Facebook Changes That Affect Marketers

Our Take: Guest expert Mari Smith says headlines claiming Facebook is dying or decreasing in popularity are false, based on the continued growth in daily and monthly active users. She states that Facebook very much remains alive and popular, even if aspects of the platform can frustrate users at times. Mari reiterates that marketers should not give up on Facebook too soon, given the size of the active user base.

Our Take: While this issue emerged over a year ago, it is once again generating concern among group admins who have invested significant time and effort building their groups.

Facebook appears to be targeting “dormant” groups that have had little or no recent activity. The platform prefers active engagement and sees inactive groups as a waste of resources. In some cases, admins are given a 6-day notice before the switch.

To avoid this situation, Mari recommends that group admins take three steps: 1) Assign at least one backup admin who can take over if needed, 2) Archive any old, unused groups yourself versus letting Facebook remove you, and 3) Re-engage any inactive groups to show that there is still activity occurring. While the primary admin does not need to post daily, taking measures to keep groups vibrant will help avoid automated admin changes.

Our Take: The EU's Digital Services Act aims to give users more control over their data and how it shapes the content they see. The regulations address growing concerns over how platforms leverage personal data to keep users engaged. Hyper-targeted feeds based on extensive profiling can manipulate what information and views people are exposed to online.

Without this individual user data, recommendation engines will rely more on generally popular content. TikTok, for example, has said it will emphasize locally trending videos.

The impact of the new mandated controls remains unclear but it's highly likely users may see more generic, less tailored content.

While major changes may be slow to arrive in the US, Europe's proactive approach to regulating big tech could set an important precedent. For now, platforms like Facebook and TikTok will have to recalibrate their algorithms to put more control in users' hands per the new EU rules.

Our Take: Viewing competitor partnerships provides inspiration on potential influencer marketing strategies. Tracking collaborations also helps gauge investment levels in sponsored content across the industry.

As consumers grow more aware of blatant ads, influencer marketing allows natural product integration and endorsements. The Ads Library offers transparency into this popular form of organic branded content at scale.

For marketers seeking an edge, these searchable branded content insights create an opportunity to learn from and outmaneuver rivals on Facebook and Instagram.