For Your Consideration: Unspoken Algorithms
I'm probably about to anger every marketing platform deity out there and be forever banned from search results, but I've noticed some curious phenomena in my marketing work over the years on some of the largest marketing platforms, and I'm not so sure it's coincidence.
Every marketer has encountered those head-scratching moments where you did everything right but performance still suffers. You followed best practices, tested variables, and yet certain patterns emerge that seem to defy logical explanation. These are observations that many of us have noticed but can't fully validate with concrete data.
Take these observations with a grain of salt, but if you've noticed similar patterns, you're not alone.
1. The LinkedIn Premium Paradox
It's a tale as old as time: you have to pay to play. I've seen it time and time again that you get better reach, impressions, and engagement when you have LinkedIn Premium than without. However, something odd I noticed this year is that LinkedIn Premium appears to deliver better reach and impressions when purchased month-to-month versus annually.
After switching to monthly, my posts would get about double the impressions. Without Premium, I was lucky if I was breaking even a quarter of that volume.
You'd think the annual subscription would be treated equally, or even favorably by the platform but anecdotal evidence suggests that monthly subscribers may see wider reach of their content than the annual subscribers. Could it be that LinkedIn's algorithm rewards the higher monthly revenue? Or is this simply confirmation bias? Could it be the content I posted during those times? Hard to say, but it’s something to consider if you're thinking about Premium.
2. Instagram Favors Creator Accounts Over Business Accounts
Instagram claims they don't explicitly favor one account type over the other algorithmically, but try switching from a business account to a creator account on Instagram, posting the same content with the same music, and watch what happens. Many marketers report that creator accounts consistently outperform business accounts in reach and engagement. Since Instagram wants authentic content, it makes sense that individual and authentically created content may get served more, while business accounts offer more sales and marketing tools.
Either way, if you're struggling with reach, the account type might be worth experimenting with.
3. Google Ads Rewards Reactive Compliance
Here's a peculiar one about Google Ads: the platform appears to reward you more generously when you apply their recommendations directly from the "recommendations" panel versus implementing the same changes manually in your settings or configuring everything correctly from the start. I've even had a Google rep make an off-hand remark on a phone call one time that said it's true (although admittedly I think he was just trying to get off the phone with me when he realized I probably had more years of experience in Google Ads than he did).
This suggests you might be better off waiting to complete your account setup until after recommendations appear, rather than setting everything up optimally from day one. It's risky, but it's as if the algorithm appreciates visible compliance more than preemptive correctness.
4. Email Subject Lines with "Re:" Get Past Filters
I think we’ve all noticed emails with "Re:" in the subject line (making them appear like replies) land in our inbox more than in the spam folder. The psychology makes sense: we're conditioned to check replies. But I don’t recommend using this tactic too frequently, as eventually you’ll see your overall deliverability sink.
5. The Friday Afternoon Upload Advantage
Conventional wisdom says not to post important content on Friday afternoons when people are checking out mentally. But I've noticed an interesting counter-pattern on some platforms (especially LinkedIn): content uploaded Friday afternoon (3-5 PM) but not heavily promoted often performs unusually well over the weekend.
The theory across marketers is that the algorithms test new content on smaller audiences first. Weekend traffic patterns are different…people browse more casually, watch longer videos, and engage more thoughtfully. Content that performs well during this "soft launch" gets boosted Monday morning when the bigger audiences return.
6. Brand New Accounts Get a Honeymoon Period
Have you ever noticed that brand new social media accounts or ad accounts often perform surprisingly well in their first few weeks, then suddenly plateau or decline? This "honeymoon period" appears across platforms: new Yelp business profiles get more leads, new Facebook ad accounts get cheaper CPMs initially, new Instagram accounts get unusual reach on their first posts.
The platforms have every incentive to make new users successful quickly. Hook them with early wins, and they're more likely to stick around and eventually spend money. But once you're established, the training wheels come off.
7. Platform Criticism Gets Suppressed
Try writing a post that mentions Google, Instagram, Meta, or LinkedIn in a critical light. Then compare its performance to content that praises these platforms. In my experience, content that speaks negatively about major platforms tends to underperform across all main KPIs: fewer impressions, less engagement, lower reach.
This isn't shocking. But it's a reminder that these algorithms aren't neutral arbiters. They have their own interests baked in.
The Point of These Observations
None of these observations are scientifically proven. They're patterns noticed in the trenches, shared between marketers at the office, validated by personal experience but rarely by platforms themselves.
And that's exactly the point.
These platforms operate as black boxes (it’s their secret sauce afterall). We're never told how the algorithms truly work, which means we're left to reverse-engineer them through observation and experimentation. Sometimes we're right. Sometimes it’s just coincidence. But either way, these algorithmic mysteries remind us that digital marketing isn't just about following best practices; it's about staying nimble, testing off-the-wall ideas, and recognizing that the game is always more complex than it appears.
Have you noticed any of these patterns? Or better yet, do you have marketing mysteries of your own? I’d love to hear about them! Send me a message and let me know!
