The Problem with Facebook

Why Facebook is Failing You: The Hidden Truth Behind Your Newsfeed

Let’s talk about the problem with Facebook, that cozy little corner of the internet where you think you’re keeping up with everyone but, surprise—Facebook has a few tricks up its sleeve. It’s quietly hiding things from you, and the odds are you didn’t even notice. Ever wonder why your aunt’s endless cat memes seem to vanish into thin air? Well, buckle up, because we’re diving into the mystery of why you’re missing out on so much of what’s actually happening in your social circle.

The Magic (and Mystery) of Facebook’s Newsfeed

Here’s how it works: every time you post something, whether it’s a picture of your breakfast burrito or a life-changing epiphany, Facebook decides how many of your friends actually get to see it. Spoiler alert—not many. Unless your post racks up likes and comments, it’ll stop dead in its tracks. So, if your friends are too lazy to smash that ‘like’ button, your masterpiece is headed straight into the void, never to be seen again.

Now, this isn’t just a “you” problem. Businesses and creators are getting the same deal. Got a favorite page you follow for science facts or hilarious memes? Chances are, you’re not seeing most of their content either. Facebook’s algorithm is doing some serious gatekeeping, my friend.

Say Hello to the Echo Chamber

What’s even sneakier? Over time, Facebook slowly removes friends and pages you don’t engage with. That means anyone you disagree with (or just forget to ‘like’ every once in a while) disappears from your feed like magic. Before you know it, your newsfeed is an echo chamber, bouncing back only the opinions you already agree with. Fun, right? Nothing like a digital bubble where all you ever see is, “Yep, you’re right!”

The weirdest part? You probably come across posts that are interesting, but do you always feel the urge to like or comment? Nah, not really. And yet, that’s how Facebook determines what you see. If it doesn’t get love, it’s out.

Facebook’s Filtering: Friend or Foe?

Okay, okay—maybe some filtering is necessary. With millions of users posting non-stop, Facebook argues that showing you everything would melt your brain. The average user has around 300 friends and likes about 40 pages. Combine that with the billions of posts shared daily, and, yeah, you’d be buried in updates. A little filtering doesn’t sound so bad after all.

But here’s the catch—Facebook isn’t just trimming the fat to make your life easier. Oh no, it’s making some serious cash by holding your feed hostage. You see, if creators and businesses want more people to see their posts, they have to pay for that privilege. Yep, they’re asking creators to cough up money just to reach the followers they already earned.

The Facebook vs. YouTube Showdown

Here’s where things get interesting: let’s compare Facebook to YouTube. On YouTube, creators are actually paid for the views their content gets. But Facebook? It’s the opposite. Creators have to pay Facebook for views. What’s up with that?

Well, it all boils down to why people use these platforms. On YouTube, users come to watch, learn, and get entertained. Meanwhile, people hop on Facebook to snoop on friends, check out baby pics, and stalk their exes (don’t deny it!). Family and friend updates are the real MVPs here, not necessarily business pages or creators.

Plus, when you watch a YouTube video, you’re likely to stick around for a few minutes. But Facebook? You’re just scrolling, liking, moving on. It’s fast, it’s brief, and it’s hard to pin down exactly how much value those short interactions bring.

Everyone’s an Advertiser (Seriously)

Here’s the real kicker: on Facebook, creators are treated like advertisers. Want your friends to know you ran a marathon? That’ll be $7 to boost the post. Want to share a cool science video you made? Better fork over some cash if you want it seen.

It’s like Facebook’s motto is, “Congratulations! You’re an advertiser now!” And this applies to everyone—whether you’re a business, a charity, or just a regular person. If you’re not willing to pay, your post is probably getting buried. And that’s the crux of the issue.

The Great Misalignment

What does all of this lead to? A weird, upside-down world where Facebook users just want to see cool stuff, but instead, they’re getting bombarded with the highest bidder’s content. It’s like being at a concert where you came to see your favorite band, but instead, a random cover band gets to perform just because they paid for the spot.

And let’s not forget—you’re just trying to catch up with friends, and boom—an ad for a blender you didn’t need suddenly interrupts your scroll. Oh, and just wait, Facebook’s rolling out video ads soon, on a platform that barely has any videos. Sounds fun, right?

So… What’s the Future of Facebook?

Here’s the thing—Facebook might be running out of steam. With most people already using the platform as much as they ever will (which is about 30 minutes a day), it doesn’t have much room left to grow. Meanwhile, online video (like YouTube) is exploding, with people watching about 20 hours of TV a week and only two hours of online video. That means online video still has a ton of growth potential, while Facebook might be peaking.

So, where does that leave us? Well, it’s a cautionary tale. Facebook’s original charm was that we got to control what we saw. Now, it’s the algorithm’s game, and if you want to play, you better pay. As Facebook continues to prioritize profits over organic content, it might lose what made it special in the first place.

But hey, what do you think? Are you noticing the same thing on your feed? Watch this YouTube Video for more information on this!

A Final Word From Chatter Marketing

At Chatter Marketing, we’re constantly trying to educate our clients on the reach of social media efforts. We often explain that they need to be diversified throughout all platforms. Our challenge as an agency is to do everything in our power to make sure our target audiences are seeing what we’re posting.

While we love Facebook, we also feel frustrated that we have to consistently throw money at them to ensure that our audience is seeing what were posting. The client doesn’t always understand the challenge we’re faced with with trying to reach the masses.

We look at it this way…if a potential new customer wants to find out about your organization, they’re going to go to your website first. And then proceed to your Facebook page. But, if you want to reach them when they are not thinking about you…you MUST consider a Facebook ad budget.

This video is from 2014, but we thought the creator did a fantastic job of explaining how the Facebook system works. At Chatter…we are most definitely getting more into video content pushing through YouTube to give our clients a broader reach. We still believe in ad budgets across all platforms, but like the reach that YouTube provides, even without a budget.

Our advice? Set aside a small budget monthly to advertise on your social media platforms and watch your reach explode! Need some help navigating the difficult world of social ads strategy? Fill out our Contact Form to get started with our Social Team!