The Shift of Facebook Ads
We’ve seen the transition of Facebook from being a mere Social Media Networking site, to a whole ecosystem that even exists in your own cellphone. It was only a matter of time before they decided to take a portion of the market by fully converting into a formal media outlet. In this post we’ll dive into how Facebook is changing and we’ll touch on organic vs. paid posts, new types of ads and formulas on how to ultimately be successful on the platform.
1. Organic posts are leaning toward a 0% exposure rate.
Facebook’s algorithm is constantly changing to “improve” the way fans receive content. In the last couple of years, organic posts had an approximate 10% reach (and declining each year) to the total number of fans vs. paid ads which reached significantly more fans and non-fans alike. Now, it has been reported that organic posts will have a 0% exposure (if not shared or boosted) vs. paid ads. This now officially categorizes Facebook as a formal media outlet, forcing companies to invest in Page Engagement Ads in order to get real results. Not only are they trying to shift the way brands behave on social media, they are also trying to emphasize the fact that reach has become way more important than likes, shares or comments. According to Mashable, “Facebook likes don’t go as far as they used to in News Feed Updates”.
2. The NEW big player will be Video Views.
With the new Facebook Features announced at the beginning of this year, the power of Facebook Ads will shift from having Page Likes Ads as their biggest player, to Video Views. But, what are Video Views? Well, now that they have allowed people to upload videos to Facebook and made it easier to share, the Ad Manager Platform will allow brands to push Videos with several added features like continuity and autoplay. In addition, videos uploaded directly to Facebook look better and enjoy a robust set of analytic tools vs. videos uploaded from other platforms as links.
3. Clicks to Website
The “click to website” ads now have a new option that allows businesses, especially those focused on retail products, to upload a “multi product” catalog that slides to the right when you click over it. This option is under the same tab labeled as “Product Ads”, and has approximately the same specs. These are great when promoting events, sales, or flash promos, or if you have several things you’d like to highlight.
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In short, Facebook wants you to invest, otherwise you will not get the same exposure as other companies who do spend on ads. The age of “free advertising” is over. Organic posts are dying, along with the measured variables such as Likes, Comments and Shares. Moving forward, post reach and engagement are increasingly becoming more important.
What do you think about these changes? Did you see the shift coming or is it something that took you by surprise?