By Keith Kakadia
Establishing an active social media presence can be a great move for all types of business. Not only do social media platforms give you the perfect format for creating more awareness surrounding your products and services, but they can also be an excellent source of referral web traffic.
However, getting the most value out of social media requires maintaining an adaptive mindset. Tactics you may have used years ago to gain more followers and achieve more engagement are likely considerably less effective today. Social media platforms are dynamic, and algorithms are constantly reshaping how businesses should approach posting content and sharing new updates.
Still, by keeping your business flexible, you can create a focused and sustainable strategy that will lead to a stronger online presence.
The Good and the Bad of Social Media Algorithm Changes
All social media platforms use various algorithms to decide if and when certain types of content should be served to viewers. No different to how Google uses crawlers to index websites and rank them on search engine results pages (SERPs) based on their perceived relevancy, social media platforms apply the same methodologies.
Although this increased accuracy surrounding behavioral analysis is beneficial for platform users and minimizes the chances they’ll be inundated with information they’re not interested in, these algorithms can create certain challenges for brands.
From a business perspective, shifts in algorithms can have huge gains or losses in relative brand positioning. Algorithm changes that move in favor of a business could mean significantly more reach and visibility, which often results in more qualified leads and higher conversion percentages. On the other hand, if algorithm changes tip the other way, a business could quickly lose its footing on specific platforms and see declining revenue streams month to month.
How Platform UX Redesigns Impact User Behavior
Designing digital platforms with the user in mind is a key aspect for success for all types of businesses, including social media sites. User experience (UX) design updates usually mean navigation layout changes, newer content formats, and possibly the elimination of redundant platform features.
When websites make these changes, they’re often doing it for a specific reason – usually to bring more attention to other parts of the platform or creating a more efficient lead funnel. When social media platforms make these subtle or larger changes to their layout, it can directly impact user behaviors when engaging with brands. Understanding the impact that UX changes have on your own business is critical to make sure you optimize your marketing approach to compensate for the changes.
Strategic Steps You Can Take to Evolve With Social Media Changes
To help your business stay ahead of algorithm shifts on social media platforms, below are some strategic steps you can take:
1. Stay Up-to-Date on Potential Changes
Keeping your business informed about potential social media changes is critical. Social media algorithm changes can happen quickly and without much work. However, brands that stay informed are in a much better position to adapt their strategies proactively.
Following social media blogs and subscribing to platform newsletters are valuable resources for staying in the know. Also, it’s always good to take a look at what the leading social media agencies are rolling out for their campaigns. It provides a direct view into how industry leaders are adapting to these changes, offering inspiration for your own strategy.
2. Rely on Data Analysis
Data analysis is essential for better understanding your audience’s behavior and the relative performance of the content you produce. By tracking key metrics, you can gain valuable insights into what resonates with your target audience.
Most social media platforms have analytics tools that can offer a wealth of information. This includes allowing you to monitor engagement rates, your overall brand visibility, and other important metrics. For instance one of the most asked questions we get is knowing the best times to post on X/Twitter. Being able to have the right tools to understand the intricacies of each platform, your industry and the corresponding audience, can help you maximize engagement and reach the right audience at optimal times.
3. Prioritize Higher Quality Content
Creating high-quality and engaging content is more critical than ever. Considering the sheer volume of information available online, brands need to regularly produce content that stands out and provides value to their audience.
Customizing your content approach to the specific platform and its user base is a great way to do this. Take the time to understand the nuances of each platform. This will help you to create content that resonates with the target audience and stays in alignment with the platform’s best practices.
And increasingly in today’s social media environment, platforms like TikTok focus so much more on the quality and consistency of your content to grow your followers, that you cannot try to expedite and spend your way to a huge follower base. The content must be authentic, high quality and resonate.
4. Diversify Your Content Formats
Experimenting with different content formats is another great way to reach a wider audience and adapt to algorithm shifts. Incorporating video content, live streams, interactive polls, and other engaging formats can greatly improve the user experience and bring more attention to the brand.
Diversifying your content formats also provides better resilience against algorithm changes. If one format experiences a decline in reach, other formats can help maintain a strong presence and continue to drive engagement.
5. Future-Proof Your Social Media Strategy
Building a strong brand identity and establishing a thriving social community is essential for long-term success on social media. Authenticity is key here. Brands that connect with their audience on a genuine level naturally build more loyalty.
Flexibility is also crucial. Being willing to experiment with new approaches, adapt to platform updates, and embrace change is essential for staying visible regardless of how platforms shift their UX approach.
Keep Your Business’s Social Media Approach Adaptable
Social media platforms are always changing how they source and push content to their users. By understanding the dynamics of social media algorithms and UX changes, making use of data-driven insights, and prioritizing high-quality and diverse content, you’ll ensure your social media strategy remains effective, regardless of the platform’s evolution.
