Mastering

the Algorithm

Tips to Optimize Your Social Media Content and Boost Engagement

Mastering the Algorithm: Tips to Optimize Your Social Media Content and Boost Engagement

In today’s digital era, social media has become a powerful platform for individuals and businesses alike to connect, share, and engage with their target audience. However, with the ever-evolving algorithms that determine what content users see, it’s crucial to understand how to optimize your content and capture the attention of your desired audience.  It’s not about just throwing out content for the sake of it but helping your audience understand how you can help them and care about what they are struggling with.

Standing out amidst the sea of information can be challenging. To ensure your content receives the attention it deserves, understanding social media algorithms and employing effective strategies is key.  Posting engaging content is crucial to building your community but do not underestimate the power of the algorithm and feeding it what it wants.  In this blog post, we’ll explore valuable tips to help you optimize your social media content and increase engagement.

Here are 8 Tips to Mastering the Algorithm

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1. Know Your Platform’s Algorithm

Each social media platform employs its own algorithm to determine what content gets displayed to users. Stay informed about the latest updates and changes to algorithms, as they can significantly impact your content’s reach and visibility. Currently, some important platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

For example, Facebook reels are getting much more reach than IG reels at the moment.  To get more exposure and reach past your current audience, you may want to utilize reels with trending music that the algorithm feeds off of. 

Another tip to keep in mind, is that the algorithms do not like when you post a link that diverts your audience to another platform.  Putting a link on LinkedIn that brings the audience to Facebook will most likely get less exposure than just posting an image or video.

2. Quality Over Quantity

The algorithm favors high-quality content that resonates with your audience. Focus on creating posts that are visually appealing, informative, entertaining, and/or inspiring. Invest time in crafting engaging captions, using captivating visuals, and utilizing video or interactive elements to make your content stand out.

This doesn’t mean you should only create 13 second reels.  If you have a 1-hour video but it continues to be viewed all the way through, then your content will be fire and the algorithm will reward you. 

3. Delete Post & Repost

Do you find that sometimes your post is not performing as well as you like. You thought that the next post was going to be a banger and it fell flat? Don’t be afraid to delete your current post and repost it again in an hour. Maybe change up heading, tagging location or sticker but you can try this multiple times before you feel it’s right. The algorithm doesn’t know you are posting the same content.

4. Consistency and Frequency

Maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep your audience engaged. This doesn’t mean you have to be Gary V and post 10 times a day (although wouldn’t hurt) but if you don’t have enough time, at least consider posting every other day and maybe multiple times.  This is where a content strategy and calendar will be helpful.

Understand the peak times when your target audience is most active and aim to post during those periods. Facebook and IG have options to schedule your post at the most optimal times so be sure to utilize that.  Remember, consistency is key, so focus on maintaining a schedule that you can realistically maintain, rather than overwhelming yourself with frequent posting.

Various stuffed teddy pairs with different colors.

5. Encourage Engagement

The average Facebook user has 330 followers.  If 3 followers share a post, that is a potential of 1000 pairs of eyeballs viewing your post organically.  Social media algorithms prioritize posts with higher engagement rates.  Likes and comments are cool but if you can get more people to share your posts, it tells the algorithm that your posts have value and other want to see it.

Actively encourage your audience to engage with your content by asking questions, seeking opinions, or requesting users to tag their friends.  For example, create a “caption contest” where you ask your users to create a caption and the best one get a $25 gift.   Additionally, respond promptly to comments, messages, and mentions, fostering a sense of community and building relationships with your audience.

Keep in mind, it’s called “social” media for a reason.  Be personable, relatable and encourage your audience to take action.

6. Leverage Influencer Collaborations

Collaborating with influencers or relevant industry experts can significantly boost your content’s visibility and engagement. Identify influencers whose values align with your brand and audience and consider partnerships or guest appearances. Influencers bring their established following, credibility, and engagement, which can help expand your reach and gain more traction.

When you are first starting out, don’t focus on approaching the biggest influencers but micro influencers that are looking to build their following too.  Micro influencers are more approachable, and they will most likely respond to your request rather than Gary V.  Although Gary V is amazing and may respond to your request with some feedback and advice.

7. Utilize Live Videos and Stories

Live video has become very important to trigger the algorithm in your favor.  Although going live is a little intimidating, the more you do it the better you become.  Do not get hung up on perfection and focus on being relatable.  People love to see the humanity in others.

These formats provide a real-time and authentic connection with your audience. Use them to share behind-the-scenes content, host Q&A sessions, conduct product demonstrations, or stream events. Live videos and stories generate a sense of urgency, encouraging users to engage and tune in regularly.

8. Analyze and Adapt

Regularly monitor your social media analytics to gain insights into the performance of your content. Identify patterns, determine what type of posts generate the most engagement, and adjust your strategy accordingly. Experiment with different formats, topics, and styles to find what resonates best with your audience.

A great diagnostic to look at is how well your posts are performing with your follower’s vs your non followers.  When you seen that your reach has gone outside your followers in a significant way, you will start to see the power of utilizing these strategies to work in your favor.

Conclusion

Optimizing your social media content is crucial for boosting engagement and expanding your reach. By understanding the algorithms, creating high-quality content, leveraging keywords and hashtags (the jury is not out on this yet), encouraging engagement, collaborating with influencers, and adapting your strategy based on analytics, you can enhance your social media presence and connect with your audience effectively. Remember, mastering the algorithm is an ongoing process, so stay informed, experiment, and continuously refine your approach to achieve long-term success. 

Focus on quality over quantity and don’t get hung up on posting every day just for the sake of it.  If your posts get more views because it speaks directly to your audience, that’s worth its weight in gold compared to just throwing content spaghetti at the wall.

** https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/campaigns.html

Anderson Seal is an award-winning filmmaker & owner of Seal Media since 2007. A graduate of Cal State University Long Beach, community advocate, father, & husband. 

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