It’s time to re-think your Facebook presence

In the light of the growing popularity of social platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and the uncertain future of Twitter, it is a good time to re-evaluate Facebook as a corporate channel. Is it still useful? Who are you reaching? What should you post?

To help answer those questions, we looked at Facebook use amongst Bowen Craggs Index leaders and companies in the Forbes global 100 ranking, as well as relevant external research. We found three key elements you need to consider for your corporate Facebook presence: demographic data, engagement metrics, and content strategy.

1. Facebook demographics tell a story, and rates of growth speak the loudest

It is accepted today that Facebook is geared towards older age groups, and then sometimes assumed that it is less relevant because of that. What is often missed is that a key advantage of using Facebook is that older groups (ages 60+) do not have as diverse social media use as their younger counterparts. In other words, your Facebook audience might be increasingly limited to older generations, but unlike young people who will likely browse different social channels in their everyday life, this demographic group cannot be reached elsewhere on social media, which can be useful when considering some corporate stakeholder groups.

Typically, Facebook demographics emphasize the sheer number of active users, which is a static way of considering potential audiences. Today there are more millennial users than any other age group on Facebook, but their numbers are not growing as quickly. In fact, the age group 65+ grew more than any other between 2018 and 2019, by 14% (from 26% to 40%), while Millennials (26-41 years old) only grew by 2%.

While it may be tempting to prioritize platforms that attract younger audiences, it's important to bear in mind that Facebook is likely your only social media channel to reach older age groups, and indeed, this audience is getting bigger on Facebook.

2. Do not be disappointed by low engagement figures - viewership is not always reflected by the number of likes

When assessing engagement with a brand's social media presence, likes and follower counts are often considered the primary metrics - but these metrics alone may not accurately reflect actual visibility of your content. For many reasons, your audiences may be seeing your posts but not interacting with them: algorithms differ across platforms and demographic groups may have different ways of interacting with content. A useful metric to consider is the amount of page views on your Facebook account, which you can find on the platform and filter by age.

For leaders in the Bowen Craggs Index, we observed a discrepancy in the relationship between of followers and likes on Facebook when compared to Instagram: Facebook accounts have far more followers, but Instagram posts have more likes. 

As one example, Unilever’s Facebook and Instagram accounts are almost identical, posted on the date with the same content and bios. Despite having nearly 4 million followers (against 188k on Instagram) recent posts on Instagram have received more likes than their Facebook equivalent. Facebook can be an appropriate place to amplify content, even if viewers do not actively engage with it. If you understand this, it can be easier to focus on the right content for the channel.

3. Diversify your content, and do it wisely

Many companies in the top 30 of the Bowen Craggs Index and in the Forbes global 100 ranking, such as HSBC, Rio Tinto and RBC, maintain a consistent presence across social media platforms by duplicating or adapting their posts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or even LinkedIn. This duplication can be full, using the exact same content and caption, or adapted: the format, caption, visual, or tone may be altered to match the platforms norms and audience expectations.

Bayer uses duplicated and adapted content, but for some important and wide-ranging topics, such as sustainability, Bayer creates fully customised posts. We can see this in action when Bayer posted a video about women’s health on Instagram. This is appropriate for an audience that is younger and perhaps keener to break taboos, in a format that feels authentic: a selfie style video call interview.

The same video posted on Facebook might have received a different reaction, perhaps not being the content or format expected by the platform users. On Twitter, Bayer posted a photograph of the CEO inaugurating a recycling plant. It may not be visually striking enough for Instagram, and too corporate for a Facebook account focused on narrative pieces.

Finally, a video featuring kids talking about sustainability is only available on Facebook. The video is optimised for desktop viewing, and the length would make it less efficient on Instagram. The topic, young kids talking about sustainability, may appeal more to those with children and grandchildren.

Content is curated specifically with the audience and format expectations on each platform. If a visitor follows Bayer on all three platforms, they will see a range of information and storytelling. If they only use one channel, they will get the content that is tailored for them. On Facebook, this may mean featuring children to appeal to parents, showcasing employees with families, or crafting narratives around historical events.

Conclusion – finding the right role for Facebook

Now is a good time to rethink your corporate presence on Facebook. The platform may be your only chance to reach older age groups on social media. You may get fewer likes but the evidence from the many companies we looked at is that doesn’t necessarily mean posts are not influencing viewers. Finally, it is important not to overestimate or underestimate the power of Facebook as a channel, and to focus on who your audience is and what they want to see on the platform.