Have you ever wished you could just ask an expert, “How the heck do I do this…in simple terms?”

That’s exactly what I thought as I was planning out 2024 content for The Found Podcast: Why not give entrepreneurs and small business owners an opportunity to ask real questions in real time and get real answers that matter to them?

In this episode format called “Coaching Calls,” a small business owner/entrepreneur is given an opportunity to submit a question they would like me to answer about marketing, business growth, personal development, or anything that’s on their mind!

Today’s submission is from a fellow marketer in northeast Iowa, Alex Monaghan of MAK Marketing, who asked, “How do you keep up with the algorithm?”

This is a layered question, but it’s one I think we all need a reminder of as we promote our products and services, specifically on social media.

What is the algorithm and how does it work?

Social media algorithms are complex sets of rules and data-driven models used by platforms to determine which content appears in users’ feeds based on their interests, behavior, and engagement patterns. They aim to enhance user experience by showing the most relevant and engaging content, thus keeping users active on the platform.

When I’m working with clients, I like to engagement-based algorithms like those found on Facebook and Instagram to a point system:

• like: 1 point
• link click: 1 point
• photo click: 1 point
• love/reaction: 3 points
• comment: 5 points
• share: 15 points

The more higher-level engagements you get on a post, the more people the algorithm will show your post to. So you could have a post that gets 15 likes (the equivalent of 15 points) and it is shown to 100 people. Another post with 2 likes and one share will get shown to more people because that “share” is a higher-level engagement. So the algorithm will send that post to more people’s newsfeed and expand your reach even further.

We also explore the differences between these engagement-based algorithms, video-based algorithms, and keyword-driven algorithms, and tips you can apply today to help your content stand out.

Key Takeaways:

• “The Meta algorithms, so Facebook and Instagram, and those are really driven by engagement. And engagement on those platforms looks like a hierarchy of interactions.”
• “A video engagement is considered a three-second view.”
• “What might my ideal audience be looking for? What are the words they’re going to use? What are some of the phrases that they might search? And we want to make sure that we include those in our titles and in our captions to help those algorithms serve our content more.”
• “So I’ve learned over the years, there is…a very distinct difference between marketing for a product based business and marketing for a service based business.”
• “My perspective has always been to just give, and the right people will find me.”

A little more about Alex and MAK Marketing Co

MAK Marketing Co is a full-service marketing agency that helps rural, family-owned businesses bring their stories to life. MAK helps their clients anticipate market trends and consumer needs, ensuring that they are using marketing strategies that are relevant and effective in the long term.

From creating logos and branding, graphics, and print designs, to email marketing, social media marketing, and the strategy that unites it all, MAK helps their clients innovatively grow and connect agriculture businesses to their clients, one story at a time.

Connect with Alex and schedule a free consultation at https://www.makmarketingco.com/ or reach out to alex@makmarketingco.com.

Be a Guest on a Future Coaching Call

If you’d like to ask Molly your business or marketing question on a future episode of The Found Podcast, click the link below to enter your name and burning question: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchWWpkpdlzqnDJI0ocMcGgCXGkBk_8mIEFPKjLwkQ-W1oLYg/viewform