Many small, medium and large business are asking the same question in ever increasing numbers. ‘Should we not be advertising on Facebook?’ The answer is quite simply: No, probably not. But most people will not listen and will end up spending thousands of rands, pounds or dollars before figuring out the same answer for themselves.
Orchestrated social advertising campaigns can be successfully undertaken for large and established brand names, but require professional planning as well as integration into an entire marketing strategy, of which social brand marketing is only one aspect.
It is pointless to use Facebook if you are a plumber from Krugersdorp or an unknown paint manufacturer from Orchards or any of the other over 90 percent of businesses, companies and individuals that simply will not receive much result from social platform advertising.
Yes, but (always the yes, but 🙂 ) – Facebook revenue from advertising sales is growing by leaps and bounds all the time, whenever I read the IT News section all I see is Facebook advertising revenues rising. The reason for that is mainly that as more and more people become more aware of Facebook advertising opportunities they all first spend a lot of money before later figuring out that the results are much poorer.
Advertising on social networks has much lower impact and results than other Internet advertising. Facebook does have a few additional functions that makes advertising and brand relationship far more personal insofar that your acquaintances can ‘like’ your advert or brand. But at the end of the day, targeted advertising offered by search companies such as Google, Bing, etc result in far better exposure as well as sales. Better for customers to see your advert when they are searching for apple iPhone (compared to when they are chatting with a friend about the party last night)
What is exciting though is Facebook generating income from mobile apps, for developers as well as others. Facebook advertising traditionally also works out well for: t-shirts, funny mugs and other impulse buying, high margin consumer products.