Dear Facebook, it is time we start seeing other platforms.

Dear Facebook,

We need to talk.

It's not easy for us to say this. We've spent years together. You were there when businesses first realised they could talk directly to their customers online. You helped brands find audiences, build communities and turn social media into a serious marketing channel.

And, if we're being honest, you've been pretty good at it.

But lately, we've been wondering whether there might be something else out there.

Before you panic, we're not saying we're leaving. Not completely, anyway. But we've started looking at some alternatives to Facebook, and we're beginning to realise that the social media world is a lot bigger than we once thought.

So, Facebook, this is our break-up letter.

Remember when you were the only option?

Back in the day, things were simpler.

Businesses created a Facebook Page, invited their customers to “Like” it, posted a few photos and waited for the engagement to roll in.

Those were simpler times.

Then came sophisticated advertising, increasingly complex algorithms, endless changes to organic reach and an entire industry dedicated to figuring out how to get a business's content in front of the right people.

You've certainly grown up.

And we're not going to pretend you aren't still important. In Australia, Facebook remains a significant part of the social media landscape, with Meta's advertising data indicating a potential Facebook audience of 17.7 million people in Australia in late 2025.

But being popular isn't the same thing as being the only option.

We've started seeing other platforms

This is where things get awkward.

We've been looking around.

We met Mastodon.

Mastodon takes a very different approach to social networking. Developed in Germany, it is decentralised, with independently operated servers communicating with each other rather than one company controlling the entire network.

It's different from you, Facebook.

There's less emphasis on advertising and more emphasis on communities and conversations. For marketers, that means success isn't necessarily about reaching millions of people. It can be about finding the right community and actually contributing something useful.

And we quite like that.

Then there was Pixelfed

We should probably mention Pixelfed too.

It's an image-sharing platform that takes a decentralised approach, making it an interesting alternative to platforms such as Instagram.

We know what you're thinking.

“It's just another photo-sharing platform.”

Maybe.

But for marketers, Pixelfed represents something more interesting: a reminder that visual social media doesn't have to belong to one giant technology company.

For a Perth photographer, designer, café, tourism operator or creative business, the idea of building an audience around imagery and community rather than advertising is worth watching.

We're not saying we're moving in with Pixelfed.

We're just getting to know each other.

And then we discovered WeChat

This is where you might be feeling a little uncomfortable.

Because WeChat showed us that social media doesn't necessarily have to look like you.

Developed by Chinese technology company Tencent, WeChat has evolved into an enormous digital ecosystem combining messaging, social networking, payments, commerce and other services.

For Australian marketers targeting Chinese consumers, understanding WeChat can be far more useful than simply knowing how to run another Facebook campaign.

And this matters here in Perth.

Western Australia has strong connections with Asia through tourism, education, migration and international trade. A Perth business trying to reach an international audience can't simply assume that everyone uses the same social media platforms we do.

Different markets have different habits.

Different audiences have different expectations.

And apparently, Facebook, that's something we need to think about.

It's not all about leaving you

We should make something clear.

This isn't goodbye.

Not really.

Facebook still has enormous reach, powerful advertising tools and a huge amount of data that helps marketers understand their audiences.

For many Australian businesses, including small businesses in Perth, Facebook and the broader Meta ecosystem remain useful marketing channels.

But we've realised something important.

We don't want our entire marketing strategy to depend on you.

Because, technically, we don't own our Facebook audience.

We don't control the algorithm.

We don't control how much advertising costs.

And we definitely don't get to decide what happens when you change the rules.

That's a little uncomfortable when you think about it.

We're looking for something more sustainable

Maybe this is where our relationship changes.

We're going to keep using social media, but we're going to stop treating social media as the entire strategy.

We'll build websites.

We'll develop email lists.

We'll create useful content.

We'll build genuine relationships with customers.

And we'll use social media to help people find those things.

Because social media platforms are rented space.

Our website is ours.

Our customer relationships are ours.

Our brand is ours.

And that's probably healthier for everyone.

So, Facebook, where does that leave us?

We're not deleting your app.

We're not changing our relationship status to “It's complicated”.

We're simply opening ourselves up to other possibilities.

Maybe Mastodon will grow.

Maybe Pixelfed will find its audience.

Maybe another platform we've never heard of will become the next big thing.

Or maybe, five years from now, we'll still be talking about Facebook.

That's the funny thing about digital marketing.

Nobody really knows what comes next.

And that's precisely why marketers need to keep learning.

For marketing students and emerging digital marketers, the lesson isn't that Facebook is dead. It clearly isn't.

The lesson is that platforms change, audiences change and marketing needs to change with them.

So, Facebook, we think we should see other people.

We'll still talk.

We'll still catch up occasionally.

But we're going to explore what else is out there.

No hard feelings.

It's just time for us to see other platforms.

Love,

The Digital Marketing Crew

P.S. We're still figuring this whole digital marketing thing out

If you're a marketing student, emerging digital marketer or Perth business owner trying to keep up with the rapidly changing social media landscape, you're certainly not alone.

At The Digital Marketing Crew, we're interested in what comes next—not just what's already popular. From social media trends and digital strategy to emerging platforms and the changing relationship between brands and their audiences, we're here to explore the digital marketing landscape with you.

Ready to see what else is out there? Visit The Digital Marketing Crew for more digital marketing insights, ideas and inspiration.