Decoding the Algorithm: How to Create Engaging Content for Social Media

Using social media is imperative for brands seeking to expand their reach - plain and simple. You see, it's all about creating engaging content that not only captures attention but also encourages interaction & shares. However, the question then becomes:  

"How do we create content that truly resonates with our audience?"

We all know the power of social media and how it can make your business thrive. Now, our team is here to help you create engaging content for your channels.  

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Understanding the Social Media Algorithm

Understanding the social media algorithm can seem like decoding a complex piece of software, but let's break it down. In essence, a social media algorithm is a set of rules that determine what content shows up in a user's feed. Priority is given to the content that the algorithm determines will be most engaging or relevant to the user.  

What does this mean for you, as someone eager to create engaging content for social media? It suggests that understanding these algorithms and how they work can unlock the potential for your content to stand out in the crowd.  

Remember: each social media platform uses its unique algorithm. What works on Facebook may not work on Instagram or Twitter or TikTok. Always stay updated on each platform's specifics to tailor your content strategy accordingly.

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Creating Engaging Content

Imagine, you're scrolling through your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feed. What usually makes you stop and pay attention? It's the content that truly resonates with you, isn't it?

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Engaging content is powerful, and that's not an overstatement. As a local, growing brand you likely have a lot in common with your target audience. What tends to stop your scroll is typically the kind of content you should be striving to create if you want to succeed on social media.  

Engaging content piques the interest of your audience and causes them to react. From the algorithmic viewpoint, each reaction - a like, comment, share, or even a save, is seen as a positive signal. It shows that your content has value, and it is humankind's nature to value things with value, and social media algorithms aren't far behind.  

Moreover, by the content being 'engaging', it doesn't necessarily have to be visual or interactive. What truly matters is that it connects on a deeper level with your audience's needs, wants, and interests. Understanding this is crucial because that’s what drives the organic reach and visibility of your content.  

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Characteristics of engaging content (that’s full of Charisma):  

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1. It's relatable: Engaging content is often content your audience can relate to. It reflects their lives, the challenges they face, or the dreams and desires they have.
   

2. It's valuable: For your audience to care about your content, it needs to offer them something. It could teach them something new, inspire them, make them laugh, or just entertain them for a while.
   

3. It's authentic: Social media users value authenticity. They seek genuine interactions and meaningful connections. Your content should reflect who you are or what your brand represents. Never try to be something you're not.

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Creating engaging content is about understanding your audience and serving them content that aligns with their needs and values.

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The Importance of Engagement

The most critical aspect of social media algorithms is engagement. When your content receives a lot of likes, comments, shares, and even clicks, it signals to the algorithm that your material is engaging and valuable to the audience. Therefore, the algorithm will prioritize showing it to more users.  

As numbers-nerds, we know that the algorithms currently relate to:  

• Time and Timing: Longer view times often equate to higher engagement in the eyes of the algorithm. The timing of your posts also matters. If you know when your target audience is active, scheduling your posts for those times can increase engagement.  
  
• Relevancy Scores: These are scores assigned by the algorithm based on how relevant your content is to a specific user.
  
• Personal Interests: If a user shows a strong interest in a particular topic, they're more likely to see content related to that topic. (Ex. You adopted a puppy, and now all you see are other cute puppies.)

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Creating Content that Resonates with Your Target Market

We know you’re busy growing your business and serving clients. That’s why it’s KEY to make sure that you make the most of the time when you do create new content. You've got to be sharp, strategic, and sensitive to the needs and preferences of YOUR audience. Above all, your content must serve a purpose and provide value.  

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To achieve that, we suggest:  

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Know Your Audience

Spend time researching, conducting polls and surveys, or even having direct conversations with your audience. This will give you invaluable insights to guide your content creation process.  

Create Valuable and Relevant Content

You need to think about what value your content is bringing to your audience. Are you solving a problem? Providing entertainment? Educating them on a particular topic? We believe content should always be useful.

Engage with Your Audience

Creating engaging content also means actually engaging with your audience. Respond to comments, acknowledge shares and retweets and participate in conversations. This can not only lead to higher engagement levels for your posts but can also make your audience feel valued and heard.

Utilize Visual Content

Visual content is a powerful tool in the world of social media. Images, infographics, videos, and even emojis can make your content more appealing and shareable.

Consistency is Key

Create a content calendar and stick to it. This will help ensure that your content remains fresh, relevant, and consistent while giving your audience something to look forward to.  

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Increasing Engagement for your Brand

Grasping social media algorithms is key to your content's exposure and reach - even if partnering with consultants like us. Remember: high engagement, strategic timing, relevancy, consistency, and understanding of platform-specific guidelines can vastly increase your content's visibility.  

Our marketing experts here at Charisma are passionate about empowering companies in growth mode to authentically connect with customers through engaging social media content. Let’s grow and schedule a marketing consultation today!

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