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Posts recommended by algorithms have defined social media feeds for the last few years, bringing both challenges and opportunities for fashion and beauty brands. That could be set to change — in some regions at least — as incoming digital regulations seek to control the amount of tracking and profiling social media platforms carry out. For brands, it means yet another pivot in strategy.
Earlier this month, TikTok announced that users in the European Union would soon be able to turn off the algorithm that dictates what content they see on the For You page as it races to comply with the region’s new Digital Services Act before it comes into effect on 28 August. Twitter (now X) and Instagram have moved to allow users to toggle between an algorithm-powered feed and one that only contains posts from accounts they follow, shown in chronological order. When Instagram’s new text-based spin-off Threads launched this July, users quickly requested — and were granted — the same functionality.
For the brands that have relied on these algorithms to put their posts in front of hundreds of thousands — sometimes millions — of users, these changes could have big implications. “If users move away from algorithmic content, naturally they’ll discover less from brands,” says Joe McDonnell, director of insight and lifestyle at trend forecasting agency WGSN.
There could be some advantages, too. “As a small independent brand, we have worked so hard to build authenticity, family and community,” says Sunny Williams, founder of womenswear brand House of Sunny. “Our main goal is always for our followers to see our content over reaching a new audience. Although mass reach can be a massive pro through algorithm, our biggest con is that our community who follow because they love the brand are often excluded from seeing our latest content.”
Adapting to an algorithm culture
Facebook was the first platform to start organising people’s feeds with an algorithm — trialling it in 2009 and launching a more complex machine-learning version in 2011 — in an attempt to improve the quality and relevance of what users were seeing and, by extension, keep hold of their attention. TikTok latched onto this from its launch in 2016 with a sophisticated algorithm that learns from users’ behaviour to continuously tailor their experience on the site.
For fashion and beauty brands, this gave the opportunity to position content higher up in people’s feeds. They learned how to play the system by jumping on the latest viral trends, including audio, as well as producing visually engaging, playful marketing campaigns. Maybelline’s recent Sky High mascara advert showed a London tube and double-decker bus adorned with false eyelashes, which were brushed by a larger-than-life mascara wand as they drove past it. Created using AI software, it gained 71.4 million views on Instagram and 500,000 on TikTok.
“The concept of an ‘algorithm’ is so firmly entrenched in consumers’ brains,” says McDonnell. “It's not uncommon to see users on TikTok commenting [on a video] ‘to stay on the algorithm’. We’re all aware of it and how to exploit it, and brands are no different. Often if you look at the TikTok account of a major brand, it’s virtually unrecognisable from their high street presence. If you’re not creating the trends, jumping on them quickly is the only way to stay relevant online.”
Streetwear brand Broken Planet, which launched during the Covid lockdown in 2020, credits the TikTok algorithm and its successful adoption of viral trends with boosting its awareness. “In just the first month of actively creating content, we got lucky with one of the videos going viral a week before the official launch of Broken Planet,” says Indre Narbutaite, co-founder and brand director. It shows Narbutaite ogling a video of two passersby wearing the brand with the text “when you see someone with our hoodies”. It was a clever play on a viral trend at the time that was about checking someone out and detailing what exactly made your head turn, and generated 10,000 Instagram followers and 30,000 TikTok followers overnight, at no cost.
TikTok content
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By offering the option to toggle off the algorithm, new brands without any investor backing or industry connections — like Broken Planet at the time of its launch — will lose the ability to turbocharge attention and demand for their products. “Because of TikTok’s wild algorithm, we now have an incredible worldwide community,” Narbutaite continues. “We’re able to tease new products, get insights on what people like [or] dislike about the products and simply have a personal connection with people that support the brand.”
The age of content pollution
The changes are largely being driven by the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which calls for increased oversight of the algorithmic systems used by large social media platforms and search engines, including how they moderate content and propose information to their users.
American lawmakers are also attempting to legislate. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was called in front of Congress earlier this year to answer concerns about the app, including the risk that its algorithm could spread harmful messaging. Chew responded that TikTok employs 40,000 moderators to track harmful content, as well as an algorithm to flag controversial material. He added that the company will use third parties to review its algorithms. Still, the state of Montana has banned TikTok from all personal devices, effective from 1 January 2024.
The social media commentariat has also been vocally opposed to forced algorithms. Last year, Instagram users revolted when the app tried to mimic TikTok’s algorithm. Some TikTok creators have complained about the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon, whereby the app allegedly encourages excessive consumerism amongst its users.
As brands have learned to adapt to the algorithm and chase virality, critics have pointed to a dampening of creativity that has contributed to this mass ennui.
“In a world where everyone’s shouting, vying for a slice of attention from the algorithm, brands copy what is working (usually too late), creating this bland brand broth of sameness,” says Lydia Pang, co-founder of creative strategy studio Mørning. “Social has the potential for incredible creativity and connection, and yet we often see brands mirroring and mimicking culture vs actually setting it. Colloquialisms lose all meaning, art direction play lacks any wit. Influence is a broken word,” she continues, adding that as a result, “the age of content pollution is dead”.
“Nowadays, social media is so saturated that it’s not all about jumping on every single trend and posting three times per day. It is about focusing on the quality of the video and the message we’re sending our audience,” agrees Narbutaite, who warns about the dangers of being labelled as a “TikTok brand”, which is a jab intended to undermine the legitimacy and credibility of a brand by implying it lacks originality. It’s something Broken Planet has avoided by dovetailing its social marketing strategy with IRL activations and by developing social media formats and concepts that showcase Broken Planet’s vision rather than following trendy videos.
What’s more, virality doesn’t always necessarily translate into an engaged audience who repeatedly buy from the brand. “I do believe you have to [be on TikTok], but I think not many people are winning revenue-wise. You can have the audience, but you’ve got to convert that into sales. Otherwise, why are you doing it?” says Chris Gove, founder of menswear label Percival. “We have to grow TikTok for [our] brand image, but we don’t see any referrals from it. If you’re going to be a slave to the algorithm, I don’t think it’s going to pay dividends unless your audience is really synonymous with that of the platform.”
How are brands changing their marketing tactics
Moving away from algorithmic feeds will require a shift in strategy. “The most important thing to think about is authenticity and co-creation,” says McDonnell. “Look at the rise in user reviews around everything from luxury cooking products to luxury bags. Consumers want to know whether these products are worth the money. Accounts that cut up leather bags and analyse the quality of the leather have huge followings,” he says. “Work out what your audience’s niche is, and work out how creators can be used to spread the message that aligns with your brand identity.”
Brands with a solid understanding of their customer will still be able to capitalise on social media to raise awareness and sell products, experts agree. “Organic is still accessible if a brand is willing to subvert and invert the traditional marketing funnel,” says Pang. “Smart, simple, audience-centric marketing campaigns can definitely still go viral. Embrace creativity again. Build your brand multiverse. Own where you sit in your audience's world. Have a POV or be gone.” She adds that success shouldn’t just be measured by reach but by “getting the message felt by the right people vs just everyone”.
British independent womenswear brand Peachy Den vowed not to chase the algorithm, says founder Isabella Weatherby. “Making content to go viral has never been our focus; we’ve always prioritised understanding what kind of content our followers want and resharing UGC of our community wearing Peachy Den to celebrate them.”
US-based clean beauty brand RMS Beauty chooses collaborations to build its organic reach on social. “Participating in partnerships is a great vehicle for us and opens up our audience,” says chief strategic officer Elaine Sack. ”By using collabs as a means to acquire new customers, we’re less beholden to the algorithm showcasing our content to new users. It also introduces our brand to a pool of customers we know is aligned since we choose brands that have an affinity to us.”
As the fashion and beauty industries are forced to rethink their subjugation to unpredictable algorithms in the near future, Narbutaite believes this will be a good thing – both for the brand and the customer. “We are experiencing the most creative era of social media marketing with many brands bringing their craziest visions to life,” she says; ones that prioritise authenticity, POV and community over faceless, data-driven trend grabs.
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