Get our Simplify + Sell Website Planner: Get Instant Access »

Blog

Person with blue nails looking at Facebook with small laptop on their knees
Nov 07 2019

Is It Time to Give Up on Facebook?

I’d wager a guess that many of us spend more time on social media sites than we’re willing to admit publicly. Don’t worry; I’m not here to judge! If anything, I’m here to gently remind you, my small business owner friend, to use social media more to your advantage.

According to the Pew Research Center, seven out of ten American adults use Facebook. Among those users, about 74% of them visit the site at least once a day. The average American spends close to 38 minutes a day on Facebook alone. In one of those minutes, Facebook visitors “like” approximately 4.1 million posts, status updates, photos, and comments.

That’s a whole lot of eyes you can get on your business, no?

The tricky part: Facebook has also been reducing exposure for business pages, rendering organic reach (defined as the number of folks who see and engage with unpaid content) nearly non-existent. While this certainly poses a challenge for those of us who want to share content on the platform, it does not mean it’s time to relegate Facebook to the dustbin of history. It does, however, mean that it’s way past time for you to have a strategy around targeted paid advertising.

Who Are You, Really?

First things first: be very, very clear about your business. This seems like an obvious statement, but often our excitement about our project or product clouds our better judgment about branding and clarity of message. Pinpoint what makes you unique and the most qualified to deliver your services, and craft content and offers to spotlight your skills.

This is also a great time to be clear about why you’re using social media in the first place. Are you after brand awareness, driving traffic to your site, getting folks into your brick and mortar shop, or subscribing to your newsletter? That excitement might make you answer, “ALL OF THE ABOVE!” That’s fantastic!… as long as you acknowledge that each of those objectives will require different tactics.

Where Are Your People?

Once you have a clear message and content that backs it up, it’s time to find your people in the sea that is Facebook! This means getting smart about targeting your audience. The options for targeted promotions are almost limitless – from demographic basics like age, gender, and location, to more specific actions like life events and recent purchasing behavior.

If At First You Don’t Succeed…

You have your skills, your crystal clear message, and your dream clients all mapped out. Hitting the first run right out of the ballpark is a given, yes? Not so fast, my friend. Tracking your campaign’s performance is a crucial part of the process, and can help you garner insights towards refining messaging and targeting. Don’t be afraid to test, tweak, and test again! 

Facebook is one of many valuable tools at the disposal of the small business owner. Like any tool, it can be powerful when wielded properly. If you’re ready to make Facebook work for you, let me know! I’m happy to help!