Facebook Promoted Posts: Scam or Opportunity?

You may have noticed a new feature on Facebook called
“Promoted Posts.” Here is what Facebook
says the goal and business opportunity is for Promoted Posts :

"Promoted posts are a simple way to reach more of the people
who like your Page and their friends."

Huh? I thought the people who “liked” my page already see my
posts?

Nope. Not the case, apparently it never has been. Facebook
states that business page posts were always only seen by a portion of your
audience due to their proprietary
algorithim Edgerank that
selects the followers that see your posts based on their past engagement with
your content (engagement means a person either “liked” or “commented” on a
prior post).

Here’s a general example to grasp the concept:

You make a genius post on your business page wall
and you are quite proud of yourself.

Facebook sends it to 10% to 25% of your fans. Two people “like it” and one person adds a “comment”.

Facebook deems this post to be worthy! Facebook sends the
post out to another 20% of your community. This time no one “likes it” and no
one “comments.” This is the end of the road for this post.

But wait — what would have happened if that post went
gangbusters and racked up all sorts of likes and comments? Facebook would have
shot it out left and right to more and more of your fans, perhaps even your
entire audience … I guess only they know for sure.

Facebook spins the reason for this filtering of content as
if it is simple and obvious; but not so much since the vast majority of the
population did not understand this fact before Promoted Posts came along! And I
think at the core it’s just wrong. Is it too much to ask that we control our
own content? This goes against everything social media is about. If I like your
dealership, you mean to tell me I am not going to see your updates unless
Edgerank decides to send it? Doesn’t this feel like a rip off?

That’s because it is a rip off! Don’t want Facebook to
control your content? Time to switch to - GOOGLE+!

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.