Grab a cuppa…or wine or margarita, because I have some serious Meta tea to spill that you as a business owner need to know about and prepare for.

Meta is shaking up the social media playground again, but this time, it’s pulling out a shiny new subscription model that might have you clutching your wallet a little tighter. Imagine you’re trying to manage your business’s social media, but now, just like a toddler refusing to wear anything but their superhero cape, Meta wants you to pay up if you want to be seen or heard.

Diving Into the Details: The Meta Subscription Saga

Meta's rolling out its new "Verified for Business" badge, and it’s like that moment when you finally get your toddler dressed, only to realise they’re about to jump into a mud puddle. Initially tested in places like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and now sneaking into Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and France, it seems like this new model is working... or at least, it's spreading.

Now, let’s talk turkey—or should I say, subscription tiers? These tiers are priced from a "just a couple of coffees" $15 USD all the way up to a "that’s a lot of nappies" $350 USD per month.

That’s per month, PER ACCOUNT. So, if you have both Facebook and Instagram, you’re paying double.

And, if you act now (sounds like an infomercial, right?), Meta’s tossing in a 20% discount for the first year. Here’s what your bucks get you:

Better Profile Visibility and SEO: Just when Instagram promised to boost small biz and creator visibility, here’s a tool that could do just that. Or so they say.
Links in Reels: Depending on how deep your pockets are, you can drop between two to six links in your reels each month. Perfect for when you want to point your followers directly to your shop or blog without playing hide and seek.
Priority Customer Service: Anyone who’s tried Meta's customer service knows it's a bit like sending a text into a black hole. Now, they say it’ll be different, but we’ll believe it when we see it.
Profile Reviews: The top dollar tier offers semi-annual check-ups from a Meta guru. But if past advice is anything to go by, you might find more wisdom in a fortune cookie.

What Does This Mean for the Little Guys?

Just like trying to convince a toddler that broccoli is candy, convincing small businesses and solo creators to fork out hefty monthly fees could be a tough sell. Meta's essentially making it clear: no pay, no play. This could hit the small-time players the hardest, squeezing them out of the playground unless they cough up the cash.

It’s wroth noting that Meta has yet to release any data about the uptake in the subcription model. It’s been out for a few months in a handful of countries, so there’s definitely data there. So what are they hiding? I did , however get feedback from someone who has signed up via a comment on a TIkTok I posted:

Why I’m Giving Meta’s New Subscription Model a Hard Pass

Data Drama and a Side of Skepticism

First up, let's talk about the elephant in the room—Meta's iffy history with our data. The latest in their data sharing drama is where they allegedly let Netflix peek at our private messages to jazz up their ads. Now, I'm all for sharing, but only at my dinner parties, not with my private chats. Even though Meta swears they didn't spill our secrets, the mere thought that they could have is enough to make me wary of handing over more cash to them. They’re already selling our content and data to the highest bidder, so why should we fork out further cash?

The thing is, we’ve allowed them to do this. The world’s biggest lie is “I have read and agree to the terms and conditions”. Here’s a snippet of Meta’s T&C’s:

Facebook: "You grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it."

Instagram: "When you share, post, or upload content that is covered by intellectual property rights on or in connection with our Service, you hereby grant to us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license to host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, publicly perform or display, translate, and create derivative works of your content."

I asked ChatGPT “Is there anything in the terms and conditions that states they won’t sell your content?” The answer was -

Meta's terms and conditions for Facebook and Instagram do not explicitly state that they will sell your content. However, they do grant Meta a broad license to use your content, which includes sublicensing it to others. According to the terms, when you post content covered by intellectual property rights on Facebook or Instagram, you grant Meta a non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use this content. This could include using it for marketing or in promotional materials, which effectively allows your content to be used in ways that could benefit Meta financially, without direct compensation to you.

Meta's privacy policy emphasizes that while they do not sell user information, they use information they have about you to show relevant content, including advertisements. This suggests that while they may not sell your content outright, the extensive licensing rights you provide could allow them to use it in various ways that support their business model.

Anything you post, whether publicly or in messenger is content, and fair game for them to use and licence out to third parties.

Ghosted by Customer Service

Ever tried reaching out to Meta for help? It’s like sending a text into thin air.

That’s because you are. There isn’t an actual Customer Service department.

Historically, their idea of support has been more 'automated response' and less 'let’s sort this out.' Sure, they’re talking a big game about starting a real customer service department in 2022…18 years after Facebook was established. Until I see a change, I'm not buying into a service that might leave me shouting at a wall when I need help. You wouldn’t pay for a gym membership if the equipment disappeared when you went to use it, would you?

Paying for Prestige? No Thanks!

Then there's this whole kerfuffle about paying for a verification badge. Imagine paying to prove you're you – sounds a bit like buying a fancy dress only to be told it doesn’t really show you're classy, it just shows you had the cash to look classy. Paying for what used to be a mark of authenticity feels like turning something special into just another commodity. It’s a bit like paying for a front-row seat at a concert only to find out the stage view is the same from the back. Not exactly what you signed up for, right?

Bigger Picture or Bigger Profits?

My friends could confirm I am not a cospriacy theorist….but don’t get me started on the timing of all this. It is WAY too coincidental. Just when the heat is turning up on its biggest competitor TikTok to divest or ban in the US, Meta rolls out a pay-to-play model. Feels a bit too convenient, like suddenly finding umbrellas for sale just as it starts to pour, doesn't it? It's all looking a bit like a strategy to cash in on our fear of getting left out in the digital rain rather than genuinely improving our online experience.

Should You Pay to Play?

Putting it all together, paying Meta for their new shiny subscription feels a bit like buying a ticket to a magic show where the only trick is making my money disappear. In a world where trust is currency, I’m keeping my wallet closed. I’d recommend keeping a tight grip on yours too until we see some real change that feels more like a treat than a trick.

It might seem odd for a social media manager to admit, but I dove into this industry for the genuine connections and the vibrant community spaces platforms like Facebook and Instagram once offered—and that TikTok kinda still does. As a business owner, I expect any platform I partner with to play fair, just like I expect from my little tyke and any kid he hangs out with. If you want to use my data, fine, but I expect total honesty and transparency about how it's used. After all Facebook and Insta, you're a social media network, aren't you?

Meta’s New “Pay-to-Play” Game: Why Marketing Your Business on Facebook and Instagram Just Got More Like Wrestling a Toddler Into a T-Shirt