Last week I was surprised to receive both an email and phone call from a dedicated Facebook Ads representative interested in setting up a meeting to discuss my current Facebook Campaigns as well as future opportunities. On the surface, a call from a salesperson might not seem newsworthy. But for those of us who have been advertising on Facebook for the past few years, that level of customer service is a sharp contrast from what we have grown to expect from the social media giant. Is it possible that Facebook’s woes, including a steep decline in its stock value, are making Facebook pay a little more attention to customer service?
I sure hope so.
Then and Now
Let’s go back four ago when I first began testing Facebook ads for some of my clients. If I ran into an issue setting up a campaign, had a question about targeting features, or was interested in tips for better results, the chances of finding a way to connect with someone from the Facebook team were slim. There was no chat feature, no easy-to-find customer service phone number, and no email address. Among my agency teammates, it was common to hear, “Hey, does anyone know how to get a hold of someone from Facebook?”
So what’s changed? Frankly, a lot. Do a quick search of recent news stories, and you’ll see that Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth fell more than $16 billion in one day after the company’s stock plunged 20 percent and issued guidance that the financial future of the company isn’t quite as rosy as some investors thought it might be. This news, coupled with Facebook’s privacy issues and recent discovery of inauthentic social media campaigns ahead of the mid-term elections, has proven to be a PR and financial nightmare. Earlier in the year I, predicted that it would be tough sledding in 2018 for Facebook. It’s possible that the company’s woes will turn into improved customer service for advertisers.
Facebook Has an Opportunity
Despite negative press surrounding Facebook, I still believe the platform can be an effective marketing channel, especially when used as a brand awareness tool. Advertising costs on Facebook are a fraction of those on Google, and there is still an impressively large number of active users to engage. My advice is to take full advantage of the more robust customer support at Facebook.
And Facebook’s customer service can help you, too. A recent call with a Facebook expert led to me testing some new targeting methods as well as adjusting my campaign structure. While it is still early in the test, I am seeing improved engagement and more conversions. This is a critical time for Facebook as they work to rebuild the integrity of their brand. It is in Facebook’s best interest to help ensure advertisers enjoy as much success as possible using their platform.
Are you seeing better customer service from Facebook? Let me know!
