How to beat social media algorithms and win your audience

A: “How did you get so many views and comments so fast?!”

B: “I deliberately mis-spelled something in the title.”

During a recent Nonprofit Leaders Network meeting, one of the topics raised was the issue of the algorithm, and how it seems to dominate what people see what content comes up. For many start-ups, dreamers, social entrepreneurs, and activists, this can either be a big boon if they believe they can game the algorithm, or a big dread because they don’t believe that they can win the game.

Well, here’s the simple truth: the algorithm is not almighty, and you can indeed win over an audience without relying on it.

Here are some things we at Angels for Angels believe are worth considering when trying to bring in an audience and subsequently, more dedicated followers:

Remember the 80/20 rule of quality over quantity!

Do you ever see people with abnormally high numbers of followers on social media? If you pay attention, do you see a lot of praise and wonder, “I wish we had this many followers and comments!” before realizing that some of those comments start to sound the same?

Well, news flash: a lot of those comments and likes may not be actual people, they’re bots and are paid for by people who want to look like they have more engagement and a large following in order to trick people like you and game the algorithm.

So ask yourself this: do you really want large numbers of fake followers and people just following the trend? If not, this eliminates 80% of the “audience” from the algorithm already, comprised of fakes and casual observers who come in and don’t stick around. The remaining 20% are your core audience whose attention you hold and they will follow you religiously–even fanatically.

One thing people who paid for advertising on social media to game algorithms in Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms discovered was that a lot of people saw their project, most wandered in, and very, very few stayed to learn more. They determined what was a best practice for them was not to cast the net wide to get the whole world to see them, but to target the right audience and use the appropriate messaging to catch their attention.

A common mistake people make is to try to emulate the tone and style of these generic and cookie cutter-like tactics, but without the budget to pay for bots, likes, and dedicated PR, which, on a shoestring budget and limited capacity for your core team and volunteers without experience or resources, won’t work.

Instead, you should…

Focus on your core mission, identity, and a strong message to win over that 20%!

As mentioned before, if everything sounds same-y, why copy others? You win people over by being distinct.

Nobody confuses Starbucks, McDonald’s, or Uber because they became so distinct that if someone wants to identify their organization as “the Uber of ___”, then people immediately think of the convenient app and side hustle, but if they call themselves the “McDonald’s of ____”, then people assume it’s the a fast food equivalent of whatever themed cuisine, be it Mexican or Chinese food with Taco Bell or Panda Express.

Angels for Angels doesn’t try to be the X of any Y–instead, Angels for Angels tries to be–wait for it–Angels for Angels. From social enterprise to fiscal sponsorship, we have our mission and identity, and for that reason, we went from a small, dedicated group of idealists to a constantly growing organization with more and more friends who know us from word of mouth and because reputation matters. But you can’t build a reputation without knowing yourself, knowing your mission statement, and knowing how to easily and accurately communicate that to everyone else.

Yet, even with all that, you also need one more essential tool:

Be diligent, perseverant, and patient

Everyone wants to go viral overnight, but you should remember that even if you do, you won’t likely retain the same attention or dedicated audience, and rarely is it always a happy accident, but carefully planned and plotted attempts to play with algorithms and audiences. This is something PR firms know how to skillfully master and draw attention and engagement with, and if you’re lacking the budget, expertise, and team to do so, you only have yourself to rely on, and this already gives you a more authentic feel because it’s you, another human being and team of real people instead of a carefully curated image and narrative.

Especially in the beginning, your mission statement and identity can still be in development as you explore and discover what works for you and your team: if the mission is strong, the team will adapt and help focus it, but if the team is stronger and changes enough, the mission may evolve beyond its original aims because the team can expand or narrow the focus better. For that reason, your identity and message will likely change over time, and people can track this and see that growth journey, as seen in your projects, reputation, and communication.

You’re not going to get perfect messaging, perfect numbers, or perfect algorithm hits immediately–you’re only going to put your best self forward by being your real self, and that is what people will follow, whether it is you as an individual, you as a team, or you as an organization and vision.

Conclusion

Algorithms aren’t everything, and trying to use it won’t bring you the people you want to see your work. Create unique and distinct content reflecting your work, your mission, and your organization, and people will find you.