What's the Sitch with Meta?
Just when you thought it couldn’t get more overwhelming, Meta has announced updates that are raising concerns. The company is ending its third-party fact-checking program to “restore free expression” on its social platforms. This will be replaced by a system similar to X’s Community Notes, which will begin rolling out in the United States over the next couple of months.
The new Community Notes system will allow users to write and rate notes that provide additional context to posts. To ensure a balanced perspective, Meta has stated that a note will only appear if it “requires agreement between people with a range of perspectives,” aiming to reduce bias.
In early January, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said of the changes, “We’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes, and too much censorship.” While the shift is designed to reduce over-enforcement of fact-checking, the removal of these safeguards could risk brand integrity, leaving brands to navigate a more unmoderated space as well as a potential increase in the spread of misinformation.
You can watch a video of Zuckerberg discussing these changes here.
This change will affect nonprofits by shaking up how campaigns perform, how charities target their audiences, and how accurate reporting is. Here's what we can expect:
Restricted Domains: Websites falling under restricted categories will no longer be able to share data with Meta via the pixel. This means actions like page views, donations, and form completions won’t be tracked.
Conversion-Based Events: You won’t be able to use conversion-based events for optimization or tracking on restricted domains anymore.
Audience Limitations: Audiences created from website visitors won’t be available for retargeting or creating lookalike audiences.
What Does This Mean for Your Strategy?
Meta’s new Community Notes system allows users to write and rate notes that give more context to posts. The goal is to reduce bias in posts, but there’s a tradeoff: with this system, posts might be less moderated, and your brand’s reputation could be at risk due to more unfiltered content. So, you’ll need to adapt your strategy to handle this change:
Rethink Your Conversion Tracking: Meta’s changes will impact how you track user actions, like donations or page views, through their tracking system, the pixel. Restricted domains can no longer share data with Meta, meaning you won't be able to track these key actions effectively. To counter this, you should start using first-party data (data you collect directly from users) or look into other platforms that can provide tracking without relying on Meta's system. This ensures you still have insights into user actions and campaign effectiveness.
Focus on Engagement-Based Metrics: Because conversion-based events, like tracking how many people made a donation or signed up for your newsletter, won’t work as well on restricted domains, you’ll need to shift focus. Instead of just tracking conversions, pay more attention to engagement metrics. These metrics show how people are interacting with your content. By improving your content to spark more engagement, you can keep a pulse on how well your brand is resonating with your audience.
Diversify Your Audiences: With Meta limiting retargeting and lookalike audiences, you need to get creative. Instead of solely relying on Meta’s platform for retargeting, consider using email lists or leveraging other social media platforms (like LinkedIn or TikTok) to rediscover your audience elsewhere. This helps you stay connected even with Meta’s changing landscape.
We’ll keep a close eye on Meta’s updates and help you adapt your strategies as needed. While the shift to Community Notes and reduced restrictions may shake up your online experience, you can count on us to keep you informed about developments that could affect you and your brand. Wondering the best way to stay informed and ahead of the game? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay prepared for whatever Meta throws at us next!