Last week there was some major news in the realm of content sharing, when social media giant Facebook announced that it will no longer allow the sharing of Australian news on its platform. The decision was made after Facebook objected to a new law introduced by the Australian Government to support public interest journalism.
Who has been impacted?
As explained in this article from ABC News, the decision largely impacts smaller Australian publishers who rely on wide Facebook consumption by their audience to ensure that the information they share is heard. Whether it is an organisation that shares news on local events or advice on particular topics in a health focused or community group, it has come as a huge shock for many that they can no longer operate in the same way. The article highlights the severity of the ban, calling out the impact to those who rely on the platform for driving referrals to their site.
Using social media to complement your website
This move by Facebook underscores the risk that all social media users take: that these platforms can ban anything or anyone at any time without notice.
Which is what happened on Thursday morning (18.02.2021) to a large number of people. They woke up to find that they could no longer post on their page, as the ban came into effect. We spoke with Fiona Murdoch, owner of conservation awareness website malleeconservation.com.au whose Facebook page, “Raakajilm” was affected by the ban. Fiona has since managed to regain access but was very surprised at the abruptness of this decision.
“All of a sudden, the content we had shared on our Facebook page was gone. We had stacks of information here, including links to our blog and other great resources and I didn’t realise how easily Facebook could remove this. I am very thankful that we have our website as our main repository of information and that we have full control of this.”
Maintaining control of your content
In 2018, we shared a post, Why Your Business Needs a Website Not Just a Facebook Page, which highlights the importance of owning the internet presence where your business information is hosted. With your own website, it is entirely up to you how the site looks and feels. Although your site editor is made available through your web host, you have full control over exactly what information is conveyed, and how often. Rather than “building your digital business on rented land”, you can rest assured that you have full control over your content and how it is managed and that you aren’t as affected by these kinds of snap decisions.
So what are you waiting for? There is no better time to join over 2 million Australian’s who showcase their products and services online with a trusted .au domain name, which not only ensures ownership, but an established, reliable online presence.