5 Reasons We're Ditching Facebook

From family photos to breaking news, social media changed the way we consume everything. However, research suggests that social media usage has decreased and Facebook has taken the biggest hit.

It's estimated that daily usage is down by 50 million hours. Despite this, other social media platforms continue to increase their reach. This threatens Facebook's position as the most-used social network. Yikes.

 So, why is Facebook seeing a decline in user engagement? The reality is, Facebook hasn't made changes that users need or provided the experience they want. Here's a look at some of the ways Facebook is failing its users.

Visuals matter

Facebook is far from cutting edge when it comes to design. The typography choices, images, and colors create an unappealing visual. This is a big problem. Visuals play a critical role in the way that millennials find value in content. Facebook is also flooded with lengthy “wall of text” posts. They don't communicate their worth before losing the attention of users. Apparently I'm not the only one with a short attention span.

Lack of original content

There isn't a lot of original content that users can engage with on Facebook. The majority of what’s being shared on the platform comes from other sources online. People aren't using Facebook to share new ideas, but instead to promote content. This is tiring. The same memes and viral videos cycle through everyone's feed for months, and in some cases, years. In this age of information overload, the last thing anyone wants is to dig to find meaningful content.

Irrelevant advertising 

Facebook has been pushing towards a large amount of advertiser presence since 2012. Now, brands have to pay up to be seen by millennials. This has left everyone feeling overwhelmed by irrelevant ads. The result is a weird and unfulfilling feed that users don't have much control over. It's an interruptive experience that makes users click (or tap) away.

Confusing users

Facebook is always changing the way their site works and the features it has. Sounds like a good thing, right? The truth is, these changes haven’t been very intuitive.  They've left the platform feeling clunky and outdated. Facebook has tried to change for the sake of change. Instead, they should have paid attention to whether or not those changes made sense.

Better platforms

Facebook and other early social networks became popular because they helped users keep in touch with friends and family. This was the reason that everyone including your grandma created a profile. Now, there are many other choices. Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat (but mainly Instagram) are doing it better. The user experience on these platforms is simple and worthwhile. 

Facebook used to be the go-to social network. However, if they can’t keep up with a great design and user experience, the platform will continue to lose. Other social networks are making the experience more rewarding. Facebook has failed to innovate and make their site feel new again. Many people see the platform as obsolete.

Can Facebook turn things around? Comment below.