Facebook is definitely a huge platform for both business and personal social networking, but it has also changed a lot in the recent years, making it hard for businesses to continue to thrive on their turf. This week, we read an article by AdAge called “Why Fans Un-friend Your Brand on Facebook”, which delved into some of the key reasons why people grow tired of seeing stories from Brand pages. So what compels people to unfollow our pages on Facebook? Is it on them, or is it due to our own shortcomings as marketers?
The shortest answer is that Facebook brand-followers want interaction and relevance. They want interesting stories and authentic exchanges with brands rather than simply being marketed to. 
In an infographic we looked at this week, one of the rules for social media is that “Everyone says they don’t want to be marketed to. Really, they just don’t want to be talked down to.” People are looking for products and services, but they want to feel heard and this is where a lot of companies fall short.
With the introduction of live video now on Facebook, Brand Pages now have a new tool at their disposal. In essence, we can now use Live Video to have information Q&A sessions with customers and fans that allow people to see a face behind a label and ask questions as if they were face-to-face in a store. This is huge because we can now use what we know about the power of storytelling and genuine interactions to stand out from the crowd and create customers for life. Based on the loss of Facebook users in the recent years as well as the drop in interest of Brand Pages, I believe that it is imperative to change approach. I would encourage even a weekly or even daily, scheduled live Q&A. In terms of posting to the Brand Page’s Facebook, I would utilize more daily stories where I show screenshots of customers or give shoutouts to fans rather than directly marketing my product by making timeline advertisements. By giving customer shoutouts and showing screenshots of customers who have posted about our products and services to their social media, it makes people feel special and it fosters as excitement that people could be featured by their favorite brands.
The tools of future marketing are there–we just have to reach out and use them in more genuine, personable ways if we want our brands to stay relevant! Follow hashtags of your brand, see who is posting about you, and give them a nice shoutout. A little acknowledgement goes a long way, so show some fan appreciation and watch as your brand grows!
VITAMINPEE 