Facebook is still growing!
Despite a 2018 of negative buzz, the 800 lb gorilla is still growing!
Data privacy and security scandals have created some image issues but have not led to a mass departure from Facebook. Sure, there have been minimal declines and some younger users continue to shift to Instagram, but the platform is still adding users and revenues. With more innovation expected in 2019, don't expect to see Facebook do anything except continue to dominate user time and the creative media spend for awareness and branding.
Keep in mind, Facebook has Insta and WhatsApp to handle the challenges around the younger audience and will continue to grow and monetize this audience despite any departure from the OG FB brand.
2018 Usage Highlights from E Marketer:
■ By the end of 2018, we expect 1.64 billion people worldwide will use Facebook at least once per month, up 10.3% from 2017.
■ In 2018, for the first time, our forecast shows a decline in Facebook user penetration among internet users ages 12 to 17 in France, Germany and the UK.
■ 2018 will also be the first time that more than one- quarter (26.2%) of worldwide social network users will use Instagram. That equates to 713.9 million people.
Ad revenues are expected to be up 36%, which is a tremendous percentage, but gets even more gorillisha when you remember that is in billions!
It is my belief that Zuckerburg has started to reveal his ace. What is that card? OTT and VIDEO. Winning the rights to stream all Premier League soccer matches from 2019 to 2022 in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam wasn't Facebook’s only foray into video this year. It also bought the rights to stream Spain’s La Liga soccer matches in India and surrounding countries for the next three years.
Consider this: If Facebook wins the rights to Superbowl Sunday, Oscars, CMA's, and other top typically TV network power shows, what happens? If Facebook begins to stream your favorite TV shows and begin winning shows from Networks, Netflix, etc., what happens?
Remember, Usage = Value. So far, Facebook still has the growing usage, growing revenues, and therefore has the capacity to expand it's value proposition tremendously beyond anything we have yet to realize.
