Facebook has made significant policy changes in 2019 – and they are not stopping there.

Like it or not, some of these changes have the potential to significantly impact the way you market your business on Facebook.

This article will get you up to speed on the latest policy changes of 2019, as well as give you an insight into what changes might be coming next.

3 Important Facebook Policy Changes in 2019

1. Changes to Facebook group types.

Facebook is retiring 13 group types and replacing them with 3 new ones.

The 3 new group types will be:

  • General. As the name suggests, this group type will offer a standard set of tools currently available to all groups.
  • Jobs. This new group type will include a new post type for sharing job openings, as well as an easy way for job seekers to filter and apply to job postings.
  • Health support. This type of group will give you the option to ask the group’s admins to make a post on your behalf. This will allow members to make a sensitive post without revealing their identity to everyone in the group.

All new groups will be set to “General” by default.

2. Banned words in ads.

Tired of getting emails about your Facebook ads being disapproved?

Even if you aren’t advertising anything that’s specifically prohibited (weapons, cryptocurrency, etc.), there are certain words and phrases which can get you in trouble with Facebook ad police.

Some of these banned words are fairly obvious – for example, profanity is a huge “no-no” in Facebook advertising.

However, there are certain banned words and phrases which are much trickier to spot.

That’s why you may want to check with a Facebook marketing specialist before shelling out your hard-earned cash on Facebook ads.

3. Added security precautions.

Back in 2018, Facebook faced one of the biggest online security scandals ever.

The personal information of over 80 million people was made public.

As a result, Facebook was criticized for having inadequate security measures, as well as overly-broad terms and conditions.

Dealing with the aftermath of the security breach, however, hasn’t just led to added security measures.

It has also led to the decision to retire one of Facebook’s most prominent features – the Facebook Newsfeed.

What’s Coming Next for the Facebook Newsfeed

The Facebook Newsfeed, at least in its current form, is going away sometime in 2019.

The Newsfeed is the main thing you see when you log onto Facebook.

That’s where all of your stories, updates, photos, and yes, ads, show up.

No one is 100% sure what shape or form the Newsfeed changes are going to take.

However, on March 6th, 2019, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the platform would be shifting towards less permanent public sharing, as well as putting a larger emphasis on private messaging.

This means that you are likely to see a larger emphasis on two major features: Facebook Stories and Facebook Messenger.

Facebook Stories

Facebook Stories, similar to Instagram Stories, represent a form of content that’s only live for 24 hours – then disappears forever.

As the new changes come into effect, this is going to be the number one way for businesses to stay relevant and visible on Facebook.

If you haven’t yet, go check them out!

And, from now on, whenever you create new content, post it as a story, not just as a post on your Newsfeed.

Facebook Messenger

Facebook has announced that they are going to spend a lot of time and effort in improving Messenger features.

They want their users to spend more time there rather than on their Newsfeed.

If you want to stay in front of your potential clients, you are going to have to find a way to connect with them using Messenger.

Currently, businesses use both the native Messenger features and third-party apps to connect with their potential clients on Messenger.

However, it may not be the right time to jump into actively using Messenger just yet…

Watch for the changes Facebook is rolling out in the next couple of months!

They are trying to make the app more private – and more secure – which may make some of the third-party apps obsolete.

The Future of Facebook Policy & What It Means for Your Business

Whatever shape or form the “new” Newsfeed takes, one thing’s for sure: we are going to have to adapt the way we run our businesses on Facebook.

Here are a couple of predictions for where Facebook is headed next so you can be prepared for any upcoming changes headed our way.

Greater emphasis on personal connections

With the Facebook Newsfeed going away, Facebook is going to put an even larger emphasis on personal connections and meaningful conversations.

If you build your Facebook relationship on communicating with people, not hiding behind your brand, you are going to thrive no matter what changes Facebook rolls out next.

Ability to run Facebook ads in groups

If you run your own group, this change could be particularly profitable for you.

Facebook groups are a great place for positioning yourself as an expert.

When a group member sees an ad from you – a trusted expert and leader – they will be more likely to click on it!

Need More Help?

Keeping up with Facebook policy changes is no small task – and it’s just one piece of the Facebook marketing puzzle.

Want to know how to take YOUR Facebook marketing to the next level?

Book a FREE strategy call right now.

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Alina Vincent
Business and Technology Strategist and CEO at Business Success Edge
Alina Vincent is a business strategist and the creator of a popular "Profitable Online Challenges" program. Alina is passionate about helping entrepreneurs package and monetize their knowledge and expertise to create a leveraged and scalable business. Experts hire her for strategic advise and simple step-by-step approach to creating successful online programs, engaged Facebook communities, and profitable online challenges. Finding her zone of genius by combining a strong analytical background, which includes advanced science degrees, with creative vision, Alina works at the intersection of logic and imagination, giving her clients everything from practical research-driven systems and strategies, to creative original and intuitive solutions.