Facebook advertising 'lost cause' for marketers

"From its early days, Facebook showed great promise to marketers. However, between its inception in 2004 and now, Facebook advertising has changed. For some, it has shifted from being every marketer's dream to, quite frankly, a lost cause," the whitepaper states. "While it vocally favours its users, lately Facebook has done little to satisfy marketers, though it is the marketers who provide Facebook's revenue."

Now more than 10 years old, Facebook has over a billion users and is still growing. The lengthy whitepaper tracks the evolution of Facebook advertising over the past ten years, from the introduction of the 'like' button, to the demise of organic advertising.

"Marketers have been using Facebook advertising for over a decade and its continuing popularity with consumers makes leaving the social media site seem unwise. However, problems with the platform have continued to grow," the whitepaper concludes. "While Facebook remains a strong way to build brand presence, when it comes to reaching new audiences or attracting new customers, marketers are now finding that their advertising budget is better spent elsewhere."

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