I’ve been hearing a lot of hubbub about Facebook lately.
Not the usual complaints from users. Several big-name marketers are shouting from the roof tops, claiming that Facebook marketing is the wave of the future. Learn it now, they say, and you’ll have a head start on the next “big thing” in marketing.
Is it really that effective?
The truth is, you’ll hear it both ways: that Facebook is the worst possible marketing channel or the best in the world.
Let’s take a look at both viewpoints for a little clarity.
The problem with Facebook likes
This video came out a few weeks ago and went viral pretty quickly. Its premise is that Facebook’s advertising model is flawed. If you struggle with low engagement—especially if you’ve paid to promote posts—you might enjoy this.
Now for the opposing viewpoint
Is Facebook advertising a waste of money? Not if you do it right. According to Jon Loomer, Facebook marketing guru, the key is targeting. In response to the video above, he made it clear that if you target ads poorly, your ads won’t work. Period.
Well, that seems logical to me. Targeting is the juice that makes any ad campaign run smoothly, and the tactics talked about in the video didn’t include it.
So what’s going on?
Although the fake Facebook page, MyVirtualCat, was created to test Facebook advertising and engagement, it’s also proof that putting energy into differentiating yourself can increase engagement.
While he intends to create a low-quality Facebook page, the guy in the video actually creates a humorous site that has a lot of personality. His mission statement certainly stands out:
Virtual Cat is a virtual pet like none other. Here we’ll post only the worst, most annoying drivel you can imagine. Only an idiot would like this page.
Anyone who enjoys a good joke is going to like this page. And the engagement level you now see is proof.
The page now has more than 3,000 likes and good engagement—probably because of the funny concept it was built around. Here’s the post that was referenced in the video, the one that got no engagement. As of this writing, it has 627 likes. Not bad.
(Be sure to check out the bottom comment.)
In reality, there’s no one right way to market your business. If your customers are on Facebook, you need to be there. If they aren’t, don’t waste your time.
The key is to stay in front of your customers and provide plenty of engaging content. Then learn from someone who’s getting results. Clearly they know what they’re doing.
What’s your exerience? Has Facebook been a profitable channel or a time suck? Share your thoughts below.
