Test Shortcuts, Don't Trust Them

Test Shortcuts, Don't Trust Them

Everyone likes the idea of taking the quickest route to get from point A to point B. Whether you’re heading to the beach, making a favorite recipe, or realigning business tactics, shortcuts are welcome in all areas of life. They are not always guaranteed, however, as some so-called shortcuts can take you a long way around than the original path. For this reason, you should tread lightly with shortcuts in your business; test them, but don’t trust them

Hacking Algorithms: It’s Nothing New  

Algorithm hacks are tactics that attempt to take shortcuts to get around the built-in safeguards in a specific social media platform’s algorithm. These algorithms control what is shown in the platform’s feed and to whom. Over time, they have caused businesses to see their organic reach on social networks decline sharply. This is the underlying cause of why shortcuts have been developed and sometimes used successfully. The same thing that is happening to social media today, however, happened to SEO years ago.

Early search engines matched up keywords entered by users with words that appeared on pages on the web. Those who produced content with plenty of these keywords achieved success in ranking high in the search and acquiring free traffic. Unfortunately, as more site owners began to chase the search engines, the quality of content began to decline as they began to write for the search engines and not for the people. Google algorithm engineers eventually found ways to counter and penalize, making this shortcut unworthy of an attempt.

Social Media Shortcuts: Are They Worth It?

When social media became popular, marketers were attracted to the possibility of an unlimited audience they could saturate with their messages without taxing their budgets. This advertising began to frustrate users, and some opted out of social media because of it. Now, most of the social media platforms apply some form of algorithmic control to avoid marketing saturation and keep users happy.

Today, most companies don’t waste time trying to hack or circumvent search algorithms. Instead, they’ve begun to steer their marketing toward the practices that Google’s algorithm updates were suggesting in the first place. This includes writing high-quality content and providing a better user experience for their potential customers.

Before you consider an algorithm hack to increase your reach on a social network, ask yourself:

  • What is your end goal?
  • Who are you reaching?
  • Do these people have any interest in your business?
  • Do the people who like your page actually like your content?
  • What if something changes on the network and your hack stops working?

Useful Content: This Is How You Do It 

Stop wasting time and resources looking for the latest hack or trick to try to get one-up on the latest platform algorithm update. Instead, understand that they are simply pushing you toward something that will better your business in the long run. You can continue to use social networks regardless of algorithm changes by creating useful and engaging content, interacting with people in real-time, and giving people a sense of fulfillment.

This is what people are looking for anyway, so by doing these things, you’ll do better with social networks and likely accomplish your goal of gaining new customers and business. When attempting to build your social media for the long term, a company who has experience with marketing and online automation software can be your first line of defense in any scenario. With years of experience, http://ignitedlocal.com knows when a shortcut will work; and when it won’t. Don’t run the risk of taking the long way around; contact http://ignitedlocal.com today.