POLL: Could you get by without using any Facebook products?

2yr ago

52 replies

I noticed that #DeleteFacebook is trending on Twitter today and it made me curious about how us makers rely on their products. While I don't use Facebook anywhere near as much as I did about 12-13 years ago in my college days, I rely on WhatsApp and Messenger to stay in touch with friends and family. Instagram is also the main marketing channel for my side hustle. I could not get by without using any Facebook products. Could you?

Yes

No

I already do

Replies

Indie maker CallTap SolarWatch DuoCam

WhatsApp would be the hardest one to drop but I would love it. Also since so many people use it I keep my accounts to be able to test my products against them. So I could get by just fine but I'm still reluctantly on board.

Founder & CEO, Hustle Crew

@ekurutepe I agree out of all of them I use WhatsApp the most. I have friends who aren't on FB or Messenger.

Growth marketer at scoop.ai

@ekurutepe I'm seriously waiting for a strong competitor for Whatsapp to show up! Don't like the monopoly.

Indie maker CallTap SolarWatch DuoCam

@swapnesh_patra1 I wouldn't hold my breath. Any competitor needs to be 10x better to have any chance. The network effects are very strong: you wouldn't use another messenger if all your friends are on WhatsApp.

Growth marketer at scoop.ai

@ekurutepe Couldn't agree more. But would love to witness it happening

Maxim Leonovich

Co-founder at onebar.io

@ekurutepe @swapnesh_patra1 It's all about network effects so, 10x may be just not enough. Most of my network, for example, is on Telegram and so am I. I literally keep WhatsApp installed because of a single group I want to follow. Telegram as an app is quite great, better than whatsap but far from 10x..

Designer @ Snyk - Ex Product Hunt

I could get by, in that life would still go on without them. But I rely on them so much (in particular WhatsApp and Instagram) that I voted no. It would take a while for another product to replace either of them for me.

Founder & CEO, Hustle Crew

@de Same I don't really have perfect substitutes yet!

Thomas Groutars

Software @ Product Hunt

I open Instagram once in a while but could really do without. I only use Facebook for events. I deleted my Facebook account in February, but had to create it again in July because I was organizing a party. I was also feeling out of the loop when I was not aware of events happening in my groups of friends. The problem is almost all of them rely on Facebook to create or keep track of events. I got addicted to Twitter and Reddit during that time, so I'm not really sure of the benefits it had 😅 I use almost exclusively Whatsapp to communicate with my friends and family, so it would be pretty hard to drop. That said, there is only one Facebook product that I absolutely couldn't live without, and it's React 😄

Founder & CEO, Hustle Crew

@thomgroutars I rely on WhatsApp for friends and family, too. It's really convenient for an international community. I know what you mean about getting left out. Most people use FB exclusively for organising events and if you're not on it you don't get invited.

"!Digital Security Matters!"

For all people who are not from the US - maybe we also could ask (In case that what happend in Venezuela with Adobe could happen in every country and with every (cloud) software from the US): Could we get by without using US (cloud) software in general?

Sales @ Product Hunt

I've tried to use Signal & Telegram to replace WhatsApp as my primary communication tool but everyone I talk to is on WhatsApp so for now Facebook is a given in my life.

Edison Espinosa

Founder @ Foxie, & EJ

@lanre_akinyemi remember at one point not everyone was on Whatsapp

Sales @ Product Hunt

@edisonjoao6871 So true - perfect use case for how to achieve virality

Founder & CEO, Hustle Crew

@lanre_akinyemi I tried Telegram, too but no one in my close circle was using it.

Edison Espinosa

Founder @ Foxie, & EJ

@lanre_akinyemi @abadesi as the innovator of your close circle gotta get them on it

Maxim Leonovich

Co-founder at onebar.io

@lanre_akinyemi @abadesi You can change friends ;) jk

Developer

Yes, I can !

Business Development, Growth Marketeer

@kondrat_yukov tell us your story then, I'm interested to know it.

Building Crypto scanner for traders

I just use Facebook like a backup contact list.

Building Crypto scanner for traders

i forgot watsapp is facebook. dammit facebook got me there.

Founder & CEO, Hustle Crew

@shakks it happens! WhatsApp is useful for me because not everyone is on the same model, in the same country, its a cheap way to stay in touch.

Bookworm & SEO

@shakks for sure, the contacts I made through Facebook are the sole reason I haven't deleted my account yet.

Edison Espinosa

Founder @ Foxie, & EJ

Whatsapp is just another messenger tool... Normal iMessaging for people. Here in the US that's not a problem Just as there wasn't a lot of people on Whatsapp, let's transition of it. Don't really use messenger. Instagram is just an influencer and ad show.. so while I also promote my startup on there. I'm sure I'll be better off with it anyways So let's all #deleteFacebook

Isaac González

Industrial Engineer + 🏝️

@edisonjoao6871 Don't forget that FB inflate views on IG and FBWatch so you are also paying for fake views. :/

Radoslav Stankov

Head of engineering @ ProductHunt.

I use Facebook Events (for organizing) and Messenger. But, I can survive without Facebook.

Business Development, Growth Marketeer

@rstankov Can I ask you why you don't use/like it anymore?

Making Prototypr.io and Letter 💌

I deleted fb and made a new one which has no friends to manage product pages. Still use whatsapp 😭

h

Trying to make things people want

I don't use Facebook but I do use WhatsApp daily

Ilango Rajagopal

Fullstack Web Developer.

Yup. I already do. WhatsApp was the hardest since a lot of my friends use it. But I still deleted it and haven't looked back since. If I ever go back it'll only be WhatsApp.

Unfortunately, fb is good for bringing site traffic since so many people still use it. I mostly only use fb groups & my page nowadays anyway. Most of my creative community hangs out on Instagram so it'd be quite difficult to leave it behind.

Edison Espinosa

Founder @ Foxie, & EJ

@mellowbeing would you be open to an alternative ? I'm actually going to work on an instagram with chronological order and just simple how it used to be.

@edisonjoao6871 yea, I'd be curious to check it out!

Bookworm & SEO

I definitely depend on Whatsapp for staying in touch with family and friends. And I like Instagram well enough. I won't miss Facebook and Messenger, though. Business-wise, Facebook can still be effective for traffic. But, to be honest, I get waaaay better results with more focused platforms.

I hated using Whatsapp for work..switched to Rivers IM, many people hate whatsapp for many reasons, for me I don't want to get my work on whatsapp..mixing up with my personal stuff facebook i use seldom ..go there in around a week or 10 days may be and insta...well i use it to consume content but the uses is low..like once in 2 months may be..so i think I can definitely get-by just fine..though will definitely miss them..

Co-Founder at Cartloop.io

In my opinion, email marketing is way more powerful.

Isaac González

Industrial Engineer + 🏝️

@lisapopovici the problem is that not everyone is willing to give u their e-mail addresses, at least in comparison to IG or Twitter handles.

COO @ Product Hunt

Like so many others in this thread, I use WhatsApp everyday to connect with family and friends. I know there are alternatives but it's just so easy and where everyone already is. Would 100% miss it if I had to go without.

Design driven entrepreneur

Like with anything (becoming vegetarian etc) it's often a matter of habit, but when they become toxic you have to do something. In the case of FB tools its hard to be the outlier as you miss out on convos that the herd is on. I gave up using personal facebook quite easily, but for work I still need an account to access APIs. Remember when you couldn't "get by" without Yahoo!? Google is still the biggest hurdle for me - gmail, search and Maps. I tried DuckDuckGo but put off by their UI and the results. Apple maps I try to use as often as possible too. Excited for the next gen tools from indie startups that take privacy seriously!

Co-Founder at Ready | Product Design

Personally would be easier but professionally I feel would be really limiting growth. If your audience is on instagram or facebook, you're giving up potential followers/users/spokespeople for your brand—especially if you're just starting out.