91. Social Media Marketing: Understanding Social Media Algorithms Through Business Growth

Social media algorithms analyse user data and behaviour in order to determine what content to show to users. Content is promoted primarily based on user engagement. In order to boost their engagement and increase their user reach, content creators on social media sites create a distinct online persona or brand. As these algorithms are always growing more advanced and regularly changing, social media users must develop and evolve their branding style to maximise engagement with their audience and sustain their clientele. Businesses operating through social media platforms employ different methods to promote their business, such as posting user-generated content, prioritising video content, using memes to relate to their audience, posting tutorials, or content that reflects the brand aesthetic. While all of the mentioned strategies are useful in increasing user engagement and widening the reach of the business, there is still very little clarity on which of these models directly translate to greatest profit and business. This paper explores the various modern promotion styles employed by businesses to promote their business and content on social media–specifically Instagram, and includes an analysis of these styles and their specific features on the basis of the comparison of metrics such as engagement, growth, and audience participation to determine their efficacy in consistently growing a business. On the basis of the research findings and analysis, suggestions for increasing sales through Instagram are presented.