'We need to lean into what Facebook is today, not what it was 10 years ago'

I often hear the same complaints about Facebook - ‘It’s over’, ‘it’s only pay to play now’, ‘my engagement and reach is terrible’ and so on.

 The app has evolved. The soul of the app is not what it was in say 2009 when we posted moody status updates and tagged our buddies in exploits from the weekend that was.

 I primarily see it as a recommendation and referral site more than anything else. There is this odd juxtaposition where the user experience feels so commercial yet businesses complain about poor performance. Why is that?

First up, they don’t want to pay. Remember in the olden days when we had to pay to take out a one pager in the weekend paper? Social media created this beautiful bubble of free advertising. The bubble had to burst. Now, I don’t believe that you do need to do paid ads to have traction on Facebook however you cannot expect to be posting content that is effectively an advertisement and have the same result as a business with a huge monthly ad spend. That brings us to the point of using Facebook for what it is – a ‘social community’.

 The key for businesses looking to do well on Facebook organically, is not to advertise but connect.  If you are going to create content that is an ad, make it an ad but treat your brand fans as a community not a cash cow. The friendship element has been lost which has effectively had a negative impact for businesses even when Facebook is more commerce focused than ever. Educate your audience on your area of expertise and remember that when we buy something, we are not buying it for what it physically is. We are buying the feeling, the status, the benefit of convenience. Same goes with services – people are buying the time you will save them, the brand you will help create or the money you will help them make.

Facebook groups and the communities built within them are small business gold if used strategically and authentically. Focus on brand awareness and education - show your expert status and share your knowledge without agenda. Try this out and then tell me that Facebook is ‘over’.

The views expressed in this article are opinions only and must not be considered business advice. Always consult specialised professionals when making individual business decisions.