You aren't being seen online

​Your posts are invisible because of an equation. Here’s how to get around it.

Have you ever wondered why it seems that many of your social media posts go unseen? Have you pondered how some posts can go “viral” so easily? And why don’t I see so many of my friends posts on my feed, while businesses crowd my page?
These thoughts are fairly common to social media users. We can feel helpless to a system that we are unaware of, and our updates may be invisible to many of our acquaintances. Do you know want your voice heard, your posts liked and your influenced amplified? Then keep on reading.
The mastermind invention that may be hindering your experience online boils down to a complex concept: algorithms.
When you hear the term “algorithm”, you may dream up scientists or mathematicians filling a chalkboard with an elaborate equation. However, algorithms are all around us and you may be more familiar with them than you think.
A simplified explanation of an algorithm is an equation put together that helps create a better experience for social media users. Although there are many uses for algorithms, we are going to focus on how they are utilized in social media platforms.
Because we live in an age in which 1.28 billion people are on Facebook, about 328 million users on Twitter and 700 million users on Instagram, we are in need of a sophisticated process to help manage all of our data. More importantly, we desire to have more content that caters to us specifically.
That’s what an algorithm does.
Algorithms are created by individuals who spend hours studying and researching user behaviors. In order to best service their members, various social media platforms discover what factors contribute to how much an individual values a post.
So what are some of these factors? What can you do today to take advantage of the algorithm, and ultimately improve your social media presence?
1.EngagementPut away the diamond rings and proposals. We aren’t talking about that kind of engagement.
Despite how many times an algorithm shifts, one instrumental factor they take into consideration is the engagement rate of a post. However much engagement a post receives (likes, comments, shares, reactions) is indicative to how much value this post receives.
This is important because the more an individual interacts with a post from a business or organization, the more likely that the next post will appear higher on their news feed. This is why you will notice how some friends appear higher on your news feed than others, because your past activity has shown that you interact more with this type of post.
What are creative ways you can incorporate your audience into your posts without blatantly asking them to “Like this post!”?
2. Time spent on postAnother key factor in determining which type of content is suited for an individual is the amount of time spent on a post.
The amount of time spent on a post is usually correlated with the amount of interest the user possesses in that type of content. This is why Facebook’s most recent algorithm rewards videos that are longer and captivate their audience throughout their whole video.
Create content that people are more likely to spend more time on. Infographics, blogs and videos are great tools to keep people invested for a longer duration.
3. RelevancyThis may seem self-explanatory, but it is important enough to highlight.
The type of content you are producing needs to be able to relate to your audience. Accordingly, being able to include “hot topics” into your message is essential to garnering attention. Providing helpful materials, intriguing messages and up-to-date information can help boost your presence online.
Algorithms are not set in stone. In fact, the very algorithms that you are trying to utilize right now are most likely being updated. If you don’t want to be invisible online, however, you have to pay close attention to these little details to be more