MSPC associate content director Emily Den Boer talks about how relying on an always-on organic social media strategy is crucial for brands, especially if there is a major algorithm shift.
The Organic Social Media Algorithm Shift *shudders*
Nearly two years ago, Facebook uttered the most dreaded two words any social media strategist can hear. Agencies were gripped with panic, clients were desperate for answers and strategists clung to a sliver of hope that it wouldn’t (it couldn’t!) be true. Oh, but it was true. It was so, so true: A major algorithm shift was upon us.
The January 11th, 2018 algorithm shift meant that Facebook was returning to its roots. Its “Surprise! You’ve got a friend request from a person you haven’t seen in 10 years!” roots, the kind that promoted community, grew personal networks and made class reunions obsolete. They’re the same roots that grew Facebook into the massive social media network it is today.
To be fair, Facebook had gotten away from its intended identity. Brands had taken over, NewsFeeds were filled with ads, cute animal videos (for the record: I am pro-cute animal content) and clickbait, and it became nearly impossible to cut through all of that noise to throw Aunt Jan a “like” for her heartfelt birthday wish.
The algorithm change also meant that branded content would have decreased organic visibility, and brands would have to think critically about how to adapt so they could reach—and, hopefully, expand upon—their social media engagement and traffic goals.
So, Ditch Your Organic Social Media Strategy … Right?
Not exactly. Having an always-on organic social media strategy is still crucial for brands. Every single time a brand posts on social media, it’s an extra opportunity to prove its expertise, to claim its identity and to connect with its consumer. As MSPC's wise Digital Strategy Manager Anthony Englund once told me, organic social media provides the brand with more chances at bat, which means more possibilities for home runs.