Social media platforms have become a formidable heavyweight in the realms of digital marketing and providing brands the opportunity to reach and engage with their target audience more easily than ever before and without a huge amount of financial backing. Although investing in paid advertising campaigns certainly will enhance the discoverability of your brand and content, it is not an absolute requirement anymore, with many smaller brands using the free opportunities social media platforms afford. As long as the content they create is unique and engaging, it can drive organic traffic to the brand.
One aspect of the social media marketing that can be difficult to understand and overcome, are the algorithms they put in place. Algorithms that are developed to sort through the masses of content and posts published online and present them to the user (target audience) in a way they deem relevant, instead of in chronological order. For example, if a user interacts with certain brands and friends more regularly than others, the algorithms will present their content ahead of profiles that they rarely engage with. Whilst this is great for staying connected to the people and brands individuals most love, it becomes increasingly difficult for brands to reach new clients.
As these challenges become more apparent, companies look to computer science professionals to guide them through the algorithm process and take advantage of the programming in place. Most individuals with further education in this area will be able to give advice on how best to navigate the social media waters. To achieve this skill set, courses can be taken in a traditional university setting or completed remotely by doing an online computer science degree in Canada. Either way, their expertise will be able to point you in the right direction.
Interact with the Audience You are Trying to Connect With
It sounds obvious, but spending time interacting with your target audience can improve engagement and content reach massively on social media platforms. Instagram has clearly stated that its current algorithm functions by prioritizing posts and accounts you engage with the most. If you initiate a conversation with your target audience they are more likely to respond, this interaction will then boost your content in their feed and hopefully lead to a larger following and greater number of sales.
Keep Your Content Consistent
The algorithms need to understand what you’re all about to be able to prioritize your content in the best way possible, so hone in your message and conversations and stick with it consistently. If your company is based around beauty and cosmetics, focus captions and hashtags on this topic but try not to be too repetitive. Algorithms thrive off predictability but there is a fine line between strong brand identity and becoming and unimaginative – it’s crucial to find a balance.
Keep algorithms in mind when creating your social media content, if you play the game correctly you’ll be rewarded with an increased number of followers and greater engagement in your brand.
