Why This Superpower Skirmish Could Kill Your Biz…

The war between the Superpowers has begun. 

Not a traditional war with guns and tanks and airplanes, mind you. 

This is a war between two digital Superpowers — Facebook and Apple. 

Apple fired the first shot when it announced recently that iPhone owners will soon have to give explicit permission before apps can track their activities. 

That’s bad news for Facebook (and MANY other companies, including Google) that have built advertising empires on such tracking…

…and, oh, by the way…

…that could be bad news for YOU — if you use Facebook, Google or other digital channels to market your business. 

Apple says it’s trying to protect everyone’s privacy. 

Facebook shot back by building a website that says this: 

Small businesses deserve to be heard.
Apple’s latest update threatens the personalized ads that millions of small businesses rely on to find and reach customers.

I’m writing this on an Apple laptop. My iPhone sits 15 inches to my right. My Apple Watch is strapped to my left wrist. I value my privacy. And…

…I’m no fan of Facebook, but…

Facebook is right: Apple’s move DOES threaten advertising channels that millions of businesses — including mine and, perhaps, yours — rely on to find and reach customers. 

So what does that mean for you? 

I’m not asking you to take sides in this fight. You can make that call on your own. (Read this article that summarizes the fight and decide for yourself.) 

I AM asking you to think about how over-reliance on digital channels like Facebook can backfire. 

Back in August, I wrote this after President Trump threatened to shut down TikTok: 

Remember MySpace? Vine? Friendster? Google Wave? Google Plus? 

All covered in cobwebs. Deader than Deadwood. 

Who knows whether TikTok will survive the challenge?  But that’s not the point. 

This is the point: Social media platforms come and go. 

When they’re coming on…

…people hop aboard the hype train…

…invest big bucks in the latest “can’t-miss” marketing channel…

…and then wonder “What happened!?” when the train derails…

…or when their can’t-miss marketing misfires. 

You may be thinking, “I didn’t fall for the hype. I didn’t invest in any of those platforms.” 

My reply: How ‘bout Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter? 

Are you riding any of those trains? Do you think they’re immune? 

Big lessons here: 

Don’t put too many eggs in one basket. Spread the love across multiple media channels. If you depend too much on one platform, the rubble will bury you when the train derails.

Focus first on powering up your stories. Platforms come and go. But your stories are the rock. The foundation. The thing on which all else is built. 

That’s true on platforms with staying power (like email). That’s true for the countless here-today-gone-tomorrow platforms. 

If you craft and deliver powerful stories, you’ll still survive and thrive — even if your platform-du-jour tumbles and crumbles. 

Just in case you missed the most important nugget, here it is again:

Focus first on powering up your stories.
Platforms come and go. But your stories are the rock.
The foundation.
The thing on which all else is built.