WHY DO I NEED A FACEBOOK PAGE?

As a brand manager, the number of networks that clog your brain and stress your budget are ever increasing. Anyone who has a new idea on how to make a mundane life event into a social experience now has an entire network built around it.

We have Instagram to socialize taking pictures (mostly of our food), YouTube to share those moments when someone does something so stupid it just has to be on video, Vine for when ten seconds is just too much of a commitment, and Google+ for when we want to boost the SEO value of the picture of our lunch, but don’t really want anyone to see it.

There is Twitter for when we have a thought and need to share it, Pinterest for planning our wedding and sharing every image we ever found remotely interesting ever, and Tumblr for when we want to blog, but don’t really want to put in the effort.

All of these networks have a ton of value to different brands. They each provide a unique audience, and a completely different look and feel to your message. The evident sarcasm of the above writing aside, these networks all provide real value to real brands every day. It’s not a question of if anymore.

The 800 pound Gorilla

Yes, we just called Facebook fat. Facebook is the 800 pound gorilla in the middle of the room, sucking down chili dogs and slurping up a Mega-Gulp of soda, staring you down, intimidating and terrifying. Everything goes through them, and if you don’t go through them, you are going to lose.

Increasingly, however, the answer to “Why do I need a Facebook page?” is… you don’t. You probably still should, but you don’t have to have one. The answer, as with all social networks, is more complicated.

There was a time when it was unthinkable for a brand to not be on Facebook. It still carries quite a shock, much the same way saying you didn’t have an email address was shocking in 2003. After all, the audience on Facebook is huge. Over a billion active users can’t be wrong, right? Seriously, if everyone is on Facebook, your brand should be, too.

Right?

I Have to Have a Facebook Page, My Boss’ Uncle’s Cousin Told Us So

Well, not necessarily. The time when Facebook was critical and absolutely mandatory is passing quickly. This isn’t due to anything brands did, or to say that Facebook is useless. Far from it. Facebook’s massive user base has value, it just isn’t universal anymore.

Increasingly, millenials are not using Facebook. They have a Facebook profile, but they don’t use it. They aren’t active, and likely are just using it as a simple login for the other sites they visit. The reasons are many; so many we could fill this site with reasons why, but it is enough to know that age demographic is walking away from Facebook. If that is your target demo, you need to look elsewhere.

In addition, companies are walking away from Facebook as well. GM stunned the advertising world when they pulled every ad from Facebook. They maintain a presence, but the ad buy is gone. Now, even the people who cover social media are jumping ship. The Facebook waters aren’t quite as warm as they used to be.

Wait… So What’s Happening Here?

Edgerank and a pay-for-play model are killing the thirst for Facebook ad space. When a brand has to spend to get fans, then spend again to reach them (as Social Media Today points out), that is a massive turn off for brands. In a game where the content no longer matters, the brands who succeed with content marketing will simply find somewhere it still works and leave the newsfeed purchasing to companies that fit that method better.

The short version of what’s happening is that Facebook took a system that worked for everyone, and tweaked until it only works for them, and a specific set of brands. They followed the old saying “If it ain’t broke, fix ‘til it is.” They sum it up in their motto “Move fast, break stuff.” In the end, however, big brands don’t like things that break, and increasingly, neither do young consumers.

As Facebook changes the way ads are purchased and viewed, yet again, brands and end users are becoming increasingly frustrated with the platform. Facebook was, for a good chunk of time (in social media standards), Rome. The empire was built, they ruled the world, and everyone worshipped at their altar. Now, the walls are cracking, and not every brand feels their presence is needed on the former flagship.

The question is: Why do I need a Facebook page? The answer used to be, “because you do.” Now, the answer is, “Does it fit your strategy?” Now, if you don’t know if it fits your strategy (or if you don’t know what your strategy is), we’d love to help. Call us at 763-595-3800 or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.