Is Facebook really Free?

 

 

As many of you have probably noticed, certain aspects of Facebook are beginning to cost money. How do you feel about it?

 

Since we all started using Facebook we have enjoyed the free social media interaction, the no cost way of communicating. We have had a brand new way of keeping in touch with old classmates, high school sweethearts, co-workers etc.  Being able to reach out to all ends of the world in a split second, and see how everyone that you care about is doing, without having to actually speak to them.  It has had its perks.

 

Over the last year or two businesses have been able to start using Facebook as a way to reach out to more people. What better a way to gain awareness than word of mouth, and there’s no better online word of mouth source than Facebook.  Still, always free.

 

Now Facebook is ingrained in our everyday lives, whether we like it or not. Companies are offering coupons if you “like” their pages, businesses share their products right on their profiles, you watch commercials with “like our Facebook page” at the end.  Hundreds of thousands of people are just a “click” away from being able to see your adds, promotions and whatever else you have chosen to show.

 

Everything was great, free advertising…..

 

Not for long.  Facebook saw that money could be made – or rather convinced the Stock Market they could make money.  The amount of people and businesses that promote themselves, could in some way benefit the pockets of Facebook.  So of course, it changes.   Now instead of being able to reach out to all of your followers, facebook highlights and directs you to to premium ways to pay to reach a certain percent of them beyond your standard reach.  The more you pay, the more people you can reach. You can pay for an add campaign that targets a certain group of people, and again, the more you pay, the more people you can reach.  Facebooks way of getting their piece of the pie – after all they are the #1 social media platform in terms of volume and eye balls.  The real question, how do businesses (those being the people who will pay to use Facebook) fit in, and how does Facebook find a way to make money without loosing its popularity?

Do we have a choice?  Of course we do, we can stop using Facebook.  Yea, right, we all know that’s not going to happen.  So businesses will spend the few dollars and reach as many people as possible, facebook will re-invent ways to make money – and the cool factor of years ago of Facebook will be replaced by the highest bidder on who’s cool message is going to be promoted more.

Be sure to visit our Turnkey Internet Facebook page for your chance to win “The New Ipad” – and read about our summer long social media event!

 

 

 

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