Before & After
During the start of social media, algorithms curated posted content based on recency & opt-in basis. Only showing curated content from your following.
After that, platforms started tracking user behavior to grow Advertising business and recommend content.
Today, instead of content systems. We have generative AI taking the role of recommending content based on consistent user input on the app.
Write-path Classifiers (IG, TikTok & Twitter)
This machine learning algorithm has the job to analyze your content at the time of posting. And it analyzes + compares your content to old & trending content.
Acting as a moderator + these social media apps have human moderators too. (Often not get paid well)
This algorithm has few content filters like photo-recognition, Captions analyser & relevancy checker. On that basis the content is pushed further to your audience.
For Businesses: This means that studying what existing content performs well & embedding the performing elements into your content strategy is the key.
Read-Path Models
This is the next algorithm that uses engagement factors to push your content further to more audiences. And on instagram + Tiktok, this algorithm pushes the content to “explore” & “For You” feeds.
Making the importance of getting engagement higher than before. Different engagement factors like likes, comments & shares account for a different set of points making the algorithm push your content further to newer audiences.
On Instagram & LinkedIn + Twitter now, your network of followers matters more than getting more engagement. Because who engages with your content pushes your content to a similar persona.
Which is why I recommend people not use your family & friends as engagement boosters. They are interacting with your content & then a 99% different topic the next moment.
Generative AI (Meta & LinkedIn)
In the recent announcements, Meta & LinkedIn shared they have doubled the use of AI to recommend people relevant. They claim that the new algorithm is making users stay for longer times. But many users are having different experiences, they are less content from people they follow. And getting more new content recommendations.
What I’ve observed tracking different influencer engagements is that they are also reaching more new audiences. While many of their core followers are failing to see their content on social media feeds.
That is why owning your audience & building private brand communities is becoming a popular trend. And creators are also launching new discord channels to connect with their followers on a higher level.
My Strategies for Algorithm Beating Content
From these learnings, I have built a strategy called “Take one out”.
Take one out
First, You do social listening to learn what type of content is making a spark in your industry. Try to make a list of competitors and pieces of relevant content.
Second, Try to find the common structure or frameworks being utilized in those selective posts. For Example, It could be an Instagram aesthetic, Twitter Thread Hook, or LinkedIn Topic.
Pick that one element and add it to your original piece of content. And this is not a trend. This is a strategy to integrate working elements of another piece of content. To increase the possibilities of your content discovery on social media.
Revival Bubble
During the Read-path models algorithm breakdown, we learned that your network can make or break your account. That is why from the start try to build relationships with industry businesses and creators.
Get that targeted engagement from the start to reach the most valuable audience faster. I know this is hard to implement because you might have an old social media handle.
It is a little late, but not too late. Try to refine your network and create a new bubble to revive your organic growth.
CTAs, CTAs & CTAs
I know there are well-known theories on Tiktok and Instagram that calling out “link in my bio” is social media sin. The algorithm will never forgive you if you say that!
No, it is not the algorithm. It is most of the time Human Psychology.
First, many types of research suggest that people treat each other differently on social media. And this also differs from platform to platform. The more anonymous people can be on social media, the more different they treat each other.
Second, We all don’t like to take orders from anyone. Using a simple CTA like buy my stuff “link in the bio” sounds harsh to many followers. They don’t express that feeling but ignore the content.
That is why always have Indirect Call-to-actions and be creative with how you represent what you sell or want them to do.
I hope this helps. For more, You can subscribe to my newsletter (link in my bio) to receive these algorithm & social media updates.