by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Lately I’ve been contacted by quite a few panicked Facebook users confused over the the New Branded Content Policy for Professional Pages. I promised to do the research and share what I’ve learned. Today I’m making good on that promise. (And at the end of the post, I’ll share some posts from other professionals about this policy.)
For instance, J.K. Rowling has a verified page, as does Ted
Dekker. I do not qualify for a verified page. And I for one am glad, because
this policy is going to be strictly enforced.
Professional pages—even those not verified—are finding it
more and more difficult to reach their audience without paying. This isn’t by
accident.
Lately I’ve been contacted by quite a few panicked Facebook users confused over the the New Branded Content Policy for Professional Pages. I promised to do the research and share what I’ve learned. Today I’m making good on that promise. (And at the end of the post, I’ll share some posts from other professionals about this policy.)
First and foremost—don’t panic. This policy doesn’t affect
the majority of us. This policy is only for VERIFIED Pages. Those are
professional pages that have a blue check mark on them. It’s extremely
difficult to qualify as one of these pages and this designation is only handed
out to high-visibility public figures.
 |
| The pink arrow points to the blue check mark on Ted Dekker's verified page. |
The policy states that anything the verified page is paid to
promote—such as affiliate links—needs to be disclosed within the post. This
would also hold true for Amazon links, if you’re getting money as an Amazon
associate.
For those of us who do not own verified pages, we are
welcome to share third party links—like blog posts we deem valuable from other
sites. AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT BEING PAID TO DO THIS. This doesn’t violate any policy and falls in line with the Facebook
culture. It was started as a social site where people could share things of
interest with their friends.
NOTE: Remember
the difference between a professional page and a personal profile. A
professional page is where you LIKE something. A personal profile is where you
FRIEND or FOLLOW someone.
 |
| Professional pages are finding it more and more difficult to reach their audience without paying. |
Since going public, Facebook is now accountable to
stockholders who expect their investment to earn them money. That means
Facebook must find ways to monetize this once free endeavor.
The days of free advertising on Facebook are quickly
becoming a thing of the past. We need to be ready for this new paradigm and
make sure we aren’t counting on Facebook (or any other social media network) as
the sole way of connecting with our audience. It’s more important than ever
before to have a blog site where we our readers can find us—no matter what
happens on social media. And even more than that—a place where we can collect
email address and build our own list of contacts.
Now it’s your turn. What questions do you have about this
new Facebook policy, or Facebook in general. Be sure to leave your thoughts in
the comments section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
TWEETABLES
Don’t let Facebook’s Branded Content Policy for Pages Scare You, Here’s Why - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Facebook Branded Content Policy for Pages & How it Affects the Little Guys – @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Facebook Branded Content Policy for Pages & How it Affects the Little Guys – @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Additional resources:
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-branded-content-what-marketers-need-to-know/
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2016/05/04/facebook-branded-content/
https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/get-started/branded-content
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2016/05/04/facebook-branded-content/
Edie, I have a professional page called Connecting the Heart of Women. It's one I made several years ago, but I've let it go by the wayside. Would you recommend me re-vamping it and updating the content? If so, what would your advice be on a way to do that? Thanks so much! Love you!
ReplyDeleteJamie, my opinion on Facebook pages hasn't changed. For those who don't have an active page, concentrate on growing your personal profile. Blessings, E
DeleteFacebook is a business like we are small business writers. Changes occur. That's fact. We simply have to keep updated and adhere to Facebook regulations. One of the things I value about my author page is the ability to reach a designated audience - even if I do have to pay. for it.
ReplyDeleteDiAnn, you are absolutely right! Thank you for reminding us, Blessings, E
DeleteThanks for this info, Edie. I do have a verified professional page and have been so confused as to what I can share that I pretty much stick to talking about my own books. I tried for a while to do conversation starters between book posts, and I had more response with the book posts. As much as we are told to share other people's info, I think maybe readers like an author's page because they want news about that author.
ReplyDeleteKeely, as long as you aren't being paid to share something, you're still able to share on your verified page. And when you do share something you're paid for, just add a hashtag, like several of the blog articles below suggest. Blessings, E
DeleteThanks, Edie. My only issue the past year is FB taking away two "likes" for every new one my page gets. Even if an author pays to boost his/her page, the "likes" still fall off after a while. It's baffling why FB feels it has the right to remove "likes" just because a person hasn't interacted with the page for a while...
ReplyDeleteWe're playing on their turf. Unfortunately that means they have the right to do anything they wish, as long as it isn't breaking the law. Blessings, E
DeleteI agree with you, Linda Lee Williams.
ReplyDeleteFacebook can be extremely frustrating, that's for sure! Blessings, E
DeleteYes, being paid for advertising by someone else and sharing that on Facebook is a no-no, unless you own a verified page. But sharing things we think are valuable - such as a blog post, meme, or anything else falls that we're not paid for, is within the user guidelines. So those who use FB to share valuable info and give shout outs to friends aren't breaking any rules.
ReplyDeleteYes, read the vague Facebook policy, then read what the top tier experts - who have interviewed FB representatives and gotten further information - have to say about the topic. Beyond that, be very careful who you listen to. I recommend making sure they have the expertise they say by
ReplyDeletea) determining if they have a professional connection with Facebook, or
b) make their living as an expert in field of social media (they should have awards, recognition and facts to back up their business expertise), or
c) actually have the personal social media following to demonstrate they have put into practice successfully what they are recommending.
Blessings, E