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  For many ringing in the new year, the excitement to dispel the old year outweighed the enthusiasm for the new one. Our country experienced tremendous hardship economically, medically, and individually. But where there is suffering, there are survivors who see adversity as an opportunity to innovate. We’ve all become experts at social parkour, jumping from one challenge to the next in the swiftest way possible. In the old advertising landscape, corporations acted in unison, all offering the same press releases in response to social events. In 2020, social media changed all that. Corporate approaches to social commentary were widely-varied, ushering in a new era of unique brand personality. Brand voices are now as distinct as human voices; no two are the same. Social media is the first line of defense to a company’s brand character and the swiftest form of communication that a company has with its audience. Being able to balance expediency with substance is the mark of a great social media guru. Here are three things social media managers learned in 2020. 

1. Trade in customer experience for quick acquisition.

    Traditional methods for building customer loyalty through exceptional customer experience are not possible in the new distanced merchant environment. You can’t try on your clothes, you can’t have a food sample, and you can’t even get into a conversation with an employee at close range. These used to drive our purchases and create a sense of fondness (and eventually loyalty) to our favorite brands. While we can’t replicate these organic experiences digitally, we can shift focus. Acquiring new customers and holding their attention spans will be critical for increasing your return on investment.

    In social media, “less is more” thinking will defeat you. Multichannel campaigns have higher returns than single media ones. This is also true for features. Use every feature available to you. This will improve your relationship with algorithms and help to replace the in-store experience. For example, use live streams to show off products. Scrolling through product search results isn’t a good substitute for fun window-shopping with friends. Inspire users to buy things by showcasing them with a charismatic showman. 

2. Slow and steady wins the race.

    Addressing a global pandemic and a rocky political climate while still prioritizing sales was a huge challenge for brands last year. Brands that chose to center themselves in important conversations were the ones that missed the mark. People were seeking to connect with each other rather than companies during times of crisis, and brands who ignored this came across as insensitive and selfish. Brands that stepped back from advertising to listen intently to their audience were the ones that we’re able to connect in a meaningful way once they returned. The lesson to be learned is that saying the right thing should be prioritized rather than saying something first. Even if self-promotion seems critical to your business, there are times when it could backfire. Don’t be afraid to hold back until the correct narrative is clear. Customers admire restraint and integrity. 

    When Nathan Apodaca went viral for his skateboarding TikTok video set to the calming ambiance of Fleetwood Mac and while enjoying swigs of Ocean Spray cranberry juice, Ocean Spray took over a week to address the viral moment. After taking the time to conduct “social media listening,” they used the moment to give back to Apodaca rather than soak in the free publicity. Ocean Spray sent him a new truck and a supply of cranberry juice, much to the delight of TikTok users (a notoriously hard audience for corporations to win over). They even got their CEO to recreate the viral video, adding a moment of lightness to an otherwise heavy atmosphere. 

3. Stop underestimating baby boomers once and for all.

Brands initially considered social media the direct link to Millenials and Gen Z, leaving a generation of users (and potential customers) in the dark. According to Hootsuite’s Digital 2020 data report, 70% of internet users between 55 and 64 have bought something online in the past month. So why do marketers keep ignoring them? Ageism is a real issue manifested on social media through a constant lack of representation of older people in images. In 2021, neglecting to appeal to this older audience could mean being surpassed by brands not tied down by stereotypes. 

Merely including this demographic isn’t enough. Monolithic views of an entire generation are not rooted in reality. Not every boomer is a potential customer of your brand. Thoughtful segmentation of this demographic will lead to increased brand favorability. Instead of targeting audiences by age, try clustering them by shared passions. Facebook is the biggest platform for boomers, but Pinterest is the second-largest and offers a more valuable insight into all users’ interests. Assuming that boomers are elderly people incapable of exploring new things is a dated stereotype that is hurtful to a group that is perhaps suffering the most in this current situation. Compassionate creative can help us show a new world that is kinder to those over 50.

We do our homework. 

At The Ad Leaf, our social team is paying attention to the trends shaping the new-age media space. We scan the internet and analyze data so that we can pass those insights on to our clients and generate success both in terms of brand favorability and return on investment. 

This month Instagram rolled out a new layout to their app that replaced the notification button with a shopping tab, introduced Tik-Tok-inspired reels, and other minor changes. These changes were not a pleasant surprise to all users. Instagrammers fled to Twitter to voice their complaints.

Instagram’s famous switch from chronological content to algorithmic was one of the most detested updates in social media. Over time, many influencers have been able to master the algorithm and make sure their audiences see their content. Since Facebook’s purchase of Instagram, we have seen a movement towards shoppable posts and more monetization of the platform in general. While some users are skeptical, it introduces a new opportunity for small business sales. Instagram’s intentions for small businesses aren’t always fair and rosy, but understanding their system can allow you to beat it. 

Understand the Algorithm

The supposed reason for intelligent algorithms is to help you wade through the clutter that is your newsfeed. It works to learn your scrolling behavior and push posts from your top creators as a priority and minimize posts from accounts you value less. For example, if you like Gucci and want to follow them, but prioritize seeing your best friend’s content more, Instagram will always show you your friend’s content first and more often. This feature can be frustrating for content creators because if they miss the algorithm, they could see significantly less engagement with their posts. 

The algorithm has solved some woes that chronologic feeds had. For instance, the time of day you posted mattered much more pre-algorithm. This caused social media “rush-hours”, certain times of day that were known to garner the most engagement. Now with the algorithm, you could post in the middle of the night and the content will still eventually reach the correct audience over the next 24 hours. After that initial 24 hours, it’s not likely to get more engagement than it has gotten in the initial day. 

Every time you post, Instagram treats it as an experiment. It shows it to the first initial 10% of people your post and based on their reaction to it (what percentage of them liked and commented and shared the post) Instagram will determine the value to other users. If the post performed badly with the first 10%, Instagram will not push your post as much to the top of user’s feeds. Don’t forget, “engagement” has changed in meaning over the years. It’s widely theorized that “saves” are most valuable, “shares” are second-most valuable and comments are third. Likes have diminished in importance. Invisible keystroke measurements are also being measured by Facebook, much to the chagrin of digital privacy enthusiasts. Examples of this are how long you spend looking at a post, how long you look at a profile, and what you type into the search bar and delete without pressing “enter”. 

Human Intelligence Can Still Compete with Artificial Intelligence… For Now.

Now that you understand the algorithm, how can you beat it? 

• Create posts that are worth bookmarking

Because “saves” are so valuable now, you have to think about what kinds of posts are worth saving. Think about why YOU save a post. Usually, because it inspires you, you want to remember something you read on it, or it has valuable information that is worth referencing. Infographics, educational/informational long-form captions, and insider-advice are great examples of “save-worthy” posts. 

• Utilize ALL the features

Instagram is a bit of a cyber-bully these days. It has added new features like stories, reels, IGTV, and IG Lives, and it will punish you for not using them. The algorithm can almost be thought of as a reward system. If you use their app in the way they’ve intended (obsessively) then it will reward you. You should be utilizing all of the features they have. 

• Use tools in your story

There are many interactive tools you can use on Instagram stories. There are polls, questions, DM buttons, time/location tags, music suggestions, and more. 

• Ask questions in your captions. 

Asking genuine questions starts a conversation and Instagram likes that. You might ask users what their favorite skincare product is or ask them to tag a friend who loves boba tea. 

• Respond to every story reply with at least an emoji.

This establishes true engagement rather than your followers talking to a wall. Instagram knows if it’s a one-way street, it isn’t a real conversation. 

• HashTAG, YOU’RE IT.

Hashtags. Use them. Abuse them. They are critical in getting your post on the explore feed of your next follower. They give your posts visibility outside of your ole’ reliable follower base. 

• Post Videos

Like utilizing all features, you should also utilize all types of media. Use videos, GIFs, boomerangs, carousels, and whatever else you can think of. Having a variety of media is also a great way to make sure your audience doesn’t get bored. 

Use it or Lose it

Once you understand the algorithm’s goals, you can see how to align them with your own goals. Make the algorithm work for you rather than against you.  Instagram’s algorithm may be controversial, but it’s not likely to change. Whatever you do, just don’t stop trying. In the world of social media, consistency is key. Your scrolling thumbs are a muscle and with any muscle, you use it, or you lose it (your following).