At EXTEND GROUP, we believe that social media is an important cornerstone of building your online community and marketing your services to potential clients and partners. EXTEND GROUP offers several community building services as part of our marketing campaigns. While Facebook has been a vital part of social media strategy for the last several years, this may be changing: A recent study out of Princeton University suggests that up to 80 percent of Facebook’s users are poised to quit the social network sometime between 2015 and 2017.
Facebook’s Projected User Dilemma
The study uses infectious disease modeling, using the infection and treatment rates of diseases as a paradigm to track the mass adoption and subsequent departure from social networking. Facebook’s rapid growth state will propel its fast demise. As more individuals quit Facebook, there will be less compelling content for users still on Facebook, who will engage less and less and finally depart. The cycle will continue, stripping Facebook of most of its users by 2017 at the latest.
Facebook Alternatives To Consider
For businesses, it’s critical to adopt a social presence on other channels now in order to capture the largest number of Facebook quitters. Consider developing (or beefing up) your presence on these social networks.
- Twitter – Already, younger users are abandoning Facebook for Twitter. This may spur both new users and older users, who left the site long ago, to try Twitter. Start to make Twitter your Facebook to engage users.
- Vine – The 6-second video-sharing site saw its 15 minutes of fame in 2013. Vine ties in well to user-submitted campaigns, such as giveaways or contests. If you’re not ready to develop a Vine presence, put Vine to work for you through a contest campaign.
- Instagram – Already, many brands have caught on to Instagram, the image-sharing platform that integrates with Facebook and Twitter. Use Instagram as a visual Facebook to promote your brand, engage consumers and increase your market share. If you rely on Facebook for your social presence, switching your activity to both Twitter and Instagram should cover most of the content you currently post on Facebook.
- Snapchat – The famous self-destructing image texting app may not seem like a great match for marketers, but Snapchat is trying to change that. New in 2014, Snapchat Stories allows brand marketers to engage directly with users, increase engagement and share stories.
Preparing today for the social channels of tomorrow helps businesses to remain flexible and agile. EXTEND GROUP can overhaul your social media strategy and your marketing campaigns so you’re poised for success in 2014.
