Facebook’s “Friends” Tab Is Back — And What It Means for Small Business Advertising

In March 2025, Facebook quietly made a big change. The platform brought back a “Friends” tab on mobile, a dedicated feed showing only posts from friends and family.

For many users, this feels like the old Facebook again. The main feed had become cluttered with suggested posts, viral videos, and endless ads. People were seeing less from people they actually knew. Now, with the new “Friends” tab, Facebook is trying to win back trust and rebuild real social connections.

But for small businesses, this shift brings a new challenge.

The Return of “Social” Facebook

For years, Facebook’s main feed was driven by algorithms that decided what you saw. It didn’t matter who you followed or friended, what mattered was what the algorithm thought would keep you scrolling.

That model helped Facebook grow, but it also made people feel disconnected. Users stopped posting about their own lives, and organic engagement dropped. By 2024, the average organic reach of a business page post had fallen below 2%, meaning even loyal followers rarely saw their updates.

Now, with the new Friends tab, Facebook is giving users what they’ve been asking for: a space free from ads and recommendations. It’s a place for real people, not brands or sponsored posts.

That’s good for users, but it makes it even harder for small businesses to reach local audiences through organic posts.

What This Means for Small Businesses

For small and local businesses, Facebook used to be the go-to marketing platform. A single post could reach hundreds of followers. Today, it’s a different story.

The new Friends tab separates personal connections from business and ad content. While Facebook still allows business ads in the main feed, users now have a clear way to avoid them entirely. This means fewer impressions and lower engagement for small business pages.

In short, if your business depends on Facebook for organic reach, this update will likely make things harder.

Even paid advertising may feel the impact. As more users spend time in the Friends tab, ad performance could drop, leading to higher costs for the same results.

The Rise of Digital-Out-Of-Home (DOOH) Advertising

While digital marketing platforms shift and change constantly, one channel has been quietly growing -> Digital-Out-Of-Home (DOOH) advertising.

You’ve probably seen it already: bright digital screens in cafés, gyms, restaurants, and other local spots. These screens feature local businesses, community messages, and events. They’re modern, attention-grabbing, and highly visible.

Unlike social media, DOOH advertising doesn’t rely on algorithms or engagement metrics. It puts your business directly in front of real people in real places.

That’s why more small and medium-sized businesses across Canada are turning to DOOH networks like Gand1 Media Solutions.

Why DOOH Works in a Post-Facebook Social World

1. It Reaches People Where They Actually Are
   Instead of chasing attention online, DOOH meets people in the physical world, where they shop, eat, and socialize. A cleaning business ad in a gym, or a plumber’s ad in a café, reaches the exact audience that lives and works nearby.
   
   
2. It Builds Familiarity and Trust
   People trust what they see in their community. When your ad appears regularly in familiar local venues, it creates recognition. Over time, that recognition turns into trust, something that’s hard to earn through digital noise.
   
   
3. It’s Affordable and Measurable
   Many small businesses assume digital billboards are too expensive, but DOOH has evolved. With networks like Gand1, local businesses can advertise for a few hundred dollars a month, with flexible scheduling and updates managed for them.
   
   
4. It’s Algorithm-Free
   Your ad is always shown, not buried behind engagement rules or data changes. That consistency gives small businesses reliable exposure, something Facebook no longer guarantees.
   
   

The Bigger Shift in Advertising

Facebook’s Friends tab is just one sign of a larger trend. People are tired of noisy, impersonal online spaces. They want real connection.

As platforms shift to prioritize user experience, advertising becomes harder to place naturally. That’s pushing small businesses to find new ways to reach people without interrupting their personal space.

DOOH fills that gap perfectly. It connects digital visibility with community presence. It’s modern marketing that still feels human.

Why This Matters Now

If you own a small business, your next customers aren’t scrolling through Facebook looking for you. 

That’s exactly where DOOH advertising meets them.

With the right screen placement, your business can stay visible in the places your audience already loves. It’s not about chasing attention anymore. It’s about being part of the environment.

The Bottom Line

Facebook’s move to bring back the Friends tab marks the end of an era for small business marketing on social media. Organic reach is shrinking fast, and ad visibility will follow.

But that doesn’t mean opportunity is gone. It just means it’s shifting, from online feeds to real-world presence.

DOOH advertising helps small businesses stay visible, local, and trusted in a time when digital platforms are becoming less personal.

For Canadian business owners, that’s not a setback. It’s a chance to reconnect with your community, one screen at a time.

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