The Algorithm Is Not The Reason Your Results Suck.

The biggest reason most marketers fail is that they are too focused on the algorithm.

They are quick to blame the algorithm when their content isn’t working. They look for ‘engagement hacks’. Or think we should all be using a specific type of content that the algorithm favours.

And when the content isn’t working, they look to others to validate that it’s not just them:

Is anyone else seeing a decline in reach?

I think I’m shadowbanned

Facebook is a pay to play platform now

Sound familiar?

Truth is, it’s not the algorithm, it’s the content!

For proof that the algorithm is not punishing you, let’s take a look at how it works.

First, it shows your content to a small section of your audience. The purpose of that is to validate if it’s valuable enough to keep people on the platform. If your audience proves that it is, by engaging with it, then it will ensure more people see it.

Social media platforms are businesses, and by keeping us on them, they can make money from ads.

However, if your audience doesn’t like your content enough to engage with it they are signalling to the algorithm it is not valuable. And therefore not likely to keep people on the platform. Your audience is telling the platform (and you) that the content sucks!

It’s your job to ensure that the first people to see your post, like it enough to take action.

When your content pleases people, it pleases the algorithm.

The best marketers barely consider the algorithm

Ask any successful marketer what their secret is and they’ll all say it’s down to their audience.

But it’s not enough to just understand who they are. Or what they like or dislike. It’s about having a deep understanding of how they use social media. What they’re thinking, feeling and doing. And how to get them to take action.

The best marketers will never blame the algorithm for a lack of results.

Instead, they’ll look at their analytics and question why someone might not have taken the desired action. Was the hook not strong enough? Did it not get shared because it would make people look bad?

And having learnt, they’ll adjust for next time.

Get your audience to show your content to more people.

The first step to success on social media is to focus on the reaction you want people to have when they see the content.

This is called a Reaction Goal. And every piece of content, on every platform, should be created with one in mind. If you want people to comment, give them a reason to. If you want people to save, make sure they have a reason to refer to it again. Whatever the Reaction Goal, make sure the content is created to achieve it.

Unfortunately, most people don’t create content with their Reaction Goal in mind.

And then they complain that they didn’t get the results they wanted.

Despite never having set a specific goal in the first place. And, of course, it’s easier to blame an algorithm than blame yourself. But when you create content designed to move the person on the other end of the phone to do one specific thing. They will.

Social media hacks are out. Success on social media comes from understanding the psychology of your perfect people.

Because the truth is if your content isn’t working, it’s not because the algorithm didn’t show it to enough people. It’s because the ones that saw it, thought it sucked!

Learn more about psychology in marketing in the social prf programme.