over 25 years experience. I’m well placed to help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming world of marketing and social media. I work with you one on one or create fun and action-oriented workshops and webinars for groups, organisations and businesses. Book a free discovery call with me or simply email me to get the conversation started.
For more tips, connect with me on Facebook and Instagram or just get in touch, I'm always happy to help.
