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If seeing the word ‘algorithm’ freaks you out, you aren’t alone. If we’re being completely honest, we’re a little unnerved by it too.
Let’s back up a minute! You might be asking “What IS a social media algorithm?”
Social media algorithms are a way of sorting content based on their relevance to users. This allows social networks to prioritize which content their users see based on the likelihood that they’ll engage with a post. The good news is that users end up seeing more of the content they’re interested in. For brands, however, it can lead to some challenges.
While managing client’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts, we’re always thinking about performance and how to do better (as we should be). Social media is more than just sharing pictures of your kids, your dog, and stalking your ex (don’t lie we know you do it). It’s HOW you do these things, what time you do them, what content you like, share, which hashtags you use, and so much more.
Don’t worry though, because as marketers, it’s our job to stay on top of the ever-evolving social media algorithms that make social media tick. Without knowing the ins and outs how can we optimize our content to ensure the best possible results for our clients, and for ourselves?
Lacking time to research the current state of algorithms and how to use them to your advantage? No worries, we’ve got you covered.
Facebook
Facebook’s algorithm is meant to promote meaningful interactions. The platform puts more emphasis on posts from friends and family, rather than on business pages. As a brand, your focus should be on increasing engagement, not solely reach or views. Both of these are important, however, they don’t mean anything if people aren’t interacting with your content. Facebook also prefers users to post native content, instead of linking to another webpage since their goal is to keep people on Facebook for as long as possible.
Instagram
Instagram’s algorithm has shifted away from a timeline-style feed and is all about popularity, relevancy, and the relationship between your account and those you follow. This ensures that the people who regularly engage with your content will see it, and the more engagement your posts receive, the more credible you are in the eyes of Instagram’s algorithm.
LinkedIn
On LinkedIn, content is ranked by engagement and connection strength, to ensure that the strongest business content is showcased. However, LinkedIn is unique because this platform actually has a real human involved in choosing which posts are served to a wider audience based on engagement and post-performance.
Twitter
Twitter is one of the only platforms that still ranks tweets by time posted, in addition to user relevance. This allows users to see the most current and relevant content in their feeds. However, like other platforms, engagement and brand credibility are still essential to the success of your account. Tweets that receive a high amount of engagement will be served first and will reach more of your desired audience. This kind of relevance can also help your account get recommended to users as they look for more accounts to follow.
The solution is actually somewhat simple in theory; no matter what platform you’re posting on, focus on creating content that will encourage engagement. Include CTA’s in your posts when you can, engage with followers, and share native content as much as possible. Also, be sure to have all of your page information filled out, and post consistently since platforms like Twitter and Facebook take your page’s credibility into account.
Now that you have the information you need, get out there and start creating content that will drive results. Too busy? Need help creating some killer content and optimizing it to use the algorithm to full advantage? Just drop us a line, we’ve got that part covered for you too.