Is Facebook dead? Young people think so. Many have already moved to deactivate Facebook accounts and stop promoting their businesses there, but is this a wise business strategy?
It depends on your target market.
Here at Total Social Solutions, we understand the demographics of our clients, which primarily consist of aesthetic medical practices like plastic surgery, dermatology, and medical spa practices.
Don’t Deactivate Facebook for Your Aesthetic Medical Practice
Facebook (and Instagram) is where your top spenders are hanging out online.
Now, we don’t refer to your top clients as “old people,” — how rude — but older generations with more disposable income and a higher need and desire for anti-aging services purchased at plastic surgery, dermatology, and medical spa practices are still spending a lot of their online time on Facebook.
You Want To Be Where Your People Are
Be where your people are and stay on Facebook. In fact, you should consider devoting a little more resources toward your Facebook marketing. This is a far cry from the “deactivate Facebook” argument put forth by so many.
Instagram is also a great place to continue marketing your plastic surgery, dermatology, and medical spa services, so staying on Facebook is necessary if you plan to use Instagram for marketing, as both fall under the Meta umbrella.
According to the Associated Press article, “Facebook has 3 billion users. Many of them are old.” (eye roll)
- Facebook insists it is not dead and wants to shake off the perception that it is only for “old people.”
- Despite having 3 billion monthly users, Facebook risks fading into the background because younger generations have moved on to other platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- Facebook aims to position itself as a viable alternative to TikTok given the latter’s heightened government scrutiny, but young adults like Devin Walsh have little interest in returning to Facebook.
- Tom Alison, the head of Facebook, emphasized the platform’s plans to lure in young users through more engaging content, such as AI-driven social discovery features and TikTok-like videos.
- While Facebook’s numbers among young adults are declining, industry insiders like Debra Aho Williamson believe the platform is still a powerful player, especially among older users, and could evolve into something akin to a directory, such as the Yellow Pages.
Which Generations Are Spending The Most Money on Aesthetics?
While it is important to cater your marketing to a younger demographic as well, remember your bread and butter is still Elder Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers. This is at least true for most aesthetic medical practices we have worked with.
So while TikTok is more popular, ask yourself if that is where your audience is. While you may want to target younger patients, do they have the disposable income to spend with you, or are they pinching pennies more than your older patients who tend to need, and therefore purchase, more services from you? Where are they spending their time online? It might be TikTok, but it’s likely more so Facebook and Instagram.
So you see, the people who are leading the charge to deactivate Facebook are the same people who aren’t likely to spend money in your practice. They aren’t your target market. Follow your target market!
Every Aesthetic Medical Practice is Different. What’s Your Story?
What’s the story in your practice? Which generation of patients are you seeing most frequently? What’s your ROI with those patients? Do you think your marketing efforts are targeting the wrong kind of patients, limiting your profitability?
Contact us if you aren’t sure your digital marketing efforts are working for you.
