I recently wrapped up a strategy session with a client, and the conversation quickly turned to social media:

• What is the best time to post?
• What types of content should we be creating?
• Are we on enough platforms?

These are definitely all fair questions, but as we continued talking, I realized something important. They could not answer the most basic question of all: Who are you intending to reach through your social content?

Before worrying about posting schedules, or content formats, every organization needs clarity around its audience. Learning what your audience cares about and what challenges they are currently facing can help determine what actions you want them to take.

Without this research, creating more content is simply creating more noise.

Why You Shouldn’t Chase the Algorithm

The pressure to constantly produce content is real – I’ve seen it first hand! Marketing teams are being asked to do more than ever, and social media channels reward activity.

As a result, many organizations fall into the trap of chasing the algorithm. They focus on likes, views, and comments without stopping to ask a bigger question: Did this content actually accomplish what we needed it to accomplish?

Sometimes a post performs incredibly well on paper by generating thousands of views, but when you dig deeper, you discover that the audience engaging with the content was not your target audience. The post did not drive website traffic, generate inquiries, or increase awareness among the intended audience. It was simply a popular piece of content that went ‘viral’.

My Recent ‘Viral’ Moment

I recently had a ‘viral’ moment on my own brand page - check it out here - sharing a moment from a marketing research night out at a popular ACW Wisconsin wrestling event. The audience this reel reached was not necessarily my target audience, but the post received thousands of impressions and a number of new followers to our Instagram page.

While a viral post can certainly boost your numbers, bigger metrics don't always mean bigger impact. If the people engaging with the content aren't your target audience, those impressions may never turn into meaningful actions for your organization. That's why it's important to look beyond views and ask whether your content is reaching the right people and supporting your overall goals.

Start with Your Goals

Before evaluating any piece of content, organizations should first understand what success looks like. Are you trying to:

• Increase awareness?
• Generate donations?
• Drive website traffic?
• Receive new leads?
• Encourage event attendance?

Each goal requires a different strategy, different messaging, and different metrics. Without a defined objective, it becomes impossible to determine whether content is actually working.

Looking Beyond the Metrics

Metrics matter - we use them every day! But not all metrics carry the same weight. Likes and views can provide helpful context, but they rarely tell the full story.

The most valuable insights often come from asking deeper questions:

• Who directly engaged with the content?
• Did it reach the intended audience?
• Did it drive meaningful actions?
• What can we learn and improve on next time?

The best content strategy is not about chasing the algorithm. It is about understanding your audience and creating content that helps move them toward meaningful actions.

Because success is not measured by how many people saw your content – it is measured by what happened because they saw it.

Read more about how to understand PR metrics in our blog here!

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