Tell Me This: Is It Possible to Still Get Organic Reach?

by , October 18, 2014

The Social Media Insider has (yet another) confession to make: if she could write about just anything this week, it would be the news that HBO and CBS are both planning to offer subscriber-based streaming services. And to think that cable companies used to deny that cord-cutting was a thing!

But, alas, as there’s nothing very social about holing up in one’s house and binge-watching “Game of Thrones,” I’m using this week’s column to ask for some social media advice that I hope will also benefit loyal readers.  (I know — the columnist is supposed to give the advice, not take it. But if you have an issue, go whine about it on Twitter.)

Here’s what I need to know: Is it possible to get organic reach anymore — and, if so, how and where are you achieving it?

I ask this because I’ve confronted this problem myself lately, as I spend some of my time in the World Without Ad Budgets. For these types of entities, social media used to be even more of a dream come true than it was for major marketers. Finally, a way to do an end-run around all of the gatekeepers of older forms of media! No nasty editors to deal with, and no need to scrape together money for a one-time ad placement that likely produces hard-to-measure results!

But, as we all know, things have changed. As the trade press has mentioned, organic reach has plummeted. Hell, Facebook has admitted as much. However, I wonder repeatedly if it’s time to admit defeat and declare organic reach officially dead. It seems to be on Facebook, as well as   Twitter — unless you’re lucky enough to make an extremely witty quip about a #sharknado — but what of other platforms? Are people still seeing organic reach on Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn? Or are those platforms, too, swimming in so much content that almost nothing floats to the top unless it is paid?

 

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