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Has social media strategy become more about algorithms than audiences lately?
Posted by on October 30, 2025 at 12:21 pmI’ve been noticing a shift lately in how brands (and even individuals) approach social media.
It feels like a lot of content is now being created for algorithms first, humans second constant focus on timing, keyword density, hashtags, and engagement hacks.
But when I look at the accounts that actually grow steadily long-term, it’s usually the ones that focus more on genuine audience understanding and storytelling, not gaming the system.For those of you working in social media how do you balance the two?
Do you prioritize optimizing for algorithms, or building authentic audience connection first?I’d love to hear how professionals here define the “sweet spot” between data-driven strategy and human-first content.
(Bonus: have you seen any recent changes in what the platforms reward — authenticity or structure?)
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1 Reply
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I think it’s more about balance now.
If you only chase algorithms, your content feels empty.
If you ignore them completely, no one sees your stuff.The trick is knowing your audience first what they actually like and then using the algorithm as a boost, not a boss.
Good content still wins. Algorithms just help it travel faster.
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Authenticity is the lie we told clients in 2017. It’s an attention economy now. If you don’t have the budget or creative breadth to flood the feed, or pay for boosted content, you’re whispering.
Being measured and calculated and trying to give quality is treating social like an email blast, assuming everyone cares about the craft of your post and not the first 3 seconds.
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Balancing algorithm optimization with authentic audience connection is key for long-term social media growth.
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