In a nutshell: Just when you thought you figured out the algorithm on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, they turn around and make another update. And if you don’t keep up, your posts have less chance to be seen—and engaged with. Here, we share some of the latest changes and how you can use them to your benefit.
No matter what platform you’re logging into, it isn’t the same today as it was last week. We’re not just talking about the changes in the content you see in your feed. It’s the platforms themselves that are constantly evolving in both the best-practices being used to increase reach and engagement, and the algorithms themselves.
The bad news? Something that was working for you a few months ago may not be as effective today. But there’s good news, too. These changes aren’t a secret, and often, they aren’t difficult to implement.
Why do social media platforms make so many updates?
If you’ve ever researched a new company or hobby on a social media site, you know that as your habits change, the platform changes with you. It can start in small ways, like shifting around what you see in your feed or showing you more posts that are one content style over another. When enough people’s habits shift in the same direction, the algorithms will be adjusted to accommodate.
As a business, updates to social media platforms may be a disruption, but they’re also an opportunity. When you know how a platform is changing, you can shift your strategy with it and gain an edge in the eyes of the algorithm.
Here are some recent updates and tips that will help you do just that.
Suggested posts are coming to your LinkedIn feed. These are the posts that LinkedIn’s algorithm selects for you and shows in your feed. They are from people and businesses you don’t follow, but may be interested in.
This means that your posts have the potential to get increased reach … as long as you’re getting good engagement.
What you should do: Look at your posts’ performance over the past one to two months and use those insights to identify tactics that help you get better engagement. Focus on those tactics in your upcoming posts.
Remember, social media sites want to keep followers on their platform. When posts encourage engagement, they not only keep people on the platform, but also can generate a community around a brand or idea. This keeps people coming back for more.
Platforms love this. So, when your posts generate engagement, they get shown to more people who can then join the conversation and your community. If you’re not seeing engagement yet, ask for it. This can be as simple as asking a question in your caption and asking followers to answer in the comments.
The platform has put a renewed focus on pictures. In 2022, reels became a dominant content style on what had been a photo-first app. When Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, announced that the platform was shifting its focus to video, users pushed back. This year, he admitted that too much focus had been put on videos and the platform was shifting some of its focus back to photos.
What you should do: Include a range of videos, still images, and carousels in your calendar. Different posts tend to rank higher for different metrics, so a healthy strategy includes some of each. If there is a specific KPI that you’re focusing on, you can lean into one content style, but don’t eliminate the others when you do.
Notoriously strict character counts on Twitter are increasing … for a price.
A lot has been changing on the platform since Elon Musk took it over, including the introduction of Twitter Blue. This paid verification has a lot of perks—including an increased character count for each Tweet and the ability to edit a tweet after it’s posted.
The blue checkmark will be gold for businesses and has additional perks, like allowing employees to be officially affiliated with a business, with the business’s icon showing up in their bio.
What you should do: In the short-term,consider signing your company and your thought leaders up for Twitter Blue. This will give you access to the new perks and allow your thought leaders to align themselves more closely with your business. It can even help you increase the reach of each tweet.
As more people sign up for Twitter Blue, the way the platform is used will likely shift. These long-term changes will affect you even if you haven’t signed up for the new service. Make sure to keep an eye on shifts in trends so you stay up to date on the best ways to use the platform.
Stay adaptable
Platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter will keep evolving with new ways to post, reach, and engage your customer. The best thing you can do for your company’s page is stay on top of social media updates—or work with an agency who does. This way, you’ll know that you’re always playing by each platform’s ever-changing rules.
