Friending the machine: Working with the social media algorithms, not against them
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17-04-2023
A few years ago this is what happened on social media:
- You’d write a post and submit it.
- The post would hang around and get seen within a few hours by your audience.
It’s not that simple anymore. Your post is one of millions per minute, and it’s in the mix with boosted or sponsored posts, celebrity gossip and cat videos, and short video reels and stories. Your post is fighting for attention, and it can’t do it on its own. It needs your help to get noticed.
Why? Algorithms.
The affect of algorithms on search results
Algorithms determine what content our followers see, and as we all know, they’re far from flawless. Content on our feeds is often irrelevant, and sometimes we drop off the radar of those who should be interested.
If you click on a post or linger on a type of content, you start to see more of the stuff – whether you want it or not. Because AI is at work, trying to work out what you like to see.
The truth now is that your content needs to be optimised for faceless algorithms, and then you may reach your desired audience. If we remember that algorithms are designed to provide a better user experience, we need to work with them not against them.
Appealing to search engine algorithms
So how to these algorithms work on the main social channels?
Facebook / Instagram
They prioritise content from accounts that users engage with the most – which is why even one click on a type of user can skew the algorithm to start showing more of it. What should you do? Build a loyal following, and get them to click on your content – if only once, so that you start showing in their feed. If they do click, they have an interest – so they should be a good audience.
Machine learning works to personalise each user’s experience based on their preferences and activity. Its content cycle moves very fast and so it heavily values the recent activity of both the user, and other accounts in their network. This is where comments on other people’s posts can work in your favour, delivering that content to your network as well as expanding your reach to theirs.
AI determines the topics, people, and types of posts an individual is most likely to engage with. If a post gets early engagement then it is pushed to more people. If it doesn’t it tends to be parked. So you’re aiming to get engagement – likes, shares and comments – so open questions can work well.
TikTok
Their algorithm is based on user behaviour and preferences. It shows content to users that are similar to what they have engaged with in the past. By tailoring posts to the interests of their target audience, uses can increase their chances of being discovered by new potential customers.
7 tips for writing engaging social posts
There are some best practices for working with the social media algorithms to get noticed. It’s all about engagement, whichever channel you’re working on. If people engage – click, like, share, comment – then the machine learning of the channel will boost your presence in feeds. Here are our 7 tips for writing engaging social posts.
1. Show your passion
True passion is hard to hide. If your content has passion, it will get a response because they’ll see it comes from authenticity. If you can genuinely establish a voice and point of view that resonates with your audience, they will engage.
2. Know your audience
We’ve said this lots, but it’s vital to know your audience. Not just who they are (and let’s be clear, if they’re not potential customers then they’re not relevant), but what pushes their buttons. Aligning your content with their preferences and behaviours can increase the chance of your content being shown to them.
3. Review engagement.
You can learn from what people respond to, and what they respond to from your competitors too. Learn from the data to know what your audience really wants.
4. Review content.
Take a step back and adopt a customer’s perspective of your content. Sometimes you’re too close to your own business to see your content sucks.
5. Optimise posts.
Social posts do have an impact on search engine results. Ensure you optimise your posts with relevant keywords and a handful of relevant hashtags, and from time to time link them back to web content.
6. Be less salesy.
Salesy is boring. Being authentic is engaging. Be informative, entertaining, or inspiring to build trust and loyalty with your audience.
7. Monitor algorithms.
Algorithms evolve. While they may be frustrating they do form an essential part of creating a better user experience for the social channel (rightly or wrongly) and if you’re ‘on it’ then they can help marketers connect with their target audience more effectively.
In summary, understand how algorithms work. Optimise your content to appeal to them. You’ll then reach more of the right people. Need help? Ask us.