Why Does Facebook Advertise Itself?

If you’re along with the thousands of other people in the world that use the internet daily, you’ve probably seen more then a few Facebook ads in your time. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rise in Facebook advertisements, and the question has arisen of why.

Facebook is one of the leading social media platforms and at this point, nearly everyone you meet has heard of it or has it. So why the need for Facebook to continue advertising, even after they’ve had their name spread?

To Show Their Audience Their Expertise

Sometimes we forget that Facebook doesn’t merely have users who give them data, they have another audience that they use to get income; brands. These brands usually turn to Facebook intending to want to advertise. Although Facebook may already have built an audience of day to day users that they gather data from, they also have to keep their second audience in mind.

Nobody is going to want to use a platform to advertise that isn’t even capable of advertising their platform. That could be one of the reasons Facebook has created advertisements; they want brands to know that not only are they capable of advertising, but they can do an excellent job of it as well. They must show that they are a part of the industry and show brands that they’re capable of making an impact.

Not To Be Forgotten

It sounds insane that a platform the size of Facebook and with the audience it has would need to remind people that it’s around, right? But it’s important to remember that Facebook has competition that they face daily as well. With other platforms coming out that always seem to be the ‘up and coming’, some of the older companies have started to fall to the side.

Facebook uses advertisements as a subtle reminder that they’re still in the game. Other bigger companies often use this as well; it’s a way to remind people, as well as other platforms, that they’re still there. Although they may appear big, platforms still have to advertise as well.

The Public Is Expecting It

One very likely reason that Facebook has continued to advertise is simple; it’s expected. When you have a platform that is that big, with nearly everyone having heard of it, it’s expected to be putting out marketing material, regardless of size. Smaller companies then Facebook have advertised merely to keep their name out there and show the public their
brand.

With such a large platform, it isn’t a surprise that people are expecting to see Facebook use some of their power to advertise. Although this may not be the only reason that Facebook advertises, it is reasonable to think that it may be one of them.

To Show Their Mission

In marketing, it’s crucial to have a story. Companies strive to create a mission and a reason for their existence and Facebook is no different. Facebook wants users to know their mission and their goal with their platform. It’s no secret that Facebook has to fight against the people out there who believe that their platform is bad for society.

With advertisements, Facebook has an opportunity to ‘win back’ the people out there who believe that their platform isn’t a positive one. They can use advertisements as a way to show people their mission and what they want their future to be.

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