“Nobody is on Facebook anymore.” This phrase is appearing more frequently in conversations with friends and colleagues. In light of users’ privacy concerns and the decided loss of the “cool kids’” vote, it is not surprising many are questioning the value of using Facebook to market their business. Nobody wants to look like the dinosaur of Milwaukee’s social media scene.
More importantly, nobody wants to look foolish for spending advertising dollars on a platform with tales of declining membership.
To make that decision for your business, I encourage you to remember these two basic questions, both rooted in Marketing 101:
- Is the audience a good match? Some of the “cool kids” may be leaving Facebook, but their parents are still there. If your core customer base skews older, the decline in young Facebook users is not necessarily a deterrent. It could actually be a benefit.
- Will this help me boost sales at a price I can afford? Facebook’s event feature might be the oldest trick in the social media book, but it is still effective. It is hard to imagine a free tool more useful than one that allows fans to invite their friends to your event within seconds.
If you do not work in event-based marketing, you could benefit from Facebook’s advertising options, which are infamously beneficial for identifying potential customers that share characteristics with your base.
It is not my intention to sell you on Facebook or to dissuade you from using other platforms. I only offer a friendly reminder not to get so swept up in the promise of a new, young audience from the other options that you forget to ask yourself those valuable questions.
If Twitter makes sense for your businesses, use Twitter. If Instagram makes sense, use it. If Facebook makes sense for your business, don’t abandon it. You won’t lose your spot at the “cool kids” table.
Leslie Rivers is marketing manager at the Milwaukee Ballet.
