branding

It’s an Algorithm, Not an Apocalypse

iPad user on Facebook Messenger

Facebook is updating its algorithm, and we’re panicking about all the wrong things.

Let’s imagine, for just a moment, that Facebook is gone. No more pages or groups. No more notifications alerting you to new comments on your clever meme, or the most recently posted photo of your cousin’s dog. No more videos (close-captioned, of course), and definitely no “insights” tab cluing you into which of your highly crafted posts and curated shares garnered the most audience engagement.

Anyone else feeling a little queasy?

What will we do if our brand messaging gets buried? How will we make our potential customers aware of how awesome we are?

As communicators, and certainly as marketers, most of us have developed a dependency on Facebook over the past several years—and as the platform has grown, shifted, and evolved, we’ve had to adapt as both personal users and brand managers. The topic of adaptation entered the spotlight again in the past couple of weeks, as Facebook announced the latest round of changes to its algorithm. And I watched as my Twitter feed, populated largely with marketers and professional brand managers, erupted into chaos. What will we do if our brand messaging gets buried? How will we make our potential customers aware of how awesome we are? What do we say when the boss asks for a monthly report and the numbers have plummeted?

Since that time, there have been a few other thought pieces that accurately reflected my view on the matter. (In short:  CALM DOWN.) Facebook has always made decisions based on what they feel is best for their business—and make no mistake, their business is in data-informed ad sales. The medium they use to facilitate that business is their massively popular social media platform. If users leave the platform, Facebook’s business model begins to fail. It is, therefore, in the company’s best business interest to keep their users happy, interacting, and returning to the platform regularly. Luckily, those are the very same behaviors that are in the best interest of the brands that so often depend on Facebook to increase their own reach and impact.

This particular algorithm update prioritizes content that is shared by the end user’s friends and family. The concern for brands, naturally, is that this reduces organic reach of content from business pages, in a time when brand content is shown to an ever-lowering audience percentage from the start. Here’s the thing: Nobody comes to Facebook to see brand content, and they certainly don’t come to hear a sales pitch. They come to see what their friends and families care about. The secret to good content development has always been to create something that people care enough about to share or interact with in some way.

Even as we begin to see the Facebook shift as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, the mass panic provoked by the initial announcement begs another question. Why are we so afraid of losing Facebook influence?

But as marketers, we are all too often tempted by the allure of vanity metrics including number of followers, empty likes, and high reach measurements—even if we didn’t reach the right audience. We’ve put out content for the sake of posting something on a Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., even if we didn’t have anything worth saying. We’ve ignored what people really wanted to see, in favor of showing them what we wanted them to know. We have made our bed, and that bed is firmly situated in our best potential customers’ blind spots. With this new algorithm, Facebook is providing us with a short-term incentive to do what we should have been doing all along: listening to our audience, creating content that they care about, and encouraging a sense of community.

Even as we begin to see the Facebook shift as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, the mass panic provoked by the initial announcement begs another question. Why are we so afraid of losing Facebook influence?

Don’t get me wrong. Facebook has been a game-changer. It was revolutionary in its early days, and continues to be an incredible tool for marketing, communication, and sales—but believing that a single channel can make or break your brand is dangerous. Facebook is powerful, but if it disappeared tomorrow, the strongest brands among us would not go out of business. If your brand depends on another company’s web algorithms, I urge you to do some serious reflection about how to diversify your outreach and storytelling techniques.

The Great Facebook Freak-Out of 2018 was enlightening as it forced us to have difficult conversations about our content—but perhaps it should instead be sparking a greater discussion about our viability. If our brands are truly lost without Facebook, maybe the “insights” tab isn’t where we ought to be looking.

Not Your Grandma’s Cup of Sugar: 5 Essentials for Being a Good Digital Neighbor

Originally posted on the Women in Student Affairs NASPA Knowledge Community blog on December 2, 2015.
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The neighborhood’s not what it used to be. With the digital revolution moving in and planning to stay, the concept of a community is no longer confined to geographical boundaries. Social media platforms, blogs, apps, and the general internet of things have connected people with similar interests from around the world, helping them develop communities that would not have been possible just a couple decades ago. The “send” button is our new “howdy, neighbor!” – but that doesn’t mean the need for congeniality has changed just because we have a new method of delivery. While you’re busy keeping up with @TheJoneses, make sure you’re still acknowledging the people behind the profile pics. It’s only neighborly, after all.

1. Introduce yourself.

No need to hide behind that default Twitter egg! Make an effort to present yourself well, with a photograph of yourself (not your kid or your cat. YOU) and a fully filled-in profile. There is a reason you were drawn to this platform, be it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or anything else. Think about why you chose this space to communicate. Tell people what you want them to know about you. Shake off that blank bio and start making your presence known.

2. Show up to the block party – and don’t come empty-handed.

It’s not enough to simply take up real estate on the corner lot; you have to make the effort to participate in your community if you expect to see any benefits. Find out where the interesting conversations are happening, and make sure you’re contributing value to the dialogue when you post. Never make an ask without first making an offer. Want people to read your blog? Consider you for a job? Promote your latest project? That’s great. But why would they want to? Be sure you’re commenting on other people’s posts, sharing their content, and creating helpful content of your own before you need to ask anyone for a favor.

3. Keep the noise down.

No one likes to see their timeline bombarded with spammy, braggy, look-at-me posts. Remember, if you’re not adding value, you’re adding noise pollution. Talk like a person, not a sales pitch.

4. Don’t steal the newspaper.

The rules are simple: If it’s not yours, don’t act like it is. This is as true for intellectual property as it is for tangible objects. Give credit where it’s due. If you’re quoting someone, tag them. If you use an image or graphic, make sure it’s licensed under Creative Commons. Link to the original sources when you share content. Students aren’t allowed to present other people’s work as there own, and neither are you. Besides, it’s just good manners.

5. Keep your dog off the neighbor’s lawn.

In other words? Keep your crap away from other people’s stuff. Negativity and gossip don’t make great lawn ornaments, and they look ten times worse in the digital world. Tarnishing another person’s digital identity is a smarmy thing to do – and it’s a permanent reflection on the both of you. Keep the dirt to yourself and make the internet a better neighborhood for everybody.

Most importantly, remember that each of those avatars and usernames have actual human beings behind them. Social media is “real life,” with all of the intersocial complexities we’ve always faced. It’s a communal space, and we are indeed a community. So be kind, be yourself, and be a good neighbor. It makes a difference.

Social Media & Digital Identity Development for Higher Ed Pros

This post originally appeared on the SEMRush blog on August 20, 2015.

Everyone knows that college campuses are familiar ground for social media. Students constantly share their thoughts, feelings, and photos in the digital space. Institutions are even getting the hang of channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where they can show off the best of their community and encourage student engagement.

For professionals working in the field, the social media landscape can feel a little more complicated — and often, college staff and faculty decide it’s easier to avoid these platforms altogether. The problem with that? In today’s world, having a digital identity is not an option. Managing your digital identity, however, is totally within your control and professionals need to develop a brand that will work for them.

If the idea of “branding” has you hiding behind your office door, you’re not alone. It can be an intimidating concept, but that’s no excuse for neglecting your digital presence. And those excuses? I’ve heard them all.

Excuse #1: “I don’t have time.”

Join the club. Most of us don’t have time to manage our digital identities. We also don’t have time to go to the gym, call our parents, or walk the dog — but there are consequences to inaction. Social media has opened up the world like never before.

With just a few keystrokes, we can connect with thought leaders and influential changemakers. We can chat with colleagues nationwide, sharing best practices and formative experiences. We can mentor up-and-coming professionals without ever being in the same room with them. If you’re not taking advantage of these opportunities, you’re doing a disservice to both your personal development and your potential career.

It’s surprisingly easy to work social networking into your schedule. You can scroll through your Twitter feed and make a post during your lunch break. During your train ride home, share a link to a great article you read on LinkedIn. Take twenty minutes after dinner to work on a blog post two or three times a week. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, so do what works for you.

It’s all about putting a positive presence out there and making sure search results for your name reveal information you actually want people to see. Take time to consistently participate in at least one digital venue, even if you’re just checking in once a day. Inactive or sparsely populated accounts will make you look ambivalent — or worse, lazy.

Excuse #2: “Social media is for younger people.”

Simply untrue. Social media is a broad, inclusive term. LinkedIn is a very different platform than Snapchat, which is very different than Twitter or Facebook. Go where the conversations that interest you are happening. For higher ed pros, Twitter is a fabulous forum, with discussions using hashtags like #SAChat (Student Affairs Chat), #HESM (Higher Ed Social Media), #AcAdv (Academic Advising), or #EMChat (Enrollment Management Chat).

LinkedIn also offers an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues. Additionally, its recently added publishing feature creates a space where blogs can be hosted or cross-posted — right next to your photo and digital resume. What better way to present your best self to potential employers? Stop waiting for that once-a-year conference to put on your networking hat. Connect now, and contribute to the conversations that made you passionate about this work in the first place.

Excuse #3: “I don’t have anything to say.”

Would you ever tell a student not to bother writing a paper on a topic that someone else covered last semester? Doubtful. Far more likely, you realize that different perspectives on similar themes help foster a fruitful discourse. You are in the uniquely wonderful position of being the only person in the universe with your point-of-view. Others may talk about the same issues, but you’re the only one with your specific background, your individual experiences, and your outlook.

In short: Nobody can tell your story like you can. If you don’t speak up, it will never be told at all.

Excuse #4: “What if I say something that gets me in trouble?”

Higher ed is full of hierarchy, and with that comes a fear of cultural upset. In hierarchical structures, there are always at least a few people who are living comfortably in their current position. So saying (or tweeting) something to challenge the status quo can be provoking. This is where brand authenticity takes the reins. Essentially, your brand is a clear expression of your values and how you live them. Be mindful of what’s important to you. Live those values. If you truly believe in the worth of what you say, you’ll be ready and willing to defend your words.

Remember  — social media is not a separate world. It’s just another, more public avenue for the same conversations we already have every day in person, on the phone, or via email and text messages. Don’t say anything you don’t want to be heard, and you should be just fine.

Excuse #5: “I have no idea where to start.”

Congratulations! You’re reading this blog, and that’s an excellent first step. Personal brand development doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not the sort of thing that does well without consistent maintenance.

Do some research to figure out which media channels will fit best into your lifestyle and your busy schedule.

Ask around and see where respected colleagues are laying down their digital footprints.

When you read a blog post or article you enjoy, look up the author to see where they’ve established their digital presence. Once you’ve decided on a platform, you can visit the site’s FAQ page for technical details and how-tos. Ask a friend, colleague, or student to give you a tutorial. If you need a little extra help, there are professionals who specialize in personal brand management and digital identity development (including yours truly). As we always tell our students — If you need help, ask for it.

As higher education professionals, we cannot simply step back and expect students to figure out the implications of the digital revolution on their own, nor can we expect that our own careers are immune to its impact. By stepping up and taking the lead in our own brand identity, we set an example of modern professionalism and establish ourselves as reputable sources of advice.

Being an active participant in social media and the digital space puts us in a position to define our core values for the benefit of students, employers, and coworkers. During this era of moral dilemmas, economic upheaval and competitive job markets in higher education, the professionals at the forefront of these conversations can’t afford to not have a strong digital identity.

No more excuses.