Let’s be blunt, algorithm changes are a pain. While staying on top of the different platform updates is important, you don’t have to change your social media strategy each time a new update rolls out. However, staying up to date can help you make more informed choices on what you DO need to change within your social media strategy to get your desired results.
As the end of the first quarter of the year wraps up, let’s dig into the social media algorithm changes on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest and Linkedin that may impact your brand’s social media strategy the most.
The Instagram updates you should know about
If you use Instagram as a part of your social media – and overall marketing strategy– you need to be aware of the plethora of updates that the platform is rolling out, if you haven’t started to encounter them already.
A new way to view: In March 2022, Instagram rolled out a new way to view content. Users will be able to toggle between these three views:- Home: Content that the algorithm thinks you are most interested in and recommendations for accounts you don’t currently follow but might want to.
- Favorites: Posts from a list of accounts the algorithm thinks the user wouldn’t want to miss seeing content from.
- Following: A chronological feed of content from accounts the user follows without any added recommendations for other accounts to follow.
- All video content is now in one place: Instagram is no longer going to separate video content between IGTV, Reels, and Videos. Now, all video content will be stored in one spot on the platform. The good news from this is that you no longer have to worry about optimizing one type of video content over another
The most important changes to make to your Instagram strategy
As Instagram continues to change, it may seem like its algorithm is all over the place. This is because the platform is always trying to change to adapt to user preferences, new trends and the competition provided by TikTok. While this platform continues to change, you can continue to adapt your strategy with some of these updates:
- Make sure your content offers something. “Because users have more control over the accounts they see in their feeds, it’s crucial that your posts deliver value, entertainment, and education,” according to Social Media Examiner. Generic tips or videos of someone pointing at bubbles won’t do it anymore. Be your creative self and create the content that is true to you and encourages engagement!
- Offer interactiveness. Creating polls, prompting conversations, encouraging feedback, and more are ways to get people to actively engage with your content. And the more engagement you get, the more likely your content is to be seen by a growing number of users.
- Look at Reels and Stories as your main draw: Remember that Reels and Stories have long been a better place to pull in followers so consider refocusing on these areas instead. Reels are a great format to help you broaden your reach while Stories give an opportunity for more personal, one-on-one engagement. Investing in both of these can help you grow your following in an effective and long-lasting way.
- Make your hashtags strong: The hashtags you choose are going to play an even bigger role than before. Check out our previous blog on Hashtag Strategy Tips for each social media platform to help you choose the right hashtags and strategically group them for an increased chance of better engagement.
Important changes on TikTok to know about
TikTok is more than just people dancing–although there is still plenty of that. In its early stages, one of the platforms’ largest competitive advantages was its large library of licensed commercial music. The easy-to-access commercial music provided countless creative avenues for influencers and brands that were previously unavailable on all other social media platforms. Now in 2022, using that same commercial music is going to be a good deal tougher.
- New rules for small business: Tiktok changed their rules for the use of licensed music commercially which impacts brands on the platform. This change likely came about due to feedback from musicians, such as their music being used in brand videos that they did not like or did not align with.
- You can still use royalty-free options: Now, verified brands can’t use popular tracks and are instead referred to a royalty-free ‘Commercial Music Library,’ according to Washington Post video producer David Jorgenson: “This new library enables verified businesses or organizations on TikTok to access a pool of royalty-free music for promotional content, and provides the tools and resources to help them further embrace the creativity and authenticity of the TikTok community.”
- The addition of Stories: That’s right, TikTok is now working on rolling out its own Stories feature now too where you can also add music, captions and text.
- Expansion of Effect House AR beta access: The platform is also expanding its rollout of its Effects House which will enable the creation of AR effects, including “intuitive design and development technologies that would empower [creators] to build immersive and dynamic effects for TikTok’s global community.”
Smart updates to make to your TikTok strategy
TikTok has grown rapidly and has single handedly changed how people create video content. The adjustment for music offerings for verified brands and other changes on TikTok are worthwhile to take note of so you can adapt your strategy and continue scaling on the platform.
- Choose commercial music wisely: When it comes to selecting commercial music, choose what fits your video best rather than relying on the popularity of certain songs. You will still have access to trending sounds and trending audio which will dictate the direction of the video and can be supplemented with longer music clips to make the video that much stronger.
- Don’t rely on reposting to other platforms: Plan for the fact that some music may not transfer when you repost your TikToks on other platforms. Some creators have found that they can record the sound from their original TikTok and re-add it into the content when they repost it to other platforms
- Use TikTok to guide viewers to other platforms: If you would rather create TikTok exclusive content that isn’t reposted elsewhere, use it to direct your audience to other accounts and, ultimately, your website.
2022 LinkedIn changes to take note of
If you aren’t on LinkedIn yet, now may be the time to make an account. Linkedin is rapidly becoming a platform that lends itself well to building a brand because it gives you an opportunity to become a thought leader.
- Creator Mode puts your content in the spotlight: The platform’s Creator Mode allows you to display the content and key topics you post about more prominently on your profile, rather than highlighting your work history.
- Easily publish articles: LinkedIn offers you the ability to publish articles on the platform itself. This is great for anyone who is more comfortable with text-based content over video-based content.
- You can create Newsletters: For those LinkedIn users who publish multiple articles, you can also create Newsletters, which involves articles that you publish regularly. Other users can subscribe to your newsletter which will allow them to receive notifications and alerts when your newsletter is published.
The best adaptations to make to your Linkedin strategy
If you are looking to scale your brand’s audience and grow on additional platforms, here are some pointers that may help you create a viable strategy to do so on Linkedin:
- Create a regular posting schedule. If you plan to try to garner a following on Linkedin, try to post regularly – even if it’s once or twice per week – as this will help you grow your audience over time.
- Choose quality visuals. You aren’t creating videos but you do still want to make sure that your content is paired with a good photo to capture attention. Also make sure to consider the layout of your feed posts – feed posts that utilize text-based list formats are effective at grabbing attention due to their easier to read set-up.
- Back up what you say. When your content is backed up with statistics and checkable links, you will be seen as more reliable and will help you better fulfill that “thought leader” role.
Important changes on Pinterest to know about
When it comes to working on Pinterest, it is important to make sure that you first understand that this is a search engine more than a social media platform. When you understand this, it makes it far easier to understand the changes Pinterest has rolled out in recent years and use them to your advantage.
- Creating Idea pins: You can now create Idea pins which can include “up to 20 slides that can be a mix of video, static images, text, and photos,” according to Brand Designer and Pinterest Marketer Christina Willis. “Many creators have said they have seen a dramatic boost in their engagement, comments, and likes of their Idea Pins.”
- The Shop feature: The Shop feature is great for any e-commerce business to use to help promote their products and make shopping easier for customers. You can find added details on this in our article on “Using Pinterest to Grow Your E-Commerce Business.”
- An emphasis on “fresh” pins: The more fresh content you post, the more likely your content is to be distributed. “Pinterest defines a fresh Pin as a new image or video that has not been uploaded and seen by Pinterest’s AI (artificial intelligence).”
Tips for a strong Pinterest strategy
As Pinterest changes to meet the growing emphasis on e-commerce and fresh content is is a good idea to keep your strategy for this platform updated to use it to your advantage.
- Use video content: Repurpose your Reels and TikToks on Pinterest to increase engagement and increase site traffic (SEO). You can post videos to more than one board as long as you don’t do it too often.
- Repin in moderation: “According to Pinterest’s latest algorithm change, re-pinning is best done in moderation. Tailwind recommends that you re-pin something to a maximum of 10 boards [that] closely match the pin’s topic.”
- Be smart about captions and hashtags: The more accurate the captions and hashtags for your pins are, the better the benefit will be. You will want to use your brand name in your pin title and then include multiple keywords to describe when is shown in the pin. While a pin description should be more than just keywords and hashtags, you want to make sure to include as many on-target keywords as you can.
You aren’t alone when it comes to trying to keep your social media strategy current. That’s why we are here to help.
To get expert guidance on adjusting your social media strategy and planning content in a way that will make a noticeable difference, contact RM Creatives Services by emailing info@rachaelmattice.com or visiting our Contact Us page.
Written by Brianna Fries, a California-based writer, editor, bookworm, and mother of two. You can discover more of her work at briwritesthings.com.