Will Facebook Always be FREE?

Posted In: Digital by Jenn Ferrier,
September 19, 2023

Will Facebook Always be FREE?

Fran Haign, Boutique’s Paid Media Expert

Say what?

Earlier this month, it was unveiled that Meta plans to launch a subscription service for EU residents as a response to the continuously changing EU data privacy regulations. It is a significant development in the world of online advertising and a step forward in granting users more control over their digital experiences.

It also raises several noteworthy points from an advertiser’s point of view. 

Before we begin, it is worth noting that this subscription service is yet to be announced by Meta themselves, and as far as we know, it will not affect the UK.

The primary goal for any business using Meta ads is to showcase their products and services to as many potential customers as possible. The extensive reach, diverse ad formats and advanced analytics and AI capabilities allow businesses to reach their target audience anywhere.

The introduction of an ad-free subscription service adds a layer of complexity to any Meta ad strategies.

This new subscription service will cause fragmentation within audience targeting, making it harder to reach potential customers effectively.

Advertisers may need to re-evaluate their strategies, allocate budgets differently and explore alternative methods to maintain their reach.

Other platforms, such as TikTok have quickly become as popular as Meta.

Every day we see more and more features launching on TikTok ads manager, getting closer to the capabilities of Meta ads which opens many new doors for advertisers to reach their audiences.

As it stands, we don’t know how much this subscription service will cost for users. It is hard to gauge whether this subscription service will become a popular asset in the EU or whether people will continue using the apps for free.

In brief, right now it is just a case of keeping an eye on any developments from Meta, although it seems the UK will not be affected by these changes. If this subscription comes into force and is proven popular, advertisers should re-evaluate their budgets and re-consider other platforms to use to target their audience.

If this affects you and you want to chew the fat drop us a line @ hello@weareboutique.co.uk we love to chat over a brew!