Facebook’s Ad Advantage Was Bigger Than the News Feed
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Book Matt to Speak →The market was watching Facebook’s user growth. Matt Britton was watching what its audience data could do next. In this September 2018 CNBC discussion with Scott Galloway, he makes the case for further advertising growth despite market volatility.
Matt focuses on revenue per user and the migration of younger viewers from traditional television to platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. He argues that Facebook’s opportunity extends across its ecosystem, including WhatsApp and Messenger.
His central idea is Facebook as a data layer. Trillions of posts and interactions could help advertisers identify intent and reach audiences across other channels. He offers the example of an advertiser finding a person whose SUV lease expires in 30 days, compared with buying a broad age demographic. The approximately $70 billion U.S. television advertising market cited in the segment illustrates the scale he had in mind.
Galloway adds a perspective on Instagram’s cultural presence, recalling its prominence among influential attendees under 40 at the World Cup final in Moscow.
Both discuss investor frustration with leadership missteps and regulatory pressure. Matt argues that these concerns should be considered alongside continued global user additions and activity shifting toward Instagram, WhatsApp and Stories.
This archival conversation captures a debate about the source of platform value. Matt’s view was that the market risked underestimating Facebook’s evolution, much as it had during the move from desktop to mobile.
