By skyforbes 
It amazes me that brands, businesses, and consumers are all focussing on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram even as Facebook continues to be Kenya’s largest social media platform in terms of users with quite possibly the only exception being WhatsApp which could(?) be larger if you count it as a social media platform and not just as an Instant Messaging platform.
Facebook has been around for 20+ years making it one of the oldest social media platforms globally even as its lost momentum to new(er) platforms like Instagram and TikTok that are more appealling to Millennials, GenZers, and GenAlpha. That being said, as a GenXer myself, I have used Facebook religiously for as long as I have been on it and its probably the first social media platform I open every morning and the last one I use at the end of the day.
The reality is that for old(er) users like me, Facebook is where most of my generation operate meaning that its sort of a comfort zone that I am most familiar with. Indeed, even just this morning, I reshared a Facebook post where I had tagged some friends of mine 15 years ago to remind them that the Internet never forgets! That’s the kind of longevity that Facebook has and indeed our own children sneer at the suggestion of them using Facebook as they often say its for ‘old(er) people’, which is just fine by me 🙂
So, seriously, why does Facebook still matter and why should any of us care about it from a Kenyan perspective? I spent sometime mulling over this very question and came to the conclusion that there are at least three reasons, as follows:
Facebook Users Are Pure Gold (As In, Old Is Gold!)
Facebook’s most active users are typically 45+ years old and composed mostly of GenXers are quite possibly the most attractive consumer demographic from a commercial perspective on social media as they are more affluent and discerning when compared to Millennials and GenZers who are more inclined to make smaller and more impulsive purchases. So, putting this simply, Facebook users are going to be good business whichever way look at it.
Facebook Users, By Being Old(er), Generally Consume Long(er) Form Content & This Matters For Brands & Businesses.
Facebook’s core base of 45+ years old users have a legacy of traditional media consumption meaning that they have an affinity for long(er) form content such as newspapers, magazines, radio and TV meaning they have long(er) attention spans compared to Millennials and GenZers who typically have a preference for short-form visual and video content on platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Reels. What this ultimately means is that Facebook users have a higher likelihood to see, engage, and convert from your content and ads on the platform.
As Millennials & GenZers Abandon Facebook, Content & Ads Reach, Engagement, & Conversions Perform Really Well There (True Story!)
As more and more Millennial and GenZer users on Facebook have become either dormant or completely exited the platform, content on Facebook has great organic reach and engagement compared to other social media platforms and concurrently we see that Meta Ads on Facebook are not only cost-effective but perform incredibly well on digital campaigns. This is a potent mix for any brand or business that wants to leverage Facebook from a commercial perspective.