Study Reveals Decline in Publisher Engagement on Instagram and Facebook
Recent findings from a Digiday+ Research survey indicate a notable decline in engagement from publishers on Meta’s flagship platforms, Instagram and Facebook. While these social media giants experienced a surge in ad spending and user activity last year, the current trend shows a marked retreat by publishers, raising questions about the platforms’ long-term viability for digital marketing.
Declining Publisher Interest
The survey highlights that publishers are starting to lose faith in Facebook as a crucial marketing channel. Surprisingly, Instagram is also witnessing a drop in both ad spending and content engagement. According to the data, 86% of publishers posted on Instagram in the third quarter of 2024, down from 91% the previous year. Similarly, the percentage of publishers purchasing ads on the platform fell from 61% to 55% within the same timeframe. This decline is particularly significant when compared to 2022, where 46% of publishers were active on Instagram ads.
Facebook’s Continual Erosion
Facebook shows an even steeper decline, with a mere 91% of publishers stating they will post content in 2024, down from 99% in 2022 and 95% in 2021. Ad spending on Facebook has also dipped, with only 67% of publishers purchasing ads this year, compared to 75% in 2022.
Shifts in Posting Frequency
In response to the diminishing engagement, publishers are altering their posting strategies, opting for less frequent updates. The survey reveals that 66% of publishers now post daily on Facebook, a drop from 73% last year, and significantly down from 85% in 2021. On Instagram, 52% of publishers reported daily posts in Q3 of 2024, with 45% opting for weekly updates instead.
Investment in Original Content
Despite the growing disillusionment, many publishers continue to allocate resources for original content on both platforms. The percentage of publishers not investing in Facebook content has decreased from 32% last year to 20% this year, and 27% report ongoing investment, up from 21%. For Instagram, 44% of publishers are now focused on creating original content, an increase from 39% in the previous year.
Perceptions of Value
As perceptions shift, many publishers are reevaluating the value of Facebook and Instagram for revenue generation. In 2022, 38% considered Facebook to have significant value, which rose to 52% last year but has now dropped to 46%. Only 10% of respondents believe Facebook holds no value at all. In terms of branding, 52% of publishers find Facebook beneficial, down from 62% in 2023.
Instagram’s Declining Reputation
Instagram is facing a similar fate; last year, 47% of publishers deemed it extremely valuable for revenue, but that figure has fallen to just 38% this year. Furthermore, 22% now feel Instagram lacks value, a significant increase from the 7% who felt the same last year. However, all respondents acknowledged Instagram’s potential for branding, though the percentage of publishers who regard it as extremely valuable for branding has dropped from 86% in 2023 to 68% now.
As the landscape of social media continues to evolve, the implications of these trends could reshape how publishers engage with their audiences and allocate their marketing resources.
