At a valuation of about $50 Billion Dollars, with oodles of advertising revenue marching through its doors every day, we’re concerned that Facebook is not effectively servicing advertisers. We think the newly launched “Facebook Global Marketing Solutions Team” is a downgrade-wolf in the suit of a buzzwordy-sheep. From our own experience, we can vouch for that fact that speaking for millions of dollars of media spend does not rate a dedicated account rep’ any more. WTF? Read on for the gory details.Â
Where did the account reps go? What happened to familiar support teams for a platform sprinkled with subtle imperfections?  Dear Facebook, ad spends  are precious, no matter whether you’re a mega-corporation or the trusty SMB next door. Dear Facebook, we’re TRYING to spend our clients’ money here.
Disruption in timing can be a huge problem. That’s why roadblocks thrown up from FB’s recent account rep’ structure changes are so infuriating. AIMCLEAR works for some of the largest companies on earth, as well as guerrilla entrepreneurs. As monolithic as Facebook has become, we respectfully request that we be treated as if we speak for millions in ad spend. Read on to find out why we’re mad.
Marketers, I have a dream, a dream that in this depressed economy where well-educated, hard working citizens are unemployed, Facebook will come to the rescue with it’s billions and employ much needed account reps for Facebook Advertising. No longer ignoring the little guy. No longer only catering to those with deep pockets.
AIMCLEAR has long been an outspoken evangelist of Facebook Marketing, specifically Facebook Ads. We champion the power of the targeting tool and it’s unparalleled might to target users in groups, macro or micro. We encourage businesses to spend money with Facebook Advertising whether we handle the account or not.
The truth is, we couldn’t be as powerful when it comes to Facebook Ads without the help of our great Facebook Reps over the years. These trusted partners come to our aide when anomalies occur, when we need to raise spend caps to the thousands per day and have assisted us in saving face with clients when inexplicably the system locked us out of a brand new Business Account.
The Thorn in a Facebook Advertiser’s Side:
Back in early 2011, Facebook quietly released Business Accounts, Facebook accounts that could be set up solely for advertising and other business-specific ventures in the event that the advertiser didn’t have or want a true Facebook account or the ads linked to their personal account. Brilliant. We had been waiting for Facebook to provide us with a solution that wouldn’t force us to violate their TOS.
Setting Up a Facebook Business Account for Ads
Business Accounts are set up by visiting Facebook.com/Advertising, selecting “Create an Ad,” and following the process of, well, creating an ad. Next Facebook asks if you have an account— if not, advertisers can create an account simply by entering an email, name and finally, credit card information for the ad that was just created.
It was a simple and hopeful concept: Advertisers were no longer violating TOS or required to tie their personal account to what could be their clients’ ads.
The Agency Rub
As an agency Facebook advertiser, names and credit cards are tied to multiple accounts on behalf of clients. Same names, same credit cards, multiple accounts, whatever Facebook has as Spam or fraud triggers, Facebook’s protection system is triggered and locks down the account after a credit card has been entered and verified. And I mean LOCKED DOWN, like there was a fight in the prison yard and they’re still looking for the suspects.
Account Lock Down
After creating an ad, entering in an email address and credit card information, Facebook locked the account down the past two times I attempted to create Business Accounts. (For my privacy and protection of course. COUGH)
Mind you, I was at work, not scrambling around to different computers. If you’ve ever been locked out of a personal Facebook Account before, you’re aware an option to verify is identifying friends in images. Sorry, Business Account user, this option is not available to you (for obvious reasons).
Beware, Facebook… if I didn’t know better and was just beginning to use Facebook for advertising I’d think it was a terrible phishing scam. (Yikes!) They have my credit card information and left me locked out in the cold. Oh, and with the ads turned ON, as you can’t create ads that are paused after review.
The only way Facebook will let you unlock your account is to simply scan and upload your Passport or Driver’s License. SAY WHAT? Where’s the part where we protect MY privacy and identity?
Where’s the privacy for advertisers, Facebook? What if these are not available to you? No worries, upload your social security card and birth certificate! Wait… what?!
So what gives, Facebook? There is a massive valuation of the company, unemployment is rampant and a gaping void exists for something your advertisers desperately need. This is not to say Facebook could alleviate all the country’s unemployment woes, but with billions and a need, something could be done. When will you stop treating advertisers as second-class instead of a hand that feeds?
