How the New Instagram and Facebook Algorithm Will Affect Businesses
Recently, a new algorithm has been created for multiple social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook. This algorithm will remove the number of likes from posts and only show the names of a few mutual friends who liked the photo. The reasoning behind this algorithm was to help prevent the comparisons that take place from looking at social media. Although this may be a good idea when it comes to mental health, how will it affect businesses and companies?
Many public relations professionals run the social media pages for their place of employment. In the past, being able to view the number of likes on a post has helped PR professionals figure out what content the public finds interesting, boring, etc. The ability to view the number of likes also helps professionals see what time of day the post will be most popular and viewers will be most active. Websites like Sprinklr depend on social media likes to generate data that will help businesses better their social media and customer service.
On the flipside, the public often associates the quality of a product with how popular it is. When someone sees a company that receives millions of likes on a post, it is easy to assume that the advertised product is the best there is to offer. However, this is not necessarily true. Smaller, less popular businesses may get a chance to offer quality products and not be compared to bigger, chain businesses and the advantage they have when it comes to social media.
These are a few of the basic pros and cons of the new algorithm. Businesses will need to create new ways to adjust to not being able to see likes on posts. Comments on posts will stay the same and can continue to be helpful in determining what the public thinks. Technology is constantly changing in today’s world and businesses that can keep up with these changes will be the ones to thrive in the future.
Jacquelyn Groux is a senior Journalism and Mass Communication major with a focus in public relations. She attends Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Her goal is to graduate in 2020 and get a job in travel public relations.
