What are Social Media Algorithms?
Social media algorithms sound dull – but for influencers, it is truly a gold mine. With three-quarters of internet users using social media, data and how it’s used in gathering and marketing on various platforms is an important thing to understand.
As the needs of users change and evolve, so do the algorithms that promote growth and exposure. Some of those changes can be frustrating and difficult to keep up with for influencers and creators, especially as they rapidly cycle through. Keeping up with the latest trends in algorithms will help follower growth, and that’s what we will cover here.
(Credit: NPIS)
Algorithms take data from users and disseminate the data to create a variety of things the users want to see. This provides an infrastructure that becomes a blueprint to create processes in an orderly fashion.
The sheer number of algorithms available is vast and certainly can seem intimidating. Knowing your niche as an influencer helps to narrow down this array of choices. In some cases, the choices are already made for you, based on the platform in which the algorithms are developed.
One perspective of what a social media algorithm is maybe: think about a time you were doing a search on YouTube for the latest bomb make-up tutorial. Next time you opened Pinterest; your feed was inundated with the latest in make-up stylings.
Algorithms are like little predetermined mind readers that help the influencer find and use what their followers want.
What Does This Mean for Influencers?
It’s common knowledge for any creator who uses social media to market their brand that certain metrics will get clicks, likes, and shares.
Certain algorithms cater to various items in any social media marketing glossary; click to conversions, click-through rate, SEO/SEM, and return on investments are just a few examples.
Manipulating the algorithms to help an influencer grow their brand and following takes creativity and innovation. There are many avenues influencers can take to facilitate this.
Creator and influencer collaboration is a great way to maximize your growth. Working with other creators in the same niche or compatible one helps the algorithms take notice of multiple accounts focusing on the same thing.
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Sharing and crediting other users’ content with each other doubles the presence of the type of post you are making. Creating groups of collaborators that discuss what content will be shared across accounts will help the algorithms search easier for what your brand has to offer.
It’s crucial, as it always has been, to speak to what your users want, what interests them, what keeps them following your content. Keeping your finger on this pulse and feeding it is one sure-fire way to use algorithms to your advantage.
Contributors to these important social media marketing factors like engagement, interaction, user generated content, and more are often curated do the algorithms defined and utilized in each platform.
Platform by Platform
Every social media platform uses algorithms differently based on the brand value of the platform. Facebook isn’t going to use the same algorithm types as Pinterest, for example.
There may be some cross-analysis done in platforms that are partnered, and that is important for an influencer to take note of. As an influencer, you are likely doing your own cross-posting between platforms. Therefore, you must understand what algorithms are most triggered in each platform.
(Credit: Neil Patel)
As “the” major player in the world of social media, whether you like it or not, Facebook is formidable in its versatility of use for influencers. This means that the algorithms are diverse as well, and there are some things influencers can do to take full advantage of their usefulness.
To truly make use of the existing algorithms, the influencer needs to create a great deal of engagement with their users. Commenting and responding to followers, coupled with posting regularly on subject matter that your users find appealing means that an algorithm will catch your content easier.
With the advent of stories, they satisfy the need of users to follow quick content and interact in real-time as well as connect with the creator on a personal basis. Stories are available at the top of the feed, bringing its value into sharp focus.
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Relevance is a keyword to take away from Instagram’s algorithms and their evolution over time. As there is a connection to Facebook, their stories and the simplistic style that we know now resonates with a picture-perfect, streamlined version of its parent company.
Ensuring that your content is high quality and speaks to your followers in the most relevant manner is what will catch the algorithms many eyes. As content with high engagement value is seen first with Instagram’s algorithm, your influence will benefit from keeping in touch with your followers through consistent and immediate engagement.
TikTok
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One of the most unique aspects of the TikTok platform is the #FYP or For Your Page. We’ve learned enough about algorithms to know that this unusual feature is heavily influenced by them (remember, little mind readers).
TikTok executives have designed their algorithms to operate based off several different criteria: user interaction with the creator’s work, video information like hashtags, and data gathered from account settings.
These algorithms work great for influencers as we know that this data is all figured into your creations already, so capitalizing on it is relatively easy since you’re already doing it!
YouTube
(Credit: machinelearning.co)
In the bygone culture of clicks, YouTube tailored their algorithms to reflect the click popularity contest. However, when times changed in the last ten years, and engagement started reigning supreme, YouTube altered their algorithm to match suit.
As the second most commonly used search engine on the internet, YouTube was forced to keep up with the evolution of trends: users want the personal connection with the creator, facilitating the need for an engagement run platform. They define their algorithm as “a real-time feedback loop that tailors videos to each viewer’s different interests.”
This means that creators need to get creative to grow their brand. Evaluating what is trending as recommended videos that match your niche will help give you a clear idea of the path of your videos to maximize exposure.
Work to engage with your audience always – and in real time if possible. If your content is working and you are growing, keep up what you are doing. Don’t ruin a good recipe by changing things up for the sake of change.
What are some tips to maximize algorithms?
If you’re using social media algorithms correctly, the benefits that can be reaped are nearly limitless. There are some things that you can do to ensure that you are helping the little mind readers right along:
- Interaction and engagement reign supreme. Your followers are following you because you’ve shown them that you are part of their squad and they are part of yours. Make sure you are interacting with them in creative and engaging ways to encourage them to invite their followers in on the fun too!
- Create relevant and unique content. Relevance goes hand in hand with engagement. Your followers follow you because something you have speaks to them on a personal level. Make sure you aren’t throwing curveballs of random and irrelevant information.
- Be honest about what your followers can do to help your brand grow. It isn’t just about great product placement or even “asking for the sale” – it’s about asking that they like what you have created and share it with others who will enjoy the engagement. In social media, growth through word of mouth is the ONLY growth that can truly be obtained – and every algorithm knows this.
Solyndria Creative 