I left Facebook about three years ago on my holy grail search for the ultimate social media platform…
I had enough of missing the present moment because I was too busy thinking about my next “brilliant” Facebook post or meme. I was disgusted by Facebook’s privacy ethics and didn’t want them spying on me or selling my information. I also felt it to be an inauthentic place to make meaningful connections with people…
I felt the same shallowness on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and all the others I tried.
About a year after leaving Facebook, I started our Majik Media membership on Mighty Networks and it has been the best transition I could possibly imagine. Even though our membership is an intimate group of people interested in creating highly engaging online courses & thriving communities, they’re my kind of people.
I have also found my in-person relationships have improved exponentially since leaving the holy book of faces behind…
So if you’re on the fence about Mighty Networks vs. Facebook, I hope this list helps you make the best choice for you, your audience & your business.
Here is the Podcast version of this post:
Listen to the Making Majik Podcast on iTunes, Spotify or Google Play.
First off, here are some of the reasons you may resist leaving Facebook:
1. Apparently “everyone is already on it,” which makes it convenient because they don’t have to go anywhere else. I assure you though, if a better solution is available, people will go to it.
2. People already know how to use FB. Yup, but learning MN is not that complicated. They’ll figure it out if your network is designed with “stay power!”
3. Facebook notifications. People are already on FB and they’re being reminded about things. Sure, but your MN will have notifications too and if your topic and community space is important to them, they’ll come check it out.
4. I already know how to use FB. Right, but learning MN isn’t rocket science. And to help the transition be even easier, we made a course called Going Mighty. It’ll teach you how to get your MN strategized and set up step-by-step!
5. FB is free. No it’s not. You are paying Facebook by allowing them to sell your information, track your posts and market products to you. Sometimes the best things in life are NOT “free”… ;-P
6. You can create Albums which can help organize ideas. Organize your ideas by topics, groups or courses in Mighty Networks. There are plenty of creative solutions to stay organized…
Here are 12 Good Reasons Why Mighty Networks is Better than Facebook:
1. Facebook is Chaotic, Mighty Networks is a Focused Space
When was the last time you found yourself “focused” on one thing in Facebook? Never! You might be involved in a meaningful conversation inside a group and then the next minute watching a cat video, then battling an internet troll and a minute later scrolling the wall mindlessly. Mighty Networks gives you a focused container to dive deeply into the topics that matter to you and your members (distraction free)!
2. It’s YOURS, All Yours! Big Brother Censorship Need Not Apply!
Facebook is increasingly censoring the important and difficult conversations that need to be happening in the world. Whereas, inside your Mighty Network, you and your members get to police what is appropriate and inappropriate to post, based on the collective purpose and posting guidelines YOU create.
3. It’s Not Run by an Evil Corporation… no offence Zuckerberg
I have met the team at Mighty Networks when down at their offices in Palo Alto a couple years ago when consulting about the online course feature rollout. These are exceptional, driven people with a beautiful vision. I loved their work ethic, team spirit and desire to create more meaningful connections in the digital space. They work hard to serve their Mighty Hosts, whereas Facebook works hard to fill their shareholders’ pockets with money.
4. When you Post, your Members Actually See It
When you post on Facebook, at best 16% of your friends or fans will see the post… unless you pay Facebook money. When you post on Mighty Networks, all your members will be able to see the post AND best of all, you can send notifications to their phone (via the app) & email when the post goes live if you want.
5. You can host all your Courses, Groups, Blog & Events/Webinars in it
Ummm, Facebook can’t come close to the power of Mighty Networks when it comes to setting up your online courses, groups, blog and events all in one place. If you plan to build an online education business or community, MN is far superior to Facebook with all of the features you can turn on and off with the flick of switch.
6. It’s Private, Intimate and Safe
People are terrified to post on Facebook these days, out of fear of being attacked by lurking trolls and disagreeing friends. Because you get to curate the content and can even set-up an on-boarding question before allowing access to new members, you get to create a safe, intimate environment for meaningful conversations and member connections. You can also set up a paywall to screen the quality of community members. Not to mention, YOU create your community code of honour and get to decide what gets posted and what doesn’t…. if someone doesn’t follow the guidelines, you can kick them out. It’s the best!
7. There’s an App for it
Most LMS software doesn’t work great for going through online courses on your phone, but Mighty Networks works beautifully and will increase the odds of your members actually completing your courses because they can complete their next lesson while commuting, chilling at the park or sitting on the toilet. What? People do that these days…
8. You Can Charge Money OR Make it Free
There are a lot of business model possibilities when building your membership on Mighty Networks. You can have a free or paid network, free or paid courses, free or paid groups, free or paid webinars & events (coming soon) and an infinite number of bundles. There are no shortages of creative ideas to build a business with Mighty Networks. Can you do that Facebook?! Didn’t think so….
9. You get Analytics
Learn about your top members, what posts do the best, how far members are getting through your courses and all sorts of other good stuff. Mighty Networks wants you to succeed, where Facebook just wants your audience’s information.
10. People are Paranoid of Facebook & Leaving in Droves…
I started “the Evacuate Facebook Group” on Facebook years ago as I was planing my escape. It seems people are leaving by the millions due to not trusting the data-mining, spy corporation. Sure, lots of people still hang out on Facebook, but if you give them a better place to hang out, they’ll join you! They’re just waiting for your invitation…
11. It Can Replace your Blog
As blogs and Facebook posts lose their weight in value, your Mighty Network can quickly become the go-to place for premium posts and behind the scenes content for your members. Replace your blog with a Mighty Network community. We did!
12. You can still use Facebook to bring people into your Mighty Network
Just because you build your community on Mighty Networks, doesn’t mean you have to leave Facebook altogether. You can still use FB to strike up conversations and bring people over to your own platform… on Mighty Networks! Bring them over to your turf so Facebook doesn’t try to control your community.
Mighty Networks is For You if:
1. You offer online courses, live online trainings, group coaching and you’re looking to build an online community space for your members, fans or audience.
2. You’re not super tech savvy, so you need a more user-friendly solution to host your courses and community than any of the WordPress plugins available. Which is also why we made our Going Mighty course for you…
3. You host in-person events or retreats and would love a space for all of your participants to stay connected afterwards, as well as to offer ongoing education.
4. You are a leader of a very specific topic and need a private, safe space to talk about the things that matter most to you and your members.
5. You have a church or a local interest group and you’d love a way for your community to stay connected and in the loop about what’s coming up.
6. You are selling a membership.
It’s time to decide. Which do you think is better, Facebook or Mighty Networks?
PS – if you need help strategizing or building your Mighty Network, drop me a line. We are currently building our 9th & 10th membership sites in the last 18 months, and offer done-for-you services and collaborative partnership opportunities.