Unless you were living in a cave as a hermit, you probably heard the numerous changes that Facebook is making. One of which is the changes regarding detailed targeting options in early 2022. The following is their announcement:
“Starting January 19, 2022, we will remove detailed targeting options that relate to topics people may perceive as sensitive, such as referencing causes, organizations, or public figures that relate to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation.
Examples include:
- Health Causes (e.g. lung cancer awareness, World diabetes day, chemotherapy)
- Sexual Orientation (e.g. same-sex marriage and LGBT culture)
- Religious practices/group (e.g. Catholic Church, Jewish holidays)
- Political beliefs, social issues, causes, organizations, and figures
Some support this change, but several marketers are wary about the implications for companies, especially if they are using this targeting. In the world of an ever-changing advertising landscape, this may cause severe handicaps. Caused-based organizations, political parties, healthcare brands, and many other organizations will need to reassess their strategy of communicating with their audience.
In the same announcement, Facebook added that they are working on additional ad controls. It enables users to see fewer ads relating to gambling, weight loss, and other unspecified categories. As an entrepreneur, how can you adjust to these changes? It may be time to ask for the help of a business consultant.
Why Did They Do It?
Facebook may have finally caved in to the numerous escalations, from the FTC antitrust suits to the increasing concerns about consumer privacy. The public is now keeping a close eye on their every move. This change also comes with Facebook’s (or Meta) rebranding.
In that same announcement, they added that they “heard concerns from experts that targeting options like these could be used in many ways that lead to negative experiences for people in underrepresented groups.” Again, their moves come as a big challenge to both marketers and business consultants.
Take note that Facebook is a “for-profit” organization. It has to come up with ways to make itself an attractive media option for both end-users and advertisers. Facebook’s leaders are also doing this to combat perceived negative experiences in the platform.
What Can You Do?
Facebook gave a few suggestions during that announcement. They pointed out that entrepreneurs should leverage engagements to customized audiences. One excellent example would be focusing your energy on those who have liked your page.
If you hired a business consultant to look into this matter, they might want to increase your relevant content, such as videos. Doing this might continue to hold your existing audience’s attention. It may eventually lead to their conversion from mere spectators to prospective buyers.
If you have your customer’s permission, you can directly reach out to them. But before doing that, it would be best if you segment your customer list to get the most out of them.
Conclusion
In an ever-changing world, Facebook’s announcement comes as a surprise. You can scratch your head and think of it as an obstacle. Or you can take it as a challenge. Choosing the latter will help your company adapt better to the continually-evolving market.
To ensure your company’s success in adapting to Facebook’s changes, you should reach out to a reputable business consultant. There is no one better to help you with this than me, Alexandria Taylor Cox. I am a marketing strategist who provides a clear plan to get new clients for health and wellness coaches, so that they can feel empowered, gain clarity, and add hours back to their day. If I can do it for them, I can do it for you too, so call now for more information!
