Social Media Algorithm Shifts: What You Need to Know

We know that not everyone is fluent in the language of social media, but we’re here to tell you that there are some important goings-on! First things first– the key to reaching a targeted customer base is ensuring that the content delivered resonates with them and stands out. We’re bombarded with hundreds of posts a day, so make yours worth looking at! Essentially content needs to be relevant, engaging, and more likely to promote meaningful conversation and interactions.

Social media platforms are now prioritizing organic traffic in a different way in order to deliver the best possible content. Let’s take a look at the key takeaways from some of the top social channels utilized by brands and businesses.

Facebook:
As Facebook has evolved over the years, it’s drifted away from being a social space for people to connect with one another. The changes to the algorithm ranking strategy of news feed content, now focuses on making the overall experience of scrolling through posts more personal. Essentially the goal of this change is to make Facebook more social and to emphasize content that promotes meaningful conversations amongst its users.

Twitter:
There have been notable algorithm updates within the Twitter-sphere as well. In the fast paced world of tweets, Twitter will now rank content based on relevancy and the time it was posted, making a users feed more personalized with content they are more likely to engage with.

Instagram:
Just last month Instagram announced that it would be returning to a chronological feed, in response to criticism surrounding the algorithm based feed it was previously utilizing. Essentially the platform now combines the best of both worlds, allowing users to refresh their feed and view the most recent and relevant content as they please. Overall, the platform’s algorithm will prioritize newer posts to ensure you don’t miss out on fresh content.

LinkedIn:
The focus of LinkedIn is too ensure it displays relevant content that is business-focused. The algorithm was tweaked to emphasise content with a higher potential of prompting engagement and connection amongst users.

What is a marketer to do to stay visible?
The best strategy is to ensure consistency with the content you share, especially when it comes to the time of day that you post, and the frequency at which content is shared. With algorithms shifting to show more timely posts, these factors need to be considered when adapting a social strategy that aims to maintain visibility. Keeping quality content a priority is the best way to stay on top of these changes. To put it simply, post what matters most to your business. If you’re in need of some additional social tips and tricks, contact our Digital Marketing team!