Facebook is the first social platform of choice for most individuals and brands. Yes, it has grown up; is flooded by long-lost relatives who post strange comments on your pictures. While it’s not the newest social media platform, the number of active users (1.04 billion daily active users on average as of December 2015) and ad revenue (expected to reach $16.29 billion this year) Facebook generates speaks volumes for the success of the platform.
The success of Facebook comes from the fact that it was one of the first real social networks, successfully opening doors for a connection with a wider network of people, from any location in the world. Despite being miles and miles away from friends, family, customers, and brands, Facebook allows users to express exactly who they are, and maintain the relationship with all of their friends.
Facebook also has many internal, program features that differentiate it from other platforms.
What makes Facebook so popular for marketers, aside from its massive user base?
Customizable:
People can customize their profiles in so many different ways. You can pick whose posts show up on your newsfeed, and which friend’s posts you want to see first. You can even specify which friends are able to see specific posts of yours and alter it whenever you please. You can quickly make changes to your profile and privacy settings, taking control of what people see of you, and what you see of them. This makes Facebook great for advertisers, who are able to tap into those consumer preferences and behaviors to target advertising to them.
User Friendly:
Facebook is so easy to use, hence why your non-tech savvy relatives are using it constantly! Not only are there no character limits in the statuses, it is easy to comment, upload images, videos and links, or even tag a friend in a viral video or article. You can quickly display what’s going on in your life in a matter of seconds. If you can manage to convey your message in 63,206 characters…then this may be the right platform for you! The same factors that make Facebook easy for individuals make it easy for marketers too. Brands large and small can take advantage of Facebook’s simplicity to stay connected with their fans.
Why Else Should Marketers Use Facebook?
In addition to the other reasons shared, a brand can quickly send out text or image posts, displaying product or service information, schedule content to be published on desired times and dates in the future or even the past, and truly engage with—not just talk at–fans.
You also have the option to invest some money into your page, boosting a specific post, or creating advertisements available on newsfeeds or on the right column advertisement panel. All ads have the option of selecting target audiences, and creating objectives for your campaign.
Facebook has also recently rolled out their Self-Service Ads on Instagram feature, where it allows you to buy and place ads on its sister network, Instagram, making it even more valuable.
So let’s face it, Facebook is still a must-have for every individual and brand; because, without it who are you?
