Facebook – GDPR – Be Different
A reminder for your small business.
If You are using a free platform like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram et al. Then you give up most of your rights to your content, sure you may think you own it but really it belongs to the platform. Go read the squillion items of text in the t&c’s if you don’t believe me.
Worse still. It’s clear that the Facebook algorithm is now slowing down many of your posts, preventing group members from seeing your message along with increasing the cost per click for paid ads. This is not going to become any cheaper – I don’t care what you say, these platforms are here to stay – so you need to embrace them. Well, kind of.
If you are using them you have to play by their rules.
Pavlov trained his dogs to react when he rung a bell. You should expect your clients to react when you send a message – sure some will ignore you and that’s still a reaction. But if you can’t get it seen, that’s a whole ‘nother problem.
GDPR is another red herring that’s being pushed around a lot as a major problem. Sure, there are a few more hoops to jump through, but that’s what we are good at as business owners – jumping through hoops. If it’s not one thing it will be another. Proves you’re alive – having problems.
So here is my tuppence worth. Print newsletters – email and joint ventures still work and make you stand out. There is a reason printed books still sell, why there is still an Argos catalogue, why Council Tax bills are still posted, having your accountant recommend a web designer, financial adviser or holistic massage comes with some gravitas.
If your accountant isn’t supporting you with referrals I suggest you ask why and possibly start looking for one that will – symbiosis is a perfect way to grow.
You do need to build systems to support old style marketing – but stand out you will. If you don’t stand out, it makes you the same as every other widget maker out there – all hoping that Facebook will show the post, that they have used the correct #hashtag or that they won’t get banned.
Sure I know you won’t want to stand out that much – but you’ll need to work on that looking forward.
As an aside at one point in time not so long ago I was paying .30p per click for Facebook ads – now they are over £1. “Home Insurance” on Google Adwords was £.45p per click now over £11 – even if you are sending print newsletters by first class mail you can still make them pay for some key words.
Embrace the changes, go old school you’ll thank me for it.
A belated happy Easter
Richard
PS Got two borrow my brain sessions available for later on in the month. Each one will be worth at least £3k to your business or your money back. Get in here.
https://youtu.be/8sbW_fAdWsM