New Year, New Algorithms…
For anyone unfamiliar with algorithms, they’re the think-tanks within rule-based process in modern day living. They’ve been around longer than we think, but with so much fake news and corrupt content, we’re becoming more and more educated on how algorithms process content and qualify it as quality. Let’s look at social media platform algorithms in a little more detail…
In 2018 Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg publicly announced the changes that would apply to his platform for end of 2018 and into 2019. Users would now start to see more of what they like, and less of the supposed ‘fake news’ and spammy content being pushed out by power accounts. The key message was to introduce a news feed with content that users would find relevant; encouraging meaningful interactions on social.
What does this mean?
Well, here’s how it works:
- User posts content/update on their Facebook page.
- Facebook shares this content with a small selection of the user’s fans, followers, or friends.
- The chosen few will vet the content by liking, sharing, reacting, or commenting.
- Facebook has now qualified the content as meaningful, and will now begin to share this content across your follower’s feeds.
- HAPPY DAYS!
However…. If no one engages with this ‘meaningful’ content, Facebook will score it low, and it may not get the visibility desired.
So, with that in mind, it’s rather important when composing posts for Facebook to consider the following:
- Is the content relevant?
- How will it be received?
- Will it encourage a meaningful interaction on social?
Try to apply the above test to your content, and also try not to backlink your posts too much… Facebook want their users to hang around on the platform, and not move away to external apps or sites… and with the amount of features within Facebook, there’s no real need to leave just yet.
In addition, try to stay away from these lackluster phrases:
- “Share this post”
- “Follow us back”
- “Like our page”
They’re spammy, they can appear a little desperate, and Facebook really does not like them! (Who does?)
We’ll jump straight into Instagram; Facebook’s sister platform. And what a beautiful platform it is. Over 1 BILLION active users, with over 40% following brands. If you want your brand to get noticed, it’s essential you know the rules, and of course, play by them…
Similar to Facebook, Instagram will show a smaller group of your users your meaningful content first. These chosen few will be given the opportunity to vet your content by impressing on your posts, and engaging by liking and commenting. Posts shared through private message get extra points. Once your content has qualified for great content, you’re all set!
To keep scoring high, follow these tips:
- Keep your content meaningful. Memes, inspirational quotes, and images of pets always win!
- Timing is fairly crucial here. Ensure you’re posting at times when your followers are most active. Need to find out when? Tap the insights icon on the top right hand corner (next to the settings cog) on your [Business] account.
- Keep your posting times consistent; Instagram likes an organised schedule.
- Include relevant hashtags that your followers are most likely to engage with or like posts that have their most common hashtags used with.
- Use Instagram Stories to tell, well.. a story! People react better to content that is warm and human. As our friends over in Faclon.io say: “You should captivate audiences through images and video, not simply preach marketing missives at them.”
Love it or hate it, Twitter is definitely where it’s at. Fast, fresh, and quite often a bit of a frenzy! We love a good Twitter rant, but if you’re a business account, you might prefer to get positive engagement that converts.
Currently, Twitter sorts all tweets into three categories:
- High ranking
- ICYMI – In case you missed it
- Reverse-chronological
As you’ve probably gathered, there’s a running theme through all social algorithms! Timed, meaningful content. As a business, you should be tweeting at times when your followers are online to ensure maximum impact. Not sure when your followers are active? Check out Tweriod here.
Additionally, Twitter favours interactive users, so ensure that you are following, engaging, sharing, liking, and reacting to your followers! It’s only fair, right?
And Finally… LinkedIn
Let’s finish up with a lesson on Linkedin. This powerful B2B platform is one of my favourites alongside Instagram. Follow the rules, and you’ll soon be a LinkedIn Legend…
As with all social platforms mentioned, LinkedIn will share your relevant and meaningful content with a small group of users to qualify your post as news-worthy. It’s important to share content that others will find valuable, so make it count. Share experiences and try to inspire others! LinkedIn want their community to benefit from each other!
Here’s our top tips for scoring high on LinkedIn’s posting algorithm:
- Inspire others by sharing personal stories.
- Focus on creating your own content as well as a healthy amount of sharing others.
- A fully completed personal profile will receive more engagement.
- If you’re the company page admin, bring your Company Page up to speed with full company information.
- Avoid back-linking to your website; use your Company Page instead. As with Facebook, LinkedIn wants to keep users on their platform, so stay a while!
Whilst you should always have a clear and definitive sales and marketing strategy, social media can immensely boost the performance of these. Digital marketing overall has the power (and undeniable data) to achieve success beyond print, radio, and TV advertising.
If you would like to boost your business in the digital space and would like to improve your knowledge, or get completely trained up on social, get in touch! We offer bespoke social media training courses for businesses. These courses are built on your business goals and objectives. Check out our services here, or call us on 0161 533 0737 or email hello@weareimmediacy.com. To schedule a callback at a time that is convenient for you, click here.