When outlining the social platforms that will work best for your business, Facebook has long been at the top of ‘places to be.’ However, over the past couple of years, Facebook has taken a few hits. This has us wondering if Facebook still makes sense for business — the short answer is yes. However, there are a lot of variables to consider before deciding if Facebook is right for your business.
While each client’s needs and goals are different and will serve as the final determinant as to whether Facebook makes sense for their business, there are a few overarching concepts that we feel apply to most businesses. To that end, we thought it would make sense to do a quick rundown of the good, the bad and the ugly of Facebook and let you decide if Facebook makes sense for your business’ social media strategy.
Facebook: The Good
According to a recent report from Statista, Facebook has 2.23 billion active monthly users. Of that pool, India, the United States, and Brazil hold the titles for most users. That’s a lot of potential customers!
Facebook also offers custom page design, branding, and a zero up-front-cost to play opportunity.
While you can start a page and get in the game with no money, if you want to really make a difference in your reach, you almost always need to incorporate targeted Facebook ads into your marketing budget. The costs are relatively inexpensive when compared to traditional print, radio, or TV, which is a good thing. Being able to really target your ad spend is a great thing!
Facebook also offers amazing analytics through Facebook Insights. You can learn a great deal about your audience and how they behave on your page.
Facebook is also an excellent place to build brand loyalty and drive traffic to your webpage through posts with both images and links. With fun content and eye-grabbing imagery, you can easily catch the attention of your target audience and channel engagement to your website.
Facebook: The Bad
You should also be aware that unlike platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, Facebook is a bit of a slow burner to start. Building your following can take a bit of time.
Since it’s not an ‘if you build it they will come’ type of set-up, this is where your ad spend could have a positive impact.
Additionally, due to the potential audience size, you’ll want to ensure that your company’s Facebook page is managed by an experienced marketer —- not an intern (sorry interns of the world).
Keep in mind that not all feedback or replies will be positive, so make sure the person manning your Facebooks gates is a trained professional. Your brand voice and reputation are at stake here.
Facebook: The Ugly
Unless you’ve been living under a rock or on a beach with no wifi or cable, then you’re probably aware of the ugly truth of security issues and unwanted trolls on Facebook. Let’s be honest here — these issues are sadly part of today’s online landscape, regardless of the social media platform.
The main takeaway here is to be sure you have someone manning the hen house — monitoring comments, flagging anything suspicious, and working hard to ensure your Facebook place is a happy and safe place for your brand and your followers.
Still unsure if Facebook makes sense for your business? Contact us and let’s discuss!