Social media is a huge industry that connects people to one another all over the globe. However, there is an unspoken aspect of social media that everyone interacts with. There are ads all over social media for various products, but the impressive aspect comes from the content of the ads. Due to the algorithm that social media uses they attempt to tailor ads that will fit the person. This seems like it would be an extremely amazing tool that will help people find the products and services they need. However, more often than not these ads can just be annoying and not even relevant.
In the article by Forge and Smith they point out that this algorithm takes into account every single thing you search. For example if I want to buy my sister a nice necklace for her birthday I might spend a couple hour searching. However, I just need the one necklace and then I can move on. The algorithm will send me ads for necklaces for way more then I need and now I’m stuck with these ads that don’t relate to me at all. Which make the whole process a waste of time for both parties. I don’t get relevant ads and the company has failed at attracting another customer.
You want people to come to your social media account and Forge and Smith says in order to keep people only post relevant stuff. That way the algorithm will show people your posts because they are relevant. However, I think the way this algorithm works is way to sensitive even for that. Trying to just limit yourself to posts about a certain topic feels as though your setting yourself behind. You want to be updating about relevant information sure, but you also want to seem like a human and upload something light hearted. Limiting yourself seems like a good way to convince the public that you are all work and nothing else. This algorithm is not perfect, but maybe a funny joke you post draws someone in to be a permanent follower. They come for the joke and stay for the actual content. People want to see personality and I think working your account around this algorithm would kill a personality and that is not what you want. You want people to come to you and the way you do that is you provide them with news and personality.
https://forgeandsmith.com/how-do-social-media-algorithms-affect-you/#The_algorithmic_timeline_in_real_life http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/09/24/how-social-media-is-reshaping-news/
Mike's Corner 