Brand publishers are more aware that they’re really just renting social media space on Facebook and are moving resources away from the social network. One agency said its clients are pulling away from Facebook in “dramatic numbers”—reallocating their resources to microsites and alternate social channels like LinkedIn—after the agency’s social media managers saw a “dramatic dip” in reach for their messaging over the last 16 months. They attributed this decline to Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm, which curates the content users see in their News Feeds. “Brands don’t own what happens on Facebook, and as organic reach has been absolutely eviscerated, they remain aware of that,” said Forrester analyst Nate Elliott, adding that marketers have been telling him that they no longer see Facebook as a viable marketing channel. Facebook’s complete control of content on the platform can also wreak havoc on brand campaigns developed specifically for the social network. In March 2012, Elliott said the mandatory Timeline layout change wrecked some custom brand page experiences. “Just changing one pixel can ruin the entire thing,” he pointed out. When it comes to rented social media space, there are also concerns about "platform popularity and general unpredictability," said Brooks Thomas, AT&T’s director of digital and social media. But Thomas isn't anti-Facebook—AT&T is on Facebook, but Thomas said he uses it as a way to maintain the brand’s reputation and for transactional... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'
[ AdWeek | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]