Just Another Platform You Don’t Own: Is the Effort Justified When Companies Make Engaging with Your Followers Harder?
🚨 I’ve Officially Left Meta Platforms
As of Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, I’ve officially closed all my Meta accounts. That means Facebook (and Messenger), Instagram, and Threads are no longer active.
I'm also not on TikTok or X (Twitter).
It's easy to get swept up in the excitement of every new platform that emerges. Before you leap onto the next social media platform bandwagon, ask yourself, “Is every social media trend worth the time and effort?” As business owners, our primary goal is to connect effectively with our audience. Yet with a sea of platforms available, it can seem that the more accounts we have, the better our reach. But is this the case?
Also, what can you do when it appears that the only way you can get any traction is by being on every platform? Or when one platform changes its terms and conditions, and the way your audience interacts with your content? Are you prepared to ask your followers to follow you to ANOTHER platform, again?
Perhaps it's time to rethink how much you're willing to give these social media platforms. They've already told us what they think of us. 👀
The Problem with Diversification
Have you ever noticed how juggling too many things simultaneously can become overwhelming? The same applies to managing multiple social media platforms simultaneously. Initially, diversifying across multiple platforms might seem to broaden our reach and increase our visibility to a larger audience. However, it often results in a diluted presence, as it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain consistency and quality across all these platforms.
With our limited time and resources, should we be spreading ourselves too thin across every new social media platform that emerges? Or should we instead focus on a select few platforms our target audience frequents the most? Managing multiple accounts often diverts us from our core goal of creating meaningful, engaging content. Furthermore, the more platforms we use, the harder it is to track metrics and accurately measure our performance.
Moreover, not all platforms align with every business's audience or brand image. Different social media platforms attract different user demographics, so a platform that works for one company might not necessarily work for another. Establishing a solid presence on a couple of platforms that align with our brand and audience can generate more valuable interactions than maintaining a weak presence across several platforms.
The Threads Dilemma
The main issue I encountered with Threads was the communication barrier it created, which made it more challenging to connect with my followers. I posted once and determined it wasn't worth investing time in. Moreover, Threads lacks key features such as analytics and keyword targeting, both essential to any social media strategy.
No Instagram Account, No Threads
Another point is that Threads is exclusive to Meta's Instagram users. As such, only a fraction of our followers might be on the platform. Reaching inactive users and driving engagement can be challenging without using additional platforms. Thus far, the jury is still out on how Meta views its new Twitter clone.
Since Threads is tied to your Instagram or Facebook account, if you decide to delete your Threads account, it will delete your Instagram account your Instagram or Facebook account will not be affected. Thus, it is essential to consider the implications of using a platform like Threads before signing up.
The Neverending Verified Users Feed
The primary feed consists solely of content from verified accounts, which can often frustrate followers and business owners seeking to promote themselves. It operates on a pay-to-win model, which can be discouraging. Eck.
Currently, there isn't a way to curate your feed. I don't follow Paris Hilton, yet her posts are all over my feed. I can't find the feeds of the accounts I follow in the main feed, so my followers can't find my feed there either. I have to open my followers list, then select an account to view the feed. It is a cardinal sin that many social media platforms have been committing lately: hiding your community from you.
As business owners, we must ensure our followers can easily find us and not be lost in irrelevant content. When one post overlaps with another, it deprives followers of the necessary context to understand the content. It's easy to see how this can cause confusion and frustration among our audience.
Quality over Quantity
When it comes to social media, quality matters more than quantity. A few active accounts across platforms, each with consistent content that resonates with our audience, are more effective than multiple accounts filled with mediocre content. I aim to build meaningful relationships with my followers and encourage them to engage with me regularly.
Social media is an ever-changing environment. As a result, it's easy to get lost in the sea of new trends and platforms available. However, it's important to remember that not every platform will bring success to your business. The key is to focus on one or two channels that work best for you and maintain consistent quality across them.
Consider the resources available before investing in a platform. It's important to remember that we are competing for attention with millions of other businesses, and it pays to be strategic in deciding which channels to use. Investing in a well-thought-out social media strategy will help you create the level of engagement your audience deserves while ensuring your efforts are not wasted.
The only way to build a successful social media presence is to focus on quality and sustainability over quantity. Invest time in creating content that resonates with our followers and look for ways to reach new audiences. Taking these steps will help us build a solid social media presence that drives more valuable interactions than maintaining multiple low-engagement accounts.
The Platforms That Have Worked For My Businesses
Aside from blogging, the three platforms that have worked for me are LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube.
A notable nod to Twitter before Musky took over.
"His mama named him Twitter. I'm gonna call him Twitter."
LinkedIn has provided me with valuable connections and opportunities. It is the perfect platform for networking, building relationships, and staying up to date on industry trends.
With LinkedIn, I can target my audience more precisely by connecting with like-minded people and creating meaningful conversations. As a result, it has become an invaluable tool for growing my business, leading to more leads and sales.
I still keep it at arm's length because comment moderation is largely non-existent, and on the mobile app, I see more ads. I've locked down the InMail messages also to prevent spam.
Do you know what Pinterest is known for? Pinterest is a visual discovery platform that empowers users to explore inspiring ideas. It allows me to create content that inspires and motivates my followers. I use it to showcase projects, design trends, and other topics I'm passionate about, which encourages my audience to engage more with me.
Since Pinterest is tailored to visual content, it's great for businesses focusing on design and aesthetics. I have seen tremendous success in driving traffic to my website using visuals from this platform. Creating visually appealing pins and regularly posting content have already resulted in more blog visits and more followers genuinely interested in what I offer.
One thing to note: I've noticed an uptick in AI content, which will likely make it harder going forward. For now, it stays.
My IG/FB Reels and Stories have done better on Pinterest and YouTube Shorts.
YouTube
I have embraced YouTube as a powerful marketing tool for my business. Videos are a great way to build relationships with your followers, as they help you be more personable and show your personality.
Creating YouTube videos has enabled me to reach a larger audience. It's also an excellent way to increase SEO rankings, as Google prioritizes long-form content. Creating engaging, informative videos that link back to my website has already led to increased organic search traffic and conversions.
Not to mention that I can post captions with images, GIFS, and link to other YouTube videos. I'm reluctant to use their YouTube Community feature for the same reason I don't recommend building a community on any platform unless it's your own.
What do all of these platforms have in common? The ability to EASILY send people back to my website.
None of this comment "BUSINESS" to get this ebook or some shit.
Bluesky
The new kid on my block.
Why I Prefer Long-Form Content (Blogging)
Aside from SEO and the ability to deliver information more comprehensively, I can always repurpose content into short-form.
Long-form content can be incredibly beneficial for a business. Unlike short-form content, it allows you to go into more detail on topics relevant to your target audience. Have you seen those TikTok videos, Part 268? Who has time to look at 268 short videos?!
Some topics need to be one-and-done.
Longer content also offers opportunities for SEO optimization. As Google prioritizes content with more depth, it can help you rank higher on search engine result pages. This can also be a great way to test the market for a course or workshop.
Long-form content also offers numerous opportunities to repurpose into short-form formats, such as videos and infographics. You can break down your longer pieces of content into several smaller pieces that are easier to digest while still conveying the same message. This can help you reach a broader audience on different platforms and is an excellent way to keep your content fresh.
Don't forget to add a CTA (call to action). Content should always link to your website, service, or product.
Ultimately, long-form content can help establish trust and credibility with your followers. It shows you're willing to put in the effort to deliver high-quality, valuable content. This can be invaluable for growing relationships with your audience and building a strong brand presence on social media.
Final Thoughts: A Closer Look at Meta's Vision and Its Role in Social Media.
Once upon a time, Meta's vision was to stay ahead of the competition. The introduction of Threads was a bold move for the company and demonstrated its willingness to take risks to remain relevant in the ever-changing social media landscape.
It recognized that Threads could offer brands and business owners an opportunity to better engage with their audiences and create meaningful conversations. However, the platform was merely a way for Meta to curate content and promote their products in a new way. Basically, a new channel to protect ad revenue.
At the time of revising this post, it remains unclear how successful Threads will be, but Meta has clearly shifted its product and lost its competitive position in the ever-evolving social media space.
Meta Loses Their Way, and The Money Follows
So, What Should You Do?
It is wise for business owners to monitor social media developments so they can capitalize on opportunities that may arise. However, it is also essential to be mindful of how much time and effort are spent maintaining multiple accounts with light engagement, rather than focusing on fewer platforms with more meaningful engagement.
Ultimately, it is about finding the right balance and creating content that is both engaging and beneficial for your target audience. You want to meet your audience where they find you and then move them to YOUR platform. What you don't want to do is ask your Instagram followers to subscribe to your YouTube channel or find you on TikTok.
You'll run into two issues:
- If you post similar content across your social media accounts, you're going to overload your audience with content.
There's a reason why I don't have social media icons or a "Follow us on..." on my website. Once I have my audience here, why would I redirect them elsewhere? 🤷🏻♀️
Just Another Platform You Don't Own
Do you recall when Meta urged us to create business pages and groups to engage with our audience? However, they later restricted access and held our audience captive, pressuring us to pay for ads. We deserve better.
Remember that as business owners, our ultimate goal is to build a community. When we invest in a platform, it should be sustainable for us and our audience. However, when we create a community on someone else's platform, such as Threads or the Social Network du Jour, we should remember that we are merely renting the space. It could come and go at any time, and our community could go along with it. By the way, Twitter has already threatened to sue.
We are essentially playing a game of cat and mouse, and we are always at the losing end. Just look at what happened to TikTok. 👀
Now it seems Meta wants us to follow the “more is better” mantra and be on every one of its platforms, regardless of whether it works for our business. As savvy business owners, we must decide which platforms make sense for our brand.
We should continuously evaluate platforms across engagement, cost, scalability, and ownership to determine which works best for us. This way, we can ensure our efforts are not in vain.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the goal of any social media strategy should be audience engagement. Business owners should evaluate which platforms are the most efficient and effective for their particular brand and then focus on building relationships on those channels.
Be bold in your choices, focus on fewer channels that bring maximum impact, and provide quality content that resonates with your followers. This approach can create a sustainable community of engaged users, which is the key to success in social media.
This will enable you to maximize your impact without spreading yourself too thin. Be mindful of where you direct your energy and focus on the channels that make sense for your business.
However, understand that you do not own any of these platforms. Your account is just a leased space that can be revoked anytime, and you'll have no control over it. If that's the risk you're willing to take, do it. But if you want to ensure that your efforts are sustainable, it's best to focus on channels you own and control.
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