Whether we like it or not, social media has taken the advertising and marketing space by storm. The main complaints about it are, “It just doesn’t work for me,” “I don’t know how to use it,” and “I don’t know where to start.” While these complaints are understandable, the path to understanding social media marketing and why it works is quite simple. The first step is understanding the “social media algorithm”.
What is the social media algorithm?
From basic math classes, we know that an algorithm is just a set of rules for how a set of data behaves. The same applies to a social media algorithm. The difference is that it has a lot more rules for a lot more data. Each social media site establishes an algorithm that will effectively feed content to the right users based on their previous interactions. If I consistently search for or interact with (like, comment, share) posts about cats and dogs, then the algorithm will learn that to keep me on their app, they should feed me more content about cats and dogs.
Why does social media need an algorithm?
The goal is to push content to each user that is specialized to them. This is crucial for advertisers. You can’t advertise without understanding your target audience. Not just understanding but learning everything about them. Not just who they are, but the way they behave and how they spend their time. With the social media algorithm, we have easy access to all of that information, and can, from there, push advertisements to specific users.
Take the “Wicked” movie trailers for example. There is plenty of musical theater content all over social media, so advertisers are more likely to push these trailers to users who already engage with that kind of content. Additionally, they may want to cover a broader audience, so they will likely have the algorithm push those trailers to movie junkies, Ariana Grande fans (she is Glinda after all), Bridgerton fans (Jonathan Bailey who plays Fierro), Saturday Night Live fans (cause who doesn’t love Bowen Yang), and the list go on. With the assistance of the social media algorithm, we as advertisers can effectively look at even the tiniest details of a user’s past content interests and push products and services that they would already likely want to try.
The overall goal is brand recognition. But why is that important? We all remember advertising breaks during episodes of our favorite sitcoms before streaming was big. You saw a lot of the same advertisements over and over and over again, right? This is the same idea, except instead of forcing you to stay because you haven’t finished the episode yet, we’re working with an average attention span of about 3-5 seconds and praying we capture your attention before you decide to scroll.
How do I use it?
Now that we know what the social media algorithm is and why it is vital to effectively push your brand, product, or service, it’s time you learn how to actually use it. While each social media platform is different, they all utilize the same overall algorithm structure. It’s a little like a puzzle.
If you put together all of the right pieces, you can likely assume that your post will gain engagement. Sometimes it’s a bit of a gamble, however. There are so many pieces that must fit together just perfectly for the algorithm to work in your favor. This means utilizing all of the features each app gives you (adding a location, a song, tagging other users, using hashtags, adding closed captions to a reel or TikTok, etc.). That’s easy. The gamble really begins when you have to post at the exact right moment based on when most people are utilizing a specific app. On top of that, factoring in what is already popular and trending goes a long way.
It’s a lot to do on your own, and that’s why we’re here to help!
How do I know I’m using it right?
It can be hard to know if you’re using the algorithm to the best of your ability, especially if you aren’t sure what aspect of your reach and engagement you are trying to improve. Is your goal to drive sales? Is it to increase overall brand recognition and awareness? Or are you just trying to have a viral moment? These can all be gauged by analytics. Most, if not all social media sites offer companies, businesses, and even influencers the ability to track their long-term engagement.
You may think that the more likes you have on a post, the better it does, but for most apps, this is not the case. A lot of apps have changed their algorithms to push content with the highest overall engagement. This is content that has more direct follows, comments, shares, and saves. By using all of the features the app provides you with, they will give you more views at the beginning, but if the algorithm sees that you have low engagement, they will likely stop pushing your content.
You may think you are doing well because you are getting two or three more likes than usual, but really, you could have just reached two or three more people. The more engagement you get, the longer the effectiveness of your advertisements will be.
Conclusion:
Social media is essential for marketing, but it can be tricky. Understanding the social media algorithm is crucial, as it determines what content users see based on their interests. This helps you connect with your audience and boost your brand’s visibility.
To succeed, use all platform features and focus on engagement through comments and shares, not just likes. Consistently analyze your performance and adjust your strategy as needed. If it feels overwhelming, consider getting help from experts. With the right approach, you can make your brand stand out and achieve great results!
