Facebook is the biggest social media platform, with over 3 billion monthly users. This means that Facebook is already a brand recognized by a third of the world’s population. That’s why it sounded strange when the company announced it was changing from Facebook to Meta.
So, why was the change necessary for an already established company? What is the impact of the change of name? Join us as we explore what necessitated the change and the impact on the social media giants and the users.
Background Into The Name Change
In a newsletter dated 28 October 2021, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company was moving from Facebook to Meta. He noted that this was a reflection of changes that were happening in the technological space.
According to Zuckerberg, when the company was founded in 2009, the focus was more on texts. This changed to videos and images when phones with cameras were introduced. The Facebook founder now believes the next social media platforms will be more immersive. Therefore, the change reflects the direction the company plans to take its social media platforms.
Why the Change to Meta Was Necessary
As we have seen earlier, it’s not only a name change that happened. It was also a reflection of the direction the company was going. The company plans to make its social media sites more immersive. In what it refers to as the “Metaverse,” the goal is to help users experience their platforms rather than just use them.
According to the newsletter, this will make users feel present. They plan to implement the meta verse in all their products, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The name was, therefore, chosen to echo the products that Meta plans to create. However, it is worth noting that Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger will maintain their names.
What is the Metaverse?
The Metaverse is a shared 3D universe that technology companies are collaborating on creating. This is considered to be the internet for the future. The spatial computing platform offers a digital future that is a replica of the real world. In the Metaverse, people can communicate and interact in an immersive experience.
How Businesses Can Benefit From The Metaverse
The metaverse offers opportunities for individuals and businesses through:
Technological Invention
The metaverse brings different technological inventions, from interacting with remote teams to implementing virtual events. These events may include staff onboarding and online meetings.
Enhance Brand Awareness
While the Metaverse is still in its infant stage, businesses can use it to conduct product launches, conferences, and more. They can create virtual showrooms where they can showcase their products. Therefore, the technology will offer new opportunities for businesses to showcase their products to potential buyers. They can use Metaverse to launch their advertising campaigns, promotions, and events.
Improve Performance
By using VR simulations, businesses can train their employees to handle complex processes that would otherwise put them at risk. Therefore, the technology can help businesses to improve safety while saving time and money.
How to Use Meta Platforms to Grow Your Business
As noted earlier, Meta is more than just Facebook and includes all Meta products. These different meta platforms have an incredible reach as follows:
- Facebook:2.9 billion monthly users
- Whatsapp:2 billion users
- Instagram: 1.9 billion monthly users
- Messenger:988 million users
Facebook for Business
Facebook is one of the Meta platforms where you should market your products and services. The first step towards doing that is by creating a Facebook page. Here, you can post updates and share information about your business. This can include products and events.
The Facebook business page has features that:
- Customers can use it to book appointments
- Post events and have people register their interests
- Enable business owners to post jobs
- Online shop. A good palace to share your products and have people buy directly
Instagram for Business
Having an Instagram page can also help you use tools such as:
- Collab posts: These are shown on the brand’s page and a creator’s Instagram post. This can enable businesses to partner with influencers and brand ambassadors.
- Shopping. The Instagram checkout enables your followers to find products and shop in the app.
- Story highlights. Use the highlight section to save important stories.
For the best results, you will need a large following on Instagram. If you struggle to get a following, you can buy followers from genuine sites that promote your business to people in your niche.
Messenger for Business
Businesses can use the live chat section of Facebook to answer customer questions. You can also use the automated FAQ bot on Messenger to respond to common questions. The app also enables businesses to run surveys on customer satisfaction levels.
Whatsapp for Business
WhatsApp works in the same way as Messenger. It has various features that make it a good choice for business. These include:
- Catalog. You can add a catalog of your products and services to your WhatsApp number.
- Status. You can post your products on your status. These could be in the form of texts, videos, images or GIFs. However, these will disappear within 24 hours.
- Automated messengers. You can automate messages on WhatsApp where you send fast responses, greetings, and wishes to your customers.
Conclusion
Meta has revolutionized the way we do business. With the shift from Facebook to Meta, this is going to continue even in a greater way. Currently, you can use Meta services, as highlighted in this article. When the shift to the metaverse happens, you can still use the platform to promote your business.