Facebook’s main problems
For many years, Facebook remained the most important social media. It revolutionized how people connect and communicate by offering many free features. We must not forget that Facebook has existed since 2004 and will soon be 20 years old. It has not prevented it from facing many scandals along the way. Are people using less Facebook than before?
The organic reach is low
First, if you manage a Facebook page, you likely have noticed that your followers less and less see your publications. Indeed, according to Isarta, the average organic reach rate went from 7% in 2018 to 5% in 2020. In other words, it says that if 100 people follow you, only 5 will see your content, which is very limiting. This is because the platform favors the content that brings them money, the ads. Your friends and family’s content is then second.
There are too many ads
In the same vein, Facebook presents more and more page suggestions or ads. The ratio is far from the beginning when it was more balanced. Nowadays, if you want your content to be seen by all of your community, you need to create an ad. With time, people started feeling annoyed to pay to inform their followers of important news.
Other social media platforms are getting popular
It is also important to mention that since Facebook’s creation in 2004, other social media platforms have appeared. Some became some of the most used apps when others disappeared quickly, like Google Plus. People now have choices: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Discord, Twitch, Snapchat, Pinterest, TikTok… It is then expected that some groups of people decide to favor one social media instead of another.
In addition, more and more young people want to be active on social media platforms that their parents or grandparents do not use. New trends come and go, and many more recent social media offer more organic reach than what Facebook currently offers.
Why Facebook remains relevant
If you have a business, there are great chances that Facebook remains relevant. It is not mandatory to publish content daily; however, possessing an updated Facebook page can make a huge difference. Let's say that after a website, a Facebook page remains an essential part of your online presence.
Millions of people still use it
First, it is important to remember that Facebook is still used by millions of people every day and from all over the world. It remains a very influential social media. The essential question we must ask ourselves is: is my target audience using this platform? When you start a business, a YouTube channel, or a blog, it is recommended that you take the time to target a precise audience.
The main advantage of Facebook is that it is a social media platform for everybody. You will find men and women, people from cities or rural areas. Therefore, if you want to target a vast audience, Facebook remains a relevant platform. If you want to do advertising, the fact that you can target some specific groups of people or a big community stays something interesting.
We can publish different types of content
We seem to forget that Facebook is a flexible social media platform. Indeed, unlike other social media, Facebook allows us to publish texts, images, and videos. On Twitter, it is mostly based on small texts. On Instagram, we must post pictures. On YouTube and TikTok, we need to create videos. Consequently, you can create different types of content on Facebook. By verifying your statistics, you can also see what works best with your community.
Facebook groups are still useful
Do you know the Facebook groups? They are different from the page we follow. Facebook groups can still be very useful because it allows more engagement and interactions between the members. There are Facebook groups of all kinds, for example, family groups, help groups, professional associations, sports clubs, people who share a common interest, etc. The groups can also be open to all or secret. Therefore, creating or participating in Facebook groups could be relevant if you are looking for a way to follow some people's content more efficiently.
In conclusion, will Facebook remain the most popular social media for years? There are great chances that it will not be the case; however, we need to remember that it is an important social media platform, especially for older people. Once more, it is not mandatory to be present on all social media; only keep those relevant to your target audience. If managing social media gives you headaches, do not hesitate to look at our community manager’s best tips. Good luck!