Facebook, which has been a fixture of social media since 2004, has been constantly updating since its founding. 2019 is no exception. This year’s updates include some fundamental changes to Facebook’s approach to online privacy, as well as some more cosmetic changes.

The Future of Privacy

Facebook hasn’t always had the best relationship with online privacy. It’s had repeated run-ins with the FCC over how users’ private information has been handled, often publicly without their consent. But 2019 sees Facebook turning over a new leaf.

In the past, Facebook’s aim was to make as much of its content as publicly available as possible. In fact, many shared more than intended because they hadn’t updated their privacy settings. But today, Facebook has recognized that the future of online communication isn’t public, but actually private.

Most people now communicate online either directly or in small groups, rather than posting things for as many people as possible to see. The idea is to make people feel like they fit in more by creating small communities via Facebook groups and Messenger. Facebook is even exploring the idea of making posts expire after a certain period of time, similar to Instagram Stories.

For users, this is great news. Their privacy will be even more protected online. But for businesses seeking to use Facebook for marketing and SEO, the new focus may necessitate a change in approach. Instead of sharing content to the Facebook world at large, content creators may need to instead direct their efforts towards smaller groups.

Facebook has also made some updates to its logo and website to reflect its new groups and messenger focus.

Ad Updates

There were also a lot of updates to Facebook ads that were announced for this year. You can now insert product stickers into Instagram Stories so that users can click a link directly to an online store if they like the look of a product. But that’s not the only thing that’s new in the world of Facebook advertising.

Starting in 2019, ads will have the capability of using augmented reality – businesses can use this feature to demonstrate how products can or should be used. Ads can also be posted on Facebook Stores – while not as popular yet as Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories will be another option for businesses to reach their customers.

Improved Metrics

Facebook has made changes to its metrics, especially for video advertisements. This should be particularly useful to businesses using video and will help improve the ability to measure an audience’s engagement with videos. There will also be more self-service opportunities to explore what kind of impact your ads have and how they affect your audience’s perception of your or your company’s brand.

2019 should prove to be an exciting year for content providers and brands on Facebook. With the new ad features available, you can engage more directly with your audience. The new metrics can then help you to understand exactly what impact those new ads had for you. These changes should only improve our ability to create and promote brands with Facebook and we can’t wait to use them!