There’s No Such Thing As Free Publicity: Facebook’s “Promoted Post” Feature
Facebook thinks you should pay to reach more of your fans. Will you do it?
The Internet is in an uproar—again—over Facebook’s latest move: the announcement of a new option called the Promoted Post, which promises more views of your recent posts among your existing fans. It’s a modest cost—just $5 to $15—but it’s a still a cost.
Is It Worth It?
If you’re frustrated with how few of your fans seem to see your posts (business posts are only viewed by 16% of fans, on average), the Promoted Post feature may be an easy and relatively cheap way to reach more people. Then again, if you’ve put in a lot of effort to build your Facebook following, you may be annoyed that your posts get lower priority in your fans’ feeds than posts by paying businesses.
Is It Fair?
The Wall Street Journal recently featured dueling editorials from two startup founders who see Promoted Post differently. Jason Sadler, founder of iwearyourshirt.com, argues that since he worked hard for three-and-a-half years to build his 10,000+ following, he should not have to pay to have those fans see his posts.
Poshly.com founder and CEO Doreen Bloch disagrees, noting that when startups are just beginning to build a social media presence, they need to get their message to as many people as they can, and paying a small fee is well worth it. She’s also excited about Highlight your Post, an upcoming feature that will allow individuals to pay to have posts reach more of their friends.
Will Businesses Use It?
It remains to be seen whether this feature will catch on. But according to the survey on the Washington Post’s website, 88% of readers currently say they will not use it.
Should You Use It?
If you’re posting cat videos or inspirational memes, paying to promote your post is unlikely to result in any monetary return. However, if you have an important announcement that you really want your fans to see, such as a new store opening or a contest, Promoted Post is probably worthwhile. Before you pay to promote, just ask yourself, Am I likely to get more business if more of my fans see this post? If the answer is no, don’t do it. If the answer is yes, give it a try. And then let us know how it goes!
What do you think? Would it be worth $5 to $15 to get more of your fans to see your posts? Or would it be a waste of your advertising dollars?
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