Why social media feels harder than it used to

Social media hasn’t suddenly stopped working. But for many marketing leaders, it has started to feel harder, more demanding and less predictable than it once did. 

Part of that is platform fatigue. Part is audience change. But a big part of it is social media algorithms, the invisible systems that now decide what gets seen, and by whom, and they’ve evolved significantly over the past few years.

Algorithms are much smarter

Algorithms today are far more sophisticated than the simple chronological feeds of the early 2010s. Modern feeds are powered by machine-learning models that analyse engagement behaviour (likes, comments, shares, watch time) and serve content that predicts relevance for each individual user.  

This isn’t arbitrary. Platforms aim to keep users on the site longer, which benefits their own business models. The consequence? Organic content, even from people who follow you, is increasingly filtered before it reaches them. 

And that’s reflected in the numbers: 

• Organic reach across platforms has fallen dramatically. In many cases today, a single post may show to only a small fraction of your own followers without paid support.  
• Benchmark reach rates for Instagram, for example, hover around 3 per cent to 4 per cent of followers per post in 2025 (and often much less for larger accounts). 
• Average engagement rates across social platforms typically range from around 1.4 per cent to 2.8 per cent, which makes meaningful engagement a valuable signal, but also a scarce one.

These aren’t vanity figures. They reflect how content is prioritised by algorithms designed to show what’s predicted to be engaging, not necessarily what’s most important to your audience or business.  

Why this shift makes social feel harder

When fewer followers see your content organically, the pressure rises to: 

• Create content that sparks interaction rather than simply informs 
• Understand platform priorities (e.g. Reels and short video get preferential treatment)  
• Support organic activity with paid distribution where appropriate

There’s a subtle but important shift here: algorithms don’t penalise brands on purpose. They reward relevance and engagement, which is why content that once performed well year-on-year can now feel overlooked. 

This also explains why follower count matters less than engagement quality: the algorithm pays attention to how content resonates, not how many people follow you. 

The problem for leaders 

For marketing managers, social media often becomes the most visible channel internally. Which makes it harder when activity feels busy, but outcomes feel less. 

From a leadership perspective, this creates tension. There’s activity behind the scenes, but the board wants business impact, not just impressions. 

This disconnect usually comes from treating social as a standalone performance channel rather than part of a wider marketing ecosystem. 

A more strategic way forward 

Social media still matters. People are still active across multiple networks and nearly half of consumers interact with brands regularly on social platforms. But expectations need to reflect reality: 

• Reach is no longer free unless engagement signals force it 
• Algorithms favour the content their users interact with most 
• Social works best when it supports broader brand and business objectives

Social media feels harder because it’s evolved from an experimental space into a sophisticated distribution system shaped by algorithms. Understanding why it feels harder helps you invest where it matters and explain its role to leadership with confidence.