We have all seen the headlines. Facebook made some decisions about releasing user data that have come into question and have the social media giant under close scrutiny. So, do you need to leave Facebook personally or as a business? We say NO!
As a platform, Facebook is not going to go away. There is not another giant waiting to take over Facebook’s place in the world. “Worldwide, there are over 2.13 billion monthly active Facebook users for Q4 2017, which is a 14 percent increase year over year. (Source: Facebook 01/31/18) No company is going to swoop in and build a following anywhere near that size in a short amount of time. One of my clients recently said (half-jokingly), “Maybe I will go to MySpace. I know my data is safe there.” Yes, your data would be safe there because you would be the ONLY person using the service. It is not a social network without a large group using it. I am not saying Facebook will never be booted from their social media throne but it will not be any time soon.
Yes, Facebook is making changes and some of those are going to make it harder for businesses to get their message out. However, as industry professionals, we are on top of the newest changes before they are even rolled out and we have often found workarounds before the change ever impacts you. This is our area of expertise. It is what we do!
Social media is and will remain a critical element of getting the word out about your business. If you have a non-profit or consumer or client driven business you need a platform to get your message out and we still believe that Facebook is usually the best platform for this. So, despite a few bumps in the road and a somewhat foggy future, we say stay the course and keep promoting your business on Facebook.