Quit Blaming Facebook Timeline Changes & Fix Your Own Marketing Problems!

It is not news that Facebook just launched a big round of changes, yet again. One change is getting a lot of attention, which is the death of the Facebook default landing tab.

I have heard tons of complaints on the removal of the tab. I've heard online marketers say the death of the Facebook tab is the death of their online marketing strategy? What? Seriously folks?

Let me pre-empt this post with an acknowledgement that I know the Facebook changes do have impact. I acknowledge they make changes without notice nor a lot of care for what we all think. I am not endorsing their behavior and lack of care for their business audience, particularly small business.

However, even given how evil we may think Facebook is or that you may be ticked they actually are a business entity that wants to make more money, remember you are using their platform for FREE! Yup, you got it…. FREE! You get what you pay for folks, sorry.

Anyway, I ask that you put your marketing hat on for a moment and try to ignore Facebook's evil ways for the 1.5 minutes you read this post, okay?

Your Problem is Not the Death of the Facebook Default Landing Tab

• Your problem is the fact that the death of the Facebook default landing tab is having such a negative impact on your business.
• You have known that you do NOT OWN Facebook, right?
• You know that they make changes frequently that you have no control of.
• You know it is risky to put all of your eggs in one basket.
• Yet, you still did it. Why?

What Your Real Problem is… 

I know there are some good marketers who actually have taken the time to plan and implement an integrated strategy that encompasses Facebook, a blog, LinkedIn, video and other online and offline marketing tactics and techniques to inspire and engage your audience to take action that helps you meet your business goals.  This post and message is not meant for you.

The post is meant for those who have not taken the time to know their audience, understand how they can inspire and engage them. It's for the folks who don't know what an integrated business platform looks like. In reality your problems run much deeper.

1. You are putting too much weight on Facebook for Success.

2. It is what happens AFTER the Facebook like that matters most. I wrote this post in December 2010, “What Happens After Facebook Like – 20 Tips to Engage Your Audience Post Like“. and this post May 2011, “I Clicked Like, Don't Blow it! 23 Tips to Engage me Post Like” and still stand by both of them as truth. Don't put all of your success in Facebook likes. More than 95% of people who like your Facebook page will never be back. Who cares if you have thousands of Facebook likes if they don't know who you are, can't remember liking your pages and will never step virtual foot onto one of your online platforms or Facebook pages again!?

3. You don't know your audience. What do you know about your community? Why did they like your page? How often do they visit your page? Who is commenting on your page? What content are they seeking? How can you help them meet their business goals and objectives? What is it they really want or could use from you? If you can't answer these basic questions, then you do not know your audience.

4. You don't have a plan to inspire, connect, engage and drive action with your community. If a Facebook landing tab is the only way you are capturing names, driving video views or whatever the call to action may be, you have many other problems of higher priority than a default tab.

5. Your platform is not integrated. An integrated platform includes elements such as a blog with content that inspires, connects and drives action. It may include other social networks such as LinkedIn, Pinterest or YouTube.  It should most times also include an integrated email communication option for nurturing.

6. You live for Random Acts of Marketing and Social Media (RAMs). RAMS feel good short term as you cross items off your check list. However, a set of random acts of Facebook marketing are only going to get you random acts of Facebook likes that will do very little for your business bottom line. Still don't believe me? Then check out this post ->15 Reasons Why Random Acts of Marketing Don't Work! 

7. Your community does not eat, sleep and breathe Facebook like you may think. If Facebook isn't working, then get off Facebook for awhile. If you have a blog spend some time analyzing data and results on the other platforms. Many of your answers may be outside of the walls of Facebook. Check out this post I wrote “Want Facebook Results,Then Get Off of Facebook” for some tactical advice and tips on this topic.

8. You don't have a plan to meet your business objectives leveraging online marketing. You may have a plan leveraging Facebook. If you weren't so dependent on Facebook, then you wouldn't be spending all week complaining about the death of the landing tab.

9. You don't have clear goals, metrics, measurement methods, analysis techniques and a plan to meet objectives. If you don't set goals and objectives, and you don't know how to measure success then you are already late to the starting line.

10. You don't know what your real results are. Many of the business leaders I have already talked to who are complaining about the Facebook tab going away do not have data to support their concern. When asked what their results were to date with the tab, they raise an eyebrow and shrug the shoulders because they don't know.

11. Your real business results of the Facebook default tab might surprise you. How many opt-ins are you getting from Facebook? How are those opt-ins moving thru your conversion funnel? Are they continuing to engage with your brand? Or did they simply download a whitepaper from your Facebook landing tab and you have never nurtured a relationship with them? If yes, I question your assumption on the negative impact the death of the landing tab will have on your business results.

12. You have bigger online fish to fry.  Until you can clearly articulate with data to back it up, the positive impact Facebook tabs have had to date for your business, then I think there are bigger fish you can fry. Focus on content that inspires, engagement techniques, call to actions, integrating the user experience from and between the different online platforms you are leveraging.

13. One thing is guaranteed in social media and that is change. Get use to it. Relationships are the life raft to tech evolution and change. Focus on your relationships and connecting with your audiences and it doesn't matter where your opt-in forms are located, people will find them and use them because they want to engage with you and your brand!

14. Your success should not be 100% dependent on Facebook. Focus on the things, platforms, content, and components that you control. Leverage the things that you don't control but don't put all of your eggs in one one basket.

15. You are wasting time complaining. Don't be part of the problem, be part of the solution.

Be part of the solution, not the problem. 

If you are a consultant, strategists, agency owner or play any role where business leaders are looking to you for answers I have a challenge for you. Why don't you focus on being part of the solution, versus part of the problem. Our clients want from us ideas, tips, techniques, solutions to their problems. Yes, they may need to rework their Facebook tabs, cover photos or even their entire Facebook strategy. However, if you have done your job right to begin with you haven't sold them on the fact that a simple silo'd Facebook page is going to solve their business problems.

Instead of complaining to them of how terrible the new changes are, why not help them understand the changes. Help them develop a plan to better inspire and connect with their audiences and communities? Use these changes as a way to start a conversation on further helping them build out their online marketing platform and strategy.

Get a Grip on Social Media: 

This is the fourth in a series titled “How to Get a Grip on Social Media.” The series will include a free newsletter, webinars, whitepapers, tips and best practices to get a handle on your business and social media.

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 15 Reasons Random Acts of Marketing (RAMs) and Social Media Don't Work

The Only Guarantee in Social Business is Change

CEO Social Mindset: 15 tips for a Healthy Social business Mindset

Your Turn:

What do you think of the new Facebook timeline changes? What impact are they going to have on your business? What are you going to do about it that moves your business forward? Are you using these changes as an opportunity to improve your online integrated platform?