Is Facebook Still Worth It for Writers Selling Books in 2025?
Let's discuss!
Lots going on right now with Meta and Facebook, their most prominent product. If you’ve been in a cave, read more about the droves leaving Facebook and why here.
Perhaps you’ve already left. Let’s review. Be sure to read to the end to see my utterly nonscientific comparison study below!
Is Facebook Still the Largest Social Media Platform in 2025?
Despite the rise of newer platforms like TikTok and Instagram and decentralized networks like Bluesky (find me there), Facebook remains the largest social media platform in the world in 2025, with over 3.07 billion monthly active users. However, its dominance is being challenged.
If you’re of a more #ahem, mature age (Hey, I’m 61!), Facebook likely feels the least scariest and easiest to manage. Keep in mind that if you’re an author, you want to create a Facebook Author Page that is public and where you can see insights, analytics, and run ads (unless, of course, you don’t want to give Zuck even more money).
More here ⬇️
Social Media for Authors in 2025 – Helpful or Overrated?
Is social media still worth our time, or is it just another distraction? Let’s examine this question using real examples, updated strategies, and the latest resources.
Facebook’s Global Reach
According to Statista, Facebook continues to lead with billions of users worldwide. However, engagement rates are declining in key demographics, particularly younger audiences.
Top Social Media Platforms by Active Users (2025)
Facebook – 3.07 billion users
YouTube – 2.7 billion users
WhatsApp – 2.5 billion users
Instagram – 2.4 billion users
TikTok – 1.9 billion users (Data Report)
While Facebook still holds the top spot, platforms like TikTok and Instagram are rapidly growing, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials.
Why Facebook Is Losing Its Grip
1. Younger Users Prefer TikTok & Instagram
Example: The number of U.S. teens using Facebook dropped from 71% in 2015 to just 32% in 2024 (Pew Research).
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels dominate short-form video content, making Facebook feel outdated to younger audiences.
2. Privacy Concerns & Data Misuse
Facebook has faced multiple scandals, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal and recent concerns over AI-powered surveillance and data tracking.
Example: In 2024, the EU fined Meta $1.2 billion for violating data privacy laws.
3. Facebook Selling Your Data: The Ongoing Scandal
Despite claiming otherwise, Facebook has long been accused of selling user data to advertisers and third-party companies.
Meta says it doesn’t "directly sell data" but “collects and monetizes user information through targeted ads, partnerships, and web tracking.” Sure, Jan.
4. Common Spam Issues
Spam. The sheer amount of inbox and post comment spam is almost impossible to keep up with. Read more here about common author scams ⬇️
Author Alert: Don't Fall for This Common Scam!
As a social media manager, part of my job is to check my clients’ various author pages inboxes (I don’t touch personal accounts), particularly on Facebook and Instagram.
How do you access the “Off-Facebook” option in your settings? Read more here.
Examples of Facebook’s Data Selling Practices:
Cambridge Analytica (2018): Facebook allowed the firm to harvest data from 87 million users for political targeting without consent. (Guardian)
Facebook Tracks You Even When You’re Not Logged In: Meta uses tracking pixels on websites and apps to collect user data—even if you don’t have a Facebook account. (All Things Secured)
Leaked Internal Docs (2023): A whistleblower revealed that Facebook collects private messages, location history, and browsing behavior to optimize ad targeting. (NBC News)
Meta’s "Shadow Profiles": Facebook builds "shadow profiles" on people who have never signed up, using data collected from friends and third-party sources (Tech Explored), which is just super creepy.
More here from The Conversation.
What This Means for You:
Your personal data, interests, and even private conversations may be used to manipulate ads, elections, and online experiences.
Facebook tracks your behavior online to create a detailed profile—even when you're not using their apps.
The company has been fined billions for privacy violations but continues to find loopholes to collect and monetize data.
4. Declining Organic Reach & Engagement
Many businesses and creators struggle with Facebook’s pay-to-play model, which makes it difficult to reach audiences without buying ads.
Example: The average organic reach for Facebook Pages dropped to just 1.5% in 2024, forcing many brands to shift to pay-to-play ads or other platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and newsletters.
5. Rise of Decentralized & Private Social Networks
Decentralized platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky are attracting users who want more control over their data.
Example: In 2024, Mastodon saw a 400% surge in signups after Facebook introduced more AI-driven ad targeting (TechCrunch).
We all saw what happened with X after the election: swarms of new birds flew to BlueSky.
Is Facebook Dying?
No, not yet. Facebook still dominates in sheer user numbers, but its influence is shrinking. Many users are shifting to TikTok, YouTube, private Discord groups, and newsletters.
As an author and businessperson, I pay attention to where my traffic originates. Regarding my Substack, email has the most views by far, while Facebook is a distant second.
If Meta doesn’t adapt to new trends or continues on this same path, it could follow MySpace's path and fade into digital obscurity. And given the latest issues, many authors are leaving or plan to leave soon.
My Utterly Nonscientific Comparison Study
I love sharing cute updates about my folks, Linda (age 84yo - she says it’s okay to share her age as long as I get it right), and Jerry, age 87. Here’s the post on Twitter/X:
After about 18 hours, I received six retweets and seven comments. Not a lot.
Here’s Bluesky:
Three likes as of this morning. No shares.
Here’s Facebook:
Forty likes and five comments.
What does this mean? I don’t know. We can infer that because this is on my personal Facebook account, more people see it than on my author page. That makes sense.
As I said, non-scientific, non-strategic, non-business, and non-book; simply a fun update. (And yes, the tacos were fantastic. 🌮)
💡 What do you think? Are you still using Facebook, or have you moved to other platforms? Please share below!
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Happy writing!
As I've undoubtedly commented before, I've taken to just sharing and not caring. I realize that's anathema to this blog about book marketing, but after trying to keep up with the Joneses on all the platforms for most of 2023, I took a long (9 month) break from everything in 2024 and have picked up my pen, so to speak, with an understanding that I'm just going to write and enjoy it, and if no one likes anything, that's fine with me. I have a job, a job I really like and pays very well, so writing for me is just about my joy. I've started making audios and videos and doing lots of fun, new creative things to market my writing, so to speak, but really those things are fun for me, and that's the only reason I do them. As I said, I gave up.
Is Facebook still a viable platform for book sales? Eh, doesn't matter in the least to me -- I'm still trying to figure out if I should leave Meta altogether. But I do have a "The Fictional" page there, which is my brand, and I cross post to Instagram, Bluesky, Threads and Tumblr. And I have videos on YouTube now that no one's even noticed. But I loved making them. I think I'm winning.
Yikes! I'm right behind you at age 59. Twitter (now X) is my primary platform, but I just created a Facebook page for my novel. Strangely, it would not let me create "Howard Lovy, Author," so I did what experts tell you NOT to do and created a page to promote one book. Will it lead to sales? I have no idea. I'm afraid of putting too much time in a dying outlet. But I don't really have the dancing ability to succeed at TikTok! https://www.facebook.com/jakeandcaitstory