Are there still ways to drive traffic from Facebook on a very limited budget?

Hi all,

I ask the question, because of all the doom and gloom surrounding frequent algorithm changes these days, and the fact that FB does not show your ads to nearly as many people as previously. Personally I think experts, with a bankroll of money to use to test and test again, can still make it. But Mark Z is pushing for more Social…which means more expensive ads. The big boys will continue to pay because of the massive reach FB has. But does someone, like me, with a tiny budget, have any chance of diving enough traffic to make a good passive income without the know how or expert and detailed guidance of a mentor?

Are you that mentor Sean Mize?

I would apply the above question also to Google, YouTube, Instagram Pinterest and most other social media channels.

Topic

[Bruce HoagParticipant]

You’ve heard the age-old question, Les: Cheap, Quick, Easy. Pick two.

If you want fast results, then they won’t be cheap to get. End of story.

Cheap comes from finding a platform that you can dominate in your niche.

For example, Medium is a place where you can publish content for free. It strikes me as being the new EzineArticles, but it’s a much cleaner and elegant platform.

There’s an organizational psychologist there who in about a year has become their number one writer, but even with more articles than anyone else, his niche is probably different from yours.

And that’s just one place where you could go.

As for FB, Google, Pinterest, etc, my own feeling is that these platforms have matured to such an extent that they will serve either a different audience than we do, or will serve them in a different way than they have in the past. And so only those with deep pockets will be able to market on them.

I also think that there’s a real chance that their deep pockets approach will backfire, that their greedy approach to advertising will result in a lot of bad publicity, and that they’ll end up trying to recover the “good ole days.” But once the damage is done, there’ll be no going back.

And, of course, this will open up the market for new platforms.

This forum is a new platform, for example. Right now it has a limited membership, but when it’s fully developed, the benefits to all of us will be amazing.

Bruce Hoag PhD
The Internet Marketing Psychologist
The Mindful Writer - for deep and persuasive copy

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Leslie Leftley

[Leslie LeftleyParticipant]

Thanks Bruce,

I guess you just confirmed my fears.

On the whole I tend to agree with you, but even more so with Facebook.

However, I have never heard of Medium, so it intrigues me a little. Maybe it could become a piece of the puzzle I’m missing. But I am surprised that Sean has not (to my knowledge) recommended Medium, especially because of his background in how he started getting his brand recognized through EzineArticles in the days of the Wild West. Even Sean admits that doing what he did, back then, would not work for people now, even if they worked as crazy hard as he did.

With all that said I will still look into Medium and see what it might offer to me.

I must thank you further Bruce, for always having something thoughtful to suggest, whether I find your suggestions useful to me or not. I am sure others in the group also benefit from your wide knowledge of so many elements of online business, whether they ask questions or not.

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Bruce Hoag

[Bruce HoagParticipant]

Hi Les,

In all fairness to Sean, he doesn’t have the time to stay up on everything. Nor do I, come to that.

The thing is that in my day job, I’ve had to create a marketing plan for a bricks-and-mortar company that’s quite set in it’s ways and has never had a marketing budget.

So most days, I’m thinking about what content to create and especially how to promote it for free.

That’s quite a challenge because so many free tools, when they get some traction, will start charging for what they offer.

The company doesn’t use Medium. It’s simply not practical for it. It’s in the B2B horticultural industry, and Medium is for B2C.

Not only that, but I’m not an engineer, and there’s only so much you can say about steel and glass. (The company builds commercial greenhouses.)

That means that to the extent possible I have to stay on top of what Google is doing, and YouTube, and SlideShare, and the SEO industry, and all the rest of it. That’s how I found Medium. I read about it somewhere. 🙂

Bruce Hoag PhD
The Internet Marketing Psychologist
The Mindful Writer - for deep and persuasive copy

1 user thanked author for this post.

Leslie Leftley

[Leslie LeftleyParticipant]

Hi Bruce,

I get what you say. And to be honest I don’t think it would be wise to try and become expert or be “over” lots of Social media channels.

I have read that 4 is plenty. Now those 4 could be big boys like FB and Youtube…or smaller Like tumblr or Pinterest. Medium is obviously smaller, but could still be useful as it has proven to be for you.

Yes I guess iI have to let Sean off the hook on the Medium thing because his dealings with ezinearticles, and the like, are far behind him now.

I just wish I could avoid FB when it comes to traffic and ads, because it’s a minefield. It’s getting harder to manage and, to be honest, I hate ramming business down people’s throats on a Social first application. Even Mark Z is supercharging the social side and as a direct consequence forcing up ad prices.

[Sean MizeMember]

Les,

have you started your facebook page so that you can start inviting folks there?

that is the FIRST step to getting facebook traffic . . .please confirm and I’ll give you a next step.

Sean

Do you want to learn how to start a coaching program that stabilizes your income and changes lives? If so, visit http://www.AnyoneCanCoach.com

Sean

1 user thanked author for this post.

Leslie Leftley

[Leslie LeftleyParticipant]

Hi Sean,

I have a least one dormant FB fan page I made a few years back, that I could resurrect. But do Fan pages work anymore?

Or do I have to open another type of page?

As you can see I am totally out of the loop about how FB now works business-wise. That’s probably down to the fact that I’ve never really got my head around FB being the catalyst for traffic, despite the mass of information it holds that can be tapped into.

So you will have to excuse my ignorance when it comes to inviting people…who would that be? And what type of setup should the FB page should be built around..Is it anything like a Fan page?

[Robert LabedzParticipant]

Hype?

Hi Les,

I think a lot of what is being said and folks are trying to sell is hype.
FB and the rest are all about making money – But for little folks with a budget I think there are ways to get traffic.
Post often, Make a fanpage or group, visit other forums and groups and engage without spamming of selling (just help)
I am looking into more ways myself but I thought I would respond because I know sometimes it is discouraging, and you don’t want to get in debt just cause everyone is saying get on board.
Be of good cheer – there has got to be ways and we’ll find them!
Robert

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Leslie Leftley

[Leslie LeftleyParticipant]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the encouragement. I certainly hope I can find the right track and the right work balance sooner rather than later.

[Bruce HoagParticipant]

As a matter of curiosity, Les, what does a typical day look like for you?

Bruce Hoag PhD
The Internet Marketing Psychologist
The Mindful Writer - for deep and persuasive copy

[Author]

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