From what we stream to products searched, and even to the news we read, algorithms affect almost every aspect of our digital lives. But algorithms aren’t anything scary; they are simply a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem. Although it is just a procedure, algorithms can have a huge impact on our view of the world. 

Think of your favorite search engine or news aggregator. The algorithms behind them utilize your online decisions to display articles, products and friends’ news. Every time you follow a link, click on a product or like a story, the algorithms update to show you more of what you like. And soon, that is all you see.    

If you prefer one brand over another, you will see less and less of competitor products. If you don’t like a friend’s pictures, you see less of them. The World Wide Web shrinks down to a little room that echoes with the same old data, lulling us into a sense of consensus. 

As a marketer, how do you break in?

• Research the topics that interest your target group.
• Publish content about the subjects they are interested in so your content will show in their searches and feeds.
• Contact the blogs they read or influencers they follow about your material.

In the end, you must go to the customers because they won’t see your content that’s not in their echo chamber.