Is it still worth it for businesses to be on Facebook?

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Is it still worth it for businesses to be on Facebook?

With upcoming changes to its algorithms, Facebook is no longer a social community that gives companies a free pass to the party.

Marketing expert Marc Gordon wants every business owner with a Facebook page to spend a few minutes thinking about marketing strategy before they make their next post. “For most businesses, there’s a good chance that almost no one will see their post,” says Marc. “Those that manage a company’s marketing and social media campaigns may want to start questioning what will give them the greatest return on their resources. Spending an hour a day on social media may no longer be the best use of time.”

Back in 2012, Facebook restricted organic reach of content published from company pages to about 16 percent. In December 2013, it was reduced even more. By February 2014, according to a Social@Ogilvy analysis of more than 100 brand pages, organic reach hovered at 6 percent.

According to HubSpot, organic reach for company and brand pages is now less than 2 percent. Many industry insiders are anticipating organic reach to eventually reach zero, a concept referred to as Facebook Zero.

“I think most people do not understand Facebook’s business model,” says Marc. “Facebook is not in the business of helping people share photo’s of their vacations, they are in the business of making money. And to do this, they need to attract lots of traffic, gather user data, then use that data to encourage paid advertising. Making social sharing easy and relevant is simply the method for attracting greater traffic. There is no incentive to Facebook to provide a business with free access to their users.”

So if a business is not willing to pay to promote their posts or prepared to take on a Facebook paid marketing campaign, is there any reason to even have a Facebook presence? Marc says yes, but only under the right conditions.

“Facebook can still be a valuable marketing tool,” says Marc. “Many people still visit a company’s Facebook page looking for promotions, to learn more about the company, or to see how they communicate with their customers. Although they may never again see any of the company’s posts, it can be highly influential in making that great first impression.”

Beyond using Facebook as a promotional tool, Marc says it can also be a powerful customer service platform. “Encouraging your customers to send you feedback, questions, or concerns through your Facebook page can increase efficiency and show the world you’re committed to supporting your customers beyond the sale.”

Is there any other way a business can leverage Facebook to increase awareness? “Absolutely,” says Marc. “Every business should encourage their customers to share their buying experiences with their own networks. Have customers take photos of themselves at your business, using your products, or sharing their stories of how your product or service helped them. These kinds of posts will have the greatest reach and the most influence. And best of all, at no cost.”

Marc Gordon is an marketing expert, author, and corporate speaker. He has been referred to as Canada’s marketing superstar by the Oprah Winfrey Network. To learn more about Marc Gordon’s ideas on Facebook and other marketing ideas for business, contact him at (416) 238-7811 or marc@marcgordon.ca. You can also visit marcgordon.ca for more information on Marc.

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About Marc Gordon and Fourword Marketing

Marc Gordon is the owner of Fourword Marketing, professional speaker and author.  He has worked with hundreds of small business owners helping them reach their business goals through effective and innovative marketing methods.

Marc Gordon & Fourword Marketing

Tel: (416) 238-7811

Visit marcgordon.ca or fourword.biz for more information.

Fourword Marketing, 1136 Centre Street, Suite 301, Thornhill, Ontario L4J 3M8 Canada