Wanted to talk to you guys about something that’s bothering me. I know it seems trivial, but it’s really pissing me off. So, I’m gonna dump it here and open it for discussion with you guys.
It’s 2019. And, the majority of the population thinks the internet is composed, solely, of a handful of sites. Namely, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google, you know the ones. What this means for a business owner is: If you aren’t marketing on those platforms, nobody is seeing you.
With that understanding, one of the first things I did is create a Facebook page for my company. It’s got around 50 likes. I know I popped up on the Facespace radar because they sent me a warning once for selling an AR-15 on my page (completely within their community standards, by the way, as I am a federally licensed firearms dealer). Then, the likes and friend requests and views and whatnot just stopped coming in.
Initially, I internalized this. “Have I plateaued? Is my page just not good enough? What am I doing wrong?”
So, I decided to test a theory…
I had my friend share my business page to his business page. His company is engaged in the motorcycle community (and will remain unnamed because I don’t want their business attached to my negative and futile attempts the rail against the system). And, the results are astounding. There are 814 people following his page. 814 motorcycle enthusiasts… in and around upstate South Carolina… And not one single person has any interest in a firearms page. None. And, I don’t just mean no one liked the page… I MEAN NO ONE EVEN VIEWED IT.
I find this fascinating as I feel I know the demographic pretty well…because I ride and I live in the area. The chances that not even ONE out of 814 would, at the very least, click on the page, is astronomical.
And, ego completely aside, the only way that makes any sense is that Facebook is shadow banning me. New views and no likes = I just suck. But, no views at all…That’s has got to be more than a coincidence.
I sound like I’m nuts, i know. “Facebook has conspired against me because guns. #infowars #reptilians #AlexJonestoldmetheglobalistswouldrallyagainstme ”
I just don’t see the math working out. I mean, we’re talking less than 1 in almost 1,000 in a gun friendly state didn’t even take a look? That seems pretty unlikely. I know my hands are tied. It’s their platform to run as they wish. Just strikes me as shady and underhanded, I guess. The company website will be up and running by the beginning of the week and, with any luck, they won’t notice me sharing the link around social media. Just think the way they’re handling the whole thing is childish.
I don’t know. What do you folks think? Am I just being crazy? Have any of you experienced this sort of thing from social media?