How should I think about social media platforms and my relationship with them?

Throughout social media history, there have been serendipitous moments where platforms decide to give their users - who are really more like serfs and peasants in this equation - some scraps from their overflowing attention-laden tables. These platforms are saying ‘this is important to us right now, so if you take the hint and do this, we’ll help you out with free attention and reach.’ We’re in one of those moments with Instagram Reels. It’s an ‘I scratch your back, you scratch mine’ situation. When Instagram plays their music, if you dance to their tune, you get extra attention and reach. Understanding this dynamic and being willing to adapt to what the platforms are prioritizing is crucial. The platforms are in attention wars with each other, and if you help them win by creating the content they’re pushing, they reward you with distribution. You need to recognize these moments and take advantage of them because they don’t last forever.

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Asked by general teaching point · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2022-05-02