Old vs New: How Marketing on Meta Has Evolved and What It Means for Your Business
- DayMark Media
- Aug 30
- 2 min read
When Facebook (now Meta) first opened its doors to advertisers, the game was simple: post an ad, set a budget, and watch as your audience clicked through. Back then, success was measured by how many “likes” you could collect or how many people saw your post. Fast-forward to today, and Meta’s marketing landscape has completely transformed — for better and for worse.
Let’s break down what’s changed and why businesses that adapt are seeing better results.
The Early Days: Likes, Reach & Broad Targeting
Focus on vanity metrics: In the 2010s, businesses celebrated high “likes” and page followers. The assumption was: more followers = more sales.
Broad targeting: Ads were pushed to large, generalized audiences. A restaurant in Nairobi might advertise to anyone within 50km, hoping someone would convert.
Low costs, high novelty: Ads were cheap, competition was minimal, and simply “being online” was enough to stand out.
But here’s the catch:
While reach was big, conversions were often small. Businesses didn’t fully understand how to qualify leads, so ROI was shaky at best.
The New Era: Precision, Value & Results
Meta today is no longer about who has the most likes — it’s about who knows their audience best. The algorithm has matured, and so has the strategy.
Laser-focused targeting: You can now pinpoint audiences by behaviors, interests, and even purchase intent. Instead of blasting ads to 50,000 random people, you can show it to 500 highly qualified ones.
Creative matters more than ever: Video, reels, and carousels outperform static ads because Meta favors engaging content that keeps users scrolling.
Lead qualification: Smart marketers don’t just run ads; they filter out time-wasters. At DayMark Media, we take it a step further by pre-qualifying leads so businesses only deal with serious customers.
Data-driven results: With conversion tracking, remarketing, and AI optimization, businesses can measure what actually matters — leads booked, sales closed, and ROI.
What This Means for Local Businesses
If you’re a service-based business in Kenya (or anywhere, really), the shift is clear: it’s not enough to advertise — you must advertise smart.
Old Meta marketing was about visibility.
New Meta marketing is about profitability.
Businesses that stick to the old way are wasting money on impressions that don’t convert. But those adapting to the new way are filling their calendars with clients ready to buy.
Closing Thought
Meta has evolved from a social network ad platform into one of the most powerful lead-generation machines in the world. The question is no longer: should you advertise on Meta?
The real question is: are you doing it the right way?
At DayMark Media, we make sure you do.
🔥 Want to level up your meta marketing strategies? Schedule a free strategy call with us today.
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