Is Facebook still good for business? That’s a very interesting question and the one question we are often asked by our business and non-for-profit digital marketing clients. What is driving this question is from our client’s efforts placing content on Facebook and not experiencing the results of the past for likes, follow-up or the ability to generate leads for sales or contacts. Some may say this could be the results of poorly created content, but when similar content is placed on a website, a direct email campaign and other social media outlets, higher views and click-through rates are experienced.

There could be a number of possible reasons for decreasing Facebook traffic from the recent negative press, but there have also been changes in Facebook algorithms that may change how posts, especially ads, are viewed.

To verify our client’s suspicions, we recently looked into the last 6 months of website analytics to see where referrals were originating. We found a sharp drop in Facebook referrals (click-throughs from Facebook posts to a web landing page) as compared to those originating from general web based organic searches or email campaigns. This held true even for our clients who have a recurring media campaign to frequent post content on Facebook.

After seeing these results, we started researching some of the trends for web traffic and Facebook by the leading digital marketing analysts.

Mobile direct traffic eclipses facebook

In a recent post by Chartbeat, they state “New data shows that for the first time, mobile direct-to-site traffic has surpassed Facebook.” We also concur, that our client’s web traffic is showing similar results. In some cases, we are seeing as much as half of all web traffic originating from mobile devices. At Macon Web Designs, we have stressed the need for mobile optimized websites that fit the mobile user’s experience, ensuring readability on a small screen without limiting the functionality found on a desktop.

Investing digital marketing into YouTube

A Pew Research Center study found that 6 in 10 young adults in the U.S. primarily use online streaming to watch TV. The study found that 37% of younger adults prefer watching news over the web, not television. Looking at the traffic statistics for YouTube using SimilarWeb.com for the last 6 months, we found:

• A staggering 23.23 billion visits,
• With an average duration of over 21 minutes per visit, and
• An average of 9.72 pages per visit.

This type of visibility provides a tremendous opportunity by businesses and non-profits to offer a direct line of communications to viewers. With the improvements offered by the YouTube platform for SEO keywords, expanded content descriptions, playlists, subscribers, content management, as well as seamless video content embeds into a website, YouTube video based digital marketing opens up a wealth of opportunities.

Opportunities to deal with these changes

If your business or organization is experiencing a drop in Facebook views and referrals, there are a number of cost effective solutions to communicate to your clients, supporters and most of all, generate leads.

Engaging Website Content

Your web pages should be clear, enticing and not require the reader to burn an excessive amount of calories to understand your message. Content should provide graphics:

• A picture relating to the content,
• Info-graphics to easily explain difficult items showing products, charts or tables, and
• Easy to ready bulleted text.

Developing a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is also important to the structure of your website content as well as relevant keywords to create the best opportunity to have your website and pages not only found, but viewed by interested visitors.

Email Marketing

Don’t confuse email marketing with the annoying spam many of us experience daily, even hourly. A well design email marketing campaign to your clients, members of you organization or to those who inquire about your products or services can have a great impact. A direct email campaign can be very effective in driving traffic to specific website landing pages. These pages can be used to push interest in products, generate service sales, drive event attendance, and generate donations are just a few of the many functions that can be offered by email marketing and your website.

Video Marketing

Video content engages the viewer, whether viewing on YouTube or your website. Seeing your message offers a personal appeal. Observing how easily your product is used can make the difference in a sale versus a click to your competitor’s site. Providing industry news updates, new product releases, organization efforts are but a few of the uses to offer quick and engaging information.

About Macon Web Designs

Macon Web Designs is more than a website design and digital marketing firm. We focus on the needs of the small business striving to make web designs and digital marketing solutions that are engaging making your company, product and service unique. Visit our Web Design portfolios showing a sample of recent projects.

Consider Macon Web Designs for you website or digital marketing needs. Contact us below to learn more about our services.