If you feel like you're not achieving the same level of organic reach or engagement you used to a few years back, it's because you're not!
Nowadays, it's almost impossible to execute your social media strategy without paid ads and promotions. The good news is that there are other ways to utilise social media platforms and grow your organic reach and engagement with proven methods.
Understanding Social Media Algorithms
Every social media network has its own algorithm. To get the most out of each network, you must understand how each algorithm works. Here's what matters most on each platform:
Facebook: Comments Are King
To encourage meaningful interaction between users, Facebook updated its algorithm to emphasise content from users' friends and family; this change has made it harder for businesses to get their posts seen.
What Facebook prioritises:
- Comments (top ranking factor)
- Shares and meaningful interactions
- Content that sparks conversation
- Posts from friends and family over business pages
When you plan your posts, prioritise content that will initiate conversation between your followers. Ask questions, create polls, and encourage discussions in the comments.
Twitter & Instagram: Engagement Is Everything
Twitter focuses on promoting content in real-time and, therefore, is less algorithmic. Having said that, the 'In case you missed it' section, displayed at the top of your feed, will always display recent tweets that received the most engagement.
For Twitter:
- Focus on high engagement (likes, retweets, replies)
- Post when your audience is most active
- Use trending hashtags strategically
- Engage with others to boost visibility
Like Facebook, Instagram is less concerned with the chronological feed and instead rewards posts with a high level of engagement.
For Instagram:
- Encourage saves, shares, and comments
- Use Reels and Stories for maximum reach
- Post consistently at optimal times
- Engage with your audience within the first hour
TikTok: Views & Velocity Matter
TikTok intersperses newly uploaded videos between popular ones, then tracks how many people watch – and for how long – 'like', comment, share and download it.
The TikTok formula:
- Aim for 1 'like' for every 10 views ratio
- Watch time is crucial (complete views = better reach)
- Velocity matters: 20% more likes in a single day = exponential growth
- Comments, shares, and downloads boost visibility
TikTok's algorithm is triggered by the velocity of the engagement it receives. Simply put, if a video suddenly receives a spike in engagement, it will be shown to more people.
The Bottom Line on Algorithms
Triggering engagement should be your number one priority. The more engagement your post provokes, the better chance it has of appearing in your followers' feeds and, therefore, the better your organic reach.
Quality Over Quantity
Producing fewer high-quality and relevant posts – that will piqué your followers' interest – is an excellent way to increase your organic reach. To do this, you must get to know your audience and understand what they like and will respond to.
How to prioritise quality:
- Study your page analytics to understand what resonates
- Focus on topics your audience cares about
- Create value-driven content (educational, entertaining, inspiring)
- Test different formats and measure performance
- Post less frequently but with higher impact
Quality content that drives significant engagement wins the favour of the algorithms across all social media platforms.
Leverage Video & Live Streaming
In recent years the rise of video as a powerful and effective tool can't be overlooked. Users LOVE video. They are the preferred way to consume content.
Video content viewership skyrocketed during the pandemic. With people looking for ways to connect and stay informed, videos and live streams were the perfect antidotes.
Why video works:
- Higher engagement rates than static posts
- Algorithms favour video content
- More authentic and personal connection
- Live videos create urgency and FOMO
Video tools to try:
- Facebook Live for real-time engagement
- Instagram Live and Reels for short-form content
- TikTok for creative, trend-driven videos
- LinkedIn video for B2B audiences
Live streaming is a great way to spark engagement as – by nature – they create a sense of urgency. Don't worry about perfection; authenticity wins on live video.
Use Messenger Bots & Automation
ChatBots are transforming the way businesses communicate with their clients. ChatBots are great for retaining customers, sharing knowledge, and are effective lead nurturers.
Benefits of messenger bots:
- 24/7 customer support and instant responses
- Personalised recommendations based on user behaviour
- Lead qualification and nurturing
- Increased engagement and customer satisfaction
- Cost-effective alternative to human support teams
With advances in A.I. happening constantly, Chatbots are becoming more efficient and human-like daily. Customers prefer – and trust – shopping online with businesses that offer bot support and find messaging with businesses is a convenient way to stay connected with their preferred brands.
Because of this, more and more companies are switching to messaging platforms to boost customer engagement and strengthen loyalty.
Optimise Your Social Media Profiles
If you seek to be a social media headliner, you must include a few simple things in your profile set-up.
Essential profile elements:
- A social media username that is easy to remember and consistent across platforms
- A recognisable photo or your brand logo (high-quality and on-brand)
- A keyword-rich – but naturally worded – description of your page
- Backlinks to your company website and other social profiles
- Contact information (email, phone, location if relevant)
- Call-to-action button (Shop Now, Contact Us, Book Now, etc.)
When posting content, focus on:
- High-quality images that stop the scroll
- Keywords in your captions and hashtags
- Alt text for accessibility and SEO
- Consistent branding across all posts
This rule applies across all social media platforms and helps both your audience and the algorithms understand what your page is about.
Key Takeaways for Organic Growth
Apply these proven methods to increase organic reach and attract a bigger audience:
- Prioritise engagement over vanity metrics
- Quality beats quantity every time
- Video content is non-negotiable in 2026
- Understand each platform's algorithm and optimise accordingly
- Optimise your profiles for discoverability
- Use automation to stay connected with your audience
Or, as always, contact the friendly team at Easy Social Media, who would love to do all this for you!
