The Constant of Algorithms

In an age of AI learning, small business owners must become acquainted with the learning algorithms used all over the internet. And here business owners are introduced to the "constant". Some of you may already know, and some this is new.

If you are trying to get seen on the internet and you are using any kind of Search Advertising you've enrolled in a formula algorithm that tries to find customers for you to buy. There are many variables such as how many people click, how many people do something on your website, and no matter what you are given a score. Yes you can pay to be at the top, but people that bounce in and out of your website ultimately lower your score. The algorithm continuously learns to get those results and this learning process is long and slow, so after several months or even a year you finally feel you are getting somewhere. But wait, don't pause or stop your campaigns because guess what? The algorithm doesn't grab data from the whole year, but only what's recent so if you stop that algorithm running you start all over in the learning process. So if you want your search marketing to pay off, count on consistently spending all year long on a CONSTANT basis.

Instagram. Also algorithm based, but a different formula. Much like search marketing, it's based on results but of a different kind. Likes, views, and subscribes are the medium here and CONSTANT activity is what is rewarded the most. Want to take a break? It's the same thing, you can kill your activity if you aren't constantly posting. The algorithm is continuously evolving a feed that is relevant to each users changes in behavior so one day you could be viral and the next day you could be lost in the abyss. And with that all your hard work can be dead in the water. But not completely lost because as long as you get back on the hamster wheel and keep running you can revive yourself.

Other social and selling platforms follow suit here, so what does this mean for small business owners? It means we have to be extra strategic with our time and realistic. If you don't have time walking around taking selfies and videos during your work day to please hungry subscribers to possibly make sales, you may realize that business DID exist without social media and did just fine. Though it is required to have at least one social platform in society for consumers to note you as a current business, it is not required you do all of them and certainly not to break your back making daily content. Really take a strong look at your sales channels and where your income is coming from. If it really is coming from social media, you'll need to develop a reasonable plan that you can do on a constant basis to keep that going. If not, look to the avenues that are working for you and develop plans to achieve and grow your results. Don't sweat it!