We’ve already seen some massive digital changes in 2019, from 5G to AI, there has been some big talking points.

Facebook is no different and this year they released a number of changes that will be coming to the platform. CEO Mark Zuckerburg opened his keynote speech at this years F8 conference, claiming “Privacy gives us the freedom to be ourselves.” This bold statement set the tone for the rest of his speech, and detailed the future = for Facebook in privacy and community interaction.

#1 The Future is Private

After a tough year for Facebook, their reputation has been under intense scrutiny with user privacy scandals. Zuckerburg announced some much needed changes at the conference. A new and improved encryption software has been developed for Facebook’s desktop web page and app. Aiming to make it a much more secure network, so much so that Facebook itself can no longer view your private messaging content. Therefore, this should give confidence to your business and your customers.

But why have Facebook implemented these?

The answer is simple. Since its launch in 2004, people were so focused on one thing: reaching as many people online as possible. This makes sense because at the time, social networking was very new and everybody loved that they had the world at their finger tip. But now, according to Zuckerburg, people have turned their focus to “private messaging, small groups and stories”. These much more intimate online communities need to be able to trust Facebook. Zuckerburg did admit that the company needed to make changes in order to gain this trust.

Changes to Facebook’s privacy settings and the shift in how people communicate with each other online have the potential to have a great impact on Northern Irish businesses. Whether you have a small family run business in Ballymena, or you’re an international company, you have customers who are on Facebook. With that, comes a great opportunity to explore online, social and digital marketing. Thanks to Facebook, we now have a secure platform to do so. After all, “the future is private”.

Emphasis on Online Community

During his F8 keynote speech, Zuckerburg announced a new emphasis on one thing in particular, community. The network is going to invest in improving both it’s public and private community platforms by updating how groups work. Fidji Simo (Head of Facebook App) said that the new changes to the app will allow people to “come to Facebook not just to connect with people you already know, but also to find people you might want to know”.

With updates to how the groups tab looks and works, it’ll be much easier now for people to find groups they are interested in. Not only will it be easier to find the groups, but Facebook will also give out recommendations based on your current groups, likes and searches, making it easier to interact with people who are as interested in that topic as you are.

Facebook are also making changes for businesses to make things like recruitment, digital and social media marketing much more effective. A new feature will be introduced that let’s businesses advertise jobs and lets potential employee’s apply on Facebook, instead of being taken to another site. This will make the whole process much simpler for the user.

This allows you as a business to get closer to your customers. Whether you are a small company operating in Belfast or a global firm, these changes can boost sales through new marketing strategies. Thanks to the new update, your business will be able to sell and take payments directly from Facebook. All of the shipping details will be completed on the app or desktop too. New encryption and security measures that Zuckerburg will be implementing, your customers won’t have anything to worry about!

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Social Media News – How will the latest Facebook changes affect Businesses in Belfast and beyond… | Rapid Agency Belfast