What does it mean – No more Facebook like-gating? Recently, Facebook just changed its platform policy to ban the practice that as known as ‘like-gating’. Here is what the policy content has been updated:
Only incentivize a person to log into your app, like your app’s Page, enter a promotion on your app’s Page, or check-in at a place. Don’t incentivize other actions. Effective November 5th, 2014, you may no longer incentivize people to like your app’s Page.
It is very obvious that Facebook no longer wants Facebook Page mangers to use any kind of promotions or giveaways in exchange of likes on their pages.
Why Facebook wants to change the situation? Why does it matter to normal Facebook users or Facebook Page managers? Here is my thoughts.
The biggest reason why Facebook wants to change the policy is because Facebook wants to improve both users’ and advertisers’ experience with Facebook. Here is the answer directly given by Facebook:
To ensure quality connections and help businesses reach the people who matter to them, we want people to like Pages because they want to connect and hear from the business, not because of artificial incentives. We believe this update will benefit people and advertisers alike.
I believe banning like-gating will be beneficial for both sides (users and advertisers) in the end as well. On the one hand, for a normal Facebook user, many times they will like a page in order to enter a contest, get a reward or a coupon, while how much they really like a page or a company is hard to be predicted. Moreover, many users are already complaining about they get invited for such promotions quite often on Facebook, while they feel quite annoyed. That’s exactly the problem that most Facebook page managers treat Facebook as a very commercial platform and even apply many pushy marketing strategies when they promote products or companies. On the other hand, for advertisers, banning like-gating is surely a good news, since they can get to know their target groups more accurately. Otherwise, if Page Like only based on like gating, then most of the time, those users are not highly engaged. Besides, if this policy can really improve users’ experience with Facebook. Then more people will be present online longer, which helps increase the exposure chances of advertisements on the home page in a longer term.
Now the trend is changing from like-gating to action-gating on Facebook, which requires Facebook marketers to create more high-value and audience-engaged posts online in order to attract more fans. In general, I believe this action will help Facebook have a better business model and a better user feedback.
So what do you think of this policy made by Facebook? What kinds of influences do you think this decision will bring on Facebook users/ advertisers/ Facebook marketers? Share your thoughts with me! 😀
Sources:
http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/17246.aspx
http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/Facebook_nixes_likegating_17079.aspx
No More Facebook Like-Gating: What It Means and Why You Should Care
http://www.insidefacebook.com/2014/08/08/facebook-is-demolishing-the-like-gate/
