In a time when small businesses are still recovering from the impact of the recession, social media and marketing strategies are more important than ever. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the No. 1 most effective marketing content strategy comes from a company’s website. The second is Facebook and other social media pages such as Twitter. However, Facebook has recently reduced the number of ads it displays and increased the price, making it harder for small businesses to keep their ad platforms on the site.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook ad prices rose 123 percent in the most recent quarter while the number of ads dropped 25 percent. At the same time, revenue from ads grew 67 percent for Facebook, reaching $2.68 billion. Because Facebook has such a wide audience and can give businesses the platform to reach millions of people, many small businesses – particularly those with small ad budgets – are frustrated with the high prices and reduced availability, according to the Journal.
However, the value of Facebook ads is not only great, but ever-improving, as the shape of traditional ads are transforming into those with video or audio. However, this also can put small businesses at a disadvantage, as they may not have the capabilities to produce these grand-scale ads. Fortunately, Facebook ads are not the only place to get online followers to click through an ad, by any means.
Furthermore, small businesses can increase their online presence and number of followers by having a company profile and posting quality content that is relevant to the industry. Additionally, Facebook said it is working to become more accessible to small businesses for advertisement. Reportedly, already 1.5 million small businesses advertise on the site, CNet reported.
