There has been a slew of recent updates to social media algorithms that should be on the radar of marketers. But who can keep up when the rules are changing and evolving all the time? You would be forgiven for not staying on top on every last adjustment of X or Insta. While minor changes to the way platforms function are not always crucial to know about, some could impact your team’s approach to online newsfeeds, the creation of important partnerships, and other aspects of your content strategy.
These tweaks to a platform’s functionality are especially important when they’re happening in the places your target audience is most likely to be. Here are a few updates that may occur and to be on the lookout for:
Recognize That Algorithms Are Used to Improve Search Quality
The main benefit to tracking updates is that they help shed light on the performance of your brand’s content strategy. An algorithm is a formula that social media platforms use to “score” content based on all various factors. For example, hashtags, which used to be considered central to getting hits online, no longer have the power they did before. These trends can also provide insight into why your strategy isn’t performing as well as it used to or as well as you would like.
Every social media platform has it’s own algorithm and it will function differently from one another. But generally speaking, their algorithms are set up to determine:
- How Content Is Filtered
- How Scores Are Calculated
- Which Posts Will Gain Traction
- What Content Receives Higher Priority
- Why One Website is Chosen Over Another
- Other Criteria Impacting Search Engine Rankings
Algorithms Reward Content that is Authentic
As algorithms get “smarter,” marketers need to adjust their marketing approaches accordingly if they are going to keep up with the trends where they matter most. Algorithms are evolving because they aim to do a better job at satisfying a searcher’s intent. By referring to Google’s “EEAT” model brands need to focus on creating content that is authentic and user-centric. As you create your content, think of the qualities that will enhance performance such as:
- How relevant is my content?
- Is this content eye-catching?
- Will users engage with my content?
- Does this content have potential to grow my following?
What You Should Know About Facebook Updates
Facebook’s (a.k.a. Meta’s) “personalized ranking” – which determines the order that content shows up – requires content to be more relevant than ever to be recognized by the internal mechanisms hard at work grading all of the stories and videos people are posting. If your Facebook campaign ensures that all or most of those qualities listed above are incorporated, the site is more likely to take note and respond in a way that is beneficial to you.
However, don’t be surprised if it becomes a little harder to market your products or services on this site. That’s because Facebook’s recent updates include an AI-based newsfeed algorithm that prioritizes viral potential. As the site SocialPilot puts it, the site “wants your posts to be watched longer or be showered with reactions and comments. They instantly prioritize such posts to appear more frequently on Facebook users’ feeds.”
Even if this isn’t the best news for your brand, it’s helpful to know for anyone mapping out a social media campaign to attract older buyers.
What Happened with LinkedIn’s Recent Changes?
Similarly, LinkedIn announced in 2023 it would “be placing a greater emphasis on quality content in the algorithm. This means that posts with high-quality engagement, such as thoughtful comments and shares, will be given more weight in the algorithm.” A few things to note about the changes on this particular platform:
1. Engagement matters more than ever.
Finding ways to get your followers and potential fans to interact with what you’ve created will lead to your content being more visible. Posts that merely announce information with little or no engagement will have the opposite effect.
2. Use it to find creator partnerships.
LinkedIn now includes a “brand partnership” label. This feature makes it easier to ID “creators” who could potentially be ideal partners for your brand.
3. Hashtags need to be more strategic.
If you include hashtags, make sure they stimulate community connection – like a tag for your company’s anniversary celebration, as opposed to tags about a generic subject.
4. Post often and encourage commenting.
It may require a bit more effort on your part, but the frequency of posting and quantity of comments will directly correlate to your reach online.
Contact Our Social Media Experts to Help You Stay Up-To-Date
Social media is a lot to keep up with, especially without the support of a dedicated digital marketing partner that is following the latest trends. That’s one reason that Connections Marketing recommends using the expertise of a team that includes social media strategists as well as content creators. If you are looking to grow your brand on social media, contact Connections Marketing to receive a custom social media strategy. Reach out online or give us a call today!