If you’re reading this, it’s safe to assume you survived the Great Facebook Crash of Oct. 4, 2021. The massive outage took down Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp for roughly six hours. Like any other website or social media network, Facebook is prone to the occasional outage. While most are brief, the most recent crash was the longest the platform has suffered since the nearly day-long outage in March 2019.
Thankfully, the lights came back on at Facebook and life returned to normal. For the casual user, the outage was little more than an annoyance. However, “annoying” probably isn’t a strong enough word to describe how the countless businesses that have come to rely on social media as their primary marketing vehicle were feeling that day.
The Fallout
Facebook, as a corporate entity, took a hit due to the outage. Fortune reports the crash cost the company nearly $100 million in revenue, and shares dropped by close to 5% by the end of the day (Mark Zuckerberg himself is said to have lost $5.9 billion in personal wealth). While that $100 million is merely a drop in Facebook’s very large bucket, a day without social engagement, advertising, and marketing can have a serious impact on small businesses. In fact, some of the estimated 3 million small businesses who actively advertise on Facebook have claimed the outage cost them thousands of dollars in lost revenue and opportunities. While advertisers were not billed during the outage, the incident shows how dependent on Facebook small businesses have become.
Hopefully, the outage was not nearly as damaging to your businesses as it was to others. Most independent agents and advisors run pages with more localized, niche audiences, so a day without sharing content or boosting posts probably wasn’t the end of the world for most. That said, the extended outage very well could have hindered any time-sensitive/specific campaigns, especially those meant to promote an upcoming seminar or workshop.
The Takeaway
Beyond the irritations, interruptions, and potentially lost opportunities, the Great Facebook Crash of 2021 should teach us a very important lesson – don’t put all your eggs into one basket. While Facebook is among the most effective digital marketing tools out there, it’s crucial that you diversify your efforts.
A well-rounded marketing strategy should incorporate a variety of methods to connect with your target market. Email might not be the quickest way to generate new leads, but it can still be effective when done properly. Twitter became extremely popular during the outage and might be a worthy addition to your marketing toolbox if it isn’t in there already.
As the social platform for professionals, you should definitely be using LinkedIn for marketing and prospecting. Not only has LinkedIn been immune to any high-profile crashes and controversy, it has been named the most-used social media network by Fortune 500 companies. If you’re looking to level-up your social media game, IAMS’ Effective Prospecting with LinkedIn guide can help you connect with high-net-worth professionals.
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