OMG! State Department Dropped $630,000 on Facebook "Likes"
I stole the headline from the FP piece because I couldn't do better. Horrifying story of spending of our tax dollars by government-employed morons, written by John Hudson at Foreign Policy:
Ostensibly web-savvy State Department employees spent $630,000 to earn more Facebook "likes," in a effort that struggled to reach its target audience, according to a searing Inspector General's report from May.Between 2011 and March 2013, the department's Bureau of the International Information Programs, tried to boost the seeming popularity of the department's Facebook properties by advertising and page improvements. But the results weren't so good, leaving the Inspector General with no choice but to send a frank message to the bureau's Facebook gurus: You're doing it wrong.
"Many in the bureau criticize the advertising campaigns as 'buying fans' who may have once clicked on an ad or 'liked' a photo but have no real interest in the topic and have never engaged further," reads the Inspector General report.
Ultimately, the spending was successful in artificially increasing apparent popularity of the bureau's English-language Facebook page from 100,000 likes to 2 million. But the IG said the bureau's target audience is older, more influential individuals; not the kind of people who spend hours online liking government Facebook pages, in other words. "What is the proper balance between engaging young people and marginalized groups versus elites and opinion leaders?" asks the IG report. It also didn't help that in 2012 Facebook tweaked the mechanics of its News Feed, making static fan pages less prominent in users' feeds.
via @SarahFenske, @TinaDaunt
1. I didnt know Facebook lets you choose which ads appear on your page
2. I didnt know Facebook pays you for getting like on your Facebook page
3. I didnt know Facebook advertizers pay page owners for clicks on ads
Maybe its just me, but can anyone explain who will be tortured to death if the Facebook page of a governemnt department no one cares about, unless they are taking a vacation to a war torn country, has the "wrong number" of likes?
lujlp at July 3, 2013 3:01 AM
But I was told that the USG budget had no fat that could be trimmed? wuz Teh Won wrong?
I R A Darth Aggie at July 3, 2013 5:54 AM
It would have cost a lot less to just do what the spammers do, and buy a like-farm.
Cousin Dave at July 3, 2013 6:23 AM
Clearly, these people are not the IT or advertising savvy folks they claimed to be... why else would thuh guvment put thems in charge????? LOL. And yeah, buy a "like farm" - fast and cheap.
Lee Ladisky at July 3, 2013 7:44 AM
How does gaining Facebook likes further the diplomatic mission of the US State Department?
Conan the Grammarian at July 3, 2013 8:14 AM
My new suggestion -- teams of 9-15 civilian volunteers that get handed the final budget being submitted to congress from each department or branch of the military. They then go through that and can do an irrevocable line item cut on each one they think is worthless.
The teams can inquire and the requester of the budget item needs to respond to why it is a valid item.
The team members rotate each year and what department they are evaluating. That way it doesn't become a rubber stamp. Because if a department can't explain to ordinary citizens why they need to fund a Facebook friend drive, it would be gone.
Jim P. at July 3, 2013 6:29 PM
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