Don't build your business on someone else's platform
What happens to a company, brand, or influencer when they lose their social media accounts?
The Brand24 case
In August 2019, Business Insider published an article about Facebook reviewing its official marketing partners over data-scraping issues on Instagram. The article said some companies were collecting user data without permission.
As a result, a Polish company - Brand24 - was accused of using data not officially provided by Instagram. A week later, both Brand24's and its CEO Michal Sadowski's accounts were blocked.
Sadowski posted a video on YouTube explaining that his page was removed because Brand24 was mentioned in the same article as companies that actually violated rules. He said the blocking was an automatic process and that the issue was being resolved with Facebook's team.
A nasty surprise
Brand24 is a company that provides an internet monitoring tool. Their clients include companies like Uber, Intel, and H&M, as well as many small and medium businesses.
Even though both Sadowski and Facebook said the blocking was automatic, the fact is that losing your accounts overnight is a very unpleasant surprise.
Brand24's stock price dropped by over 15%.
A warning
This case shows that building your business around platforms like Facebook or Google is risky.
Here we had a reaction to a media article. But there are cases of Polish companies that had to close because Facebook changed its rules overnight. Another example is sudden price increases, like what happened with the Google Maps API.
Influencers
Influencers are a special case. Many of them run their business only on social media platforms.
Losing their channel suddenly can destroy years of work and cut off their income. Sure, they can create new accounts, but those won't have the same value. Rebuilding an audience takes a lot of work and money.
A lesson for businesses
Depending your business on platforms you don't own (Facebook, Instagram, marketplace sites) is risky.
Your own website is a must. It's also a guarantee of independence when popular platforms have unexpected problems.
A brand that only communicates through Facebook or Instagram is invisible to clients during any outage or account loss.
Your own website
A company website is more than a communication channel. It builds trust. Without a working website, a brand can look unprofessional. A well-made site, matching your visual identity, helps build your image and can be part of your marketing strategy.
A company website:
- builds your image
- increases trust and credibility
- is a communication channel
- helps you understand clients through analytics
- is a source of information about your brand
- shows your business goals
And, as we learned from companies and people who lost their social media profiles - it makes you independent.
