Building Your Brand on Facebook’s New Platform

Facebook is gearing up to completely revamp the way their social media platform works. Mark Zuckerberg said of the changes, “our big focus is making sure the time we all spend on Facebook is time well spent.” This signals a seismic shift in Facebook’s focus from brand-centricity to a deeper focus on friends and family.

But, for all the small business families whose marketing bread and butter is Facebook advertising, this change is causing a lot of uncertainty. Many have been left wondering if the change will present insurmountable obstacles for companies with small marketing budgets. As of yet, it’s hard to tell what the exact repercussions will be, but a few fundamental principles of Facebook branding will not change.

For starters, Facebook pages will function in a similar manner. They will still include a cover photo and a news feed. Marketing guru Neil Patel says that an updated cover photo will “help businesses connect better with their fans.” He recommends that businesses use a cover video that relates with their audience and describes their business or product.

For businesses, the importance of having a Facebook page that converts will be paramount. They’ll be in front of fewer eyeballs, so when fans do come in contact with them, those points of contact will have to be excellent.

Marketing experts suggest that businesses run campaigns that encourage fans to update their news feed settings to prioritize their favorite brands. That way, small business posts will still be considered relevant by Facebook.

Experts also say that Facebook ads of the future will have to focus on converting users into customers. There will be fewer boosted posts and more overt advertisements. Neil Patel says even now boosting posts can be a “waste of money.” He suggests that brands should primarily use their marketing budget to encourage purchases.

Success in small business marketing will continue to be a challenge as social media networks strive to appease their users, and savvy small business owners will need to learn to adapt and re-strategize as networks like Facebook evolve.