Statistics about Facebook users are continuously changing, and predictions for the world’s biggest Social Network anticipate everything from its eventual doom to its continued expansion and success.
All “expert” opinions aside, we estimate that the truth lies somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Facebook is not “dying,” as some have ominously suggested, nor is it on the path of rapid growth that it once was. The recent surge in the number of social networks available has significantly reduced the singular status that Facebook once enjoyed. Other, more specific networks target niche audiences, offering them a sharing space for their particular interests. Twitter, for example, gives social butterflies a conversational tool that allows them to connect directly to the influencers that they choose to follow, while Pinterest gives dreamers a space to create a digital scrapbook of the things that they admire and hope to one day try or obtain. Still, we think that Facebook is here to stay, and here’s why:
It caters to everyone.
Despite the growing number of people who claim to have “fallen in love” with another social network, we are still hard-pressed to find any number of people who have actually renounced Facebook altogether. True, you may love Twitter more, but you still haven’t given up your Facebook account. Doing so would restrict your social network to a specific niche, which might not include your family or childhood friends.
Facebook doesn’t have the visual restriction of Pinterest and Instagram, the blogging capabilities of Tumblr, or the strict format of Twitter. By catering to no one in particular, Facebook becomes the perfect platform for everyone. It is a sort of central network through which people from different niches can interconnect.
They find new ways to increase revenue.
Facebook recently announced that it has proof that it can generate profit from mobile advertising. Despite claims from sceptics who have mistakenly declared that the rise of mobile is bad for Facebook, Zuckerberg and his team of young geniuses have once again surpassed the expectations of those who doubted them. They’ve shown continuous capability for innovation and resilience, causing us to believe that they are here to stay.
They’re not afraid of change.
In the years since its beginning, Facebook has evolved from an exclusive networking tool for students to become the most prominent social network used worldwide. It is now used to connect with people as well as with brands, organizations and public figures. This change has caused it to become an important marketing tool for any company that wishes to reach out to their fans.
In fact, a recent survey by Lab42 suggests that nine out of ten Facebook users “Like” brands, and that 50% of them believe that a brand’s Facebook page is more helpful than their website. Think about that when taking the decision of whether or not this network is worth investing in.
The bottom line is that Facebook is still the social network that reaches the highest number of people across the biggest variety of social demographics. In fact, they’re the first social network to reach 1 billion monthly active users as of September 14. Check out this great infographic for the stats.
Facebook isn’t going anywhere, friends. So if you haven’t yet invested in a strategic approach to reach your audience through the number one social network, we strongly suggest you do so today.