The primary consumption of news has shifted from destination sites to algorithmically curated social feeds. Platforms like Threads and X have become superior curators of content from legacy sources, personalizing discovery so effectively that users now rely on them to surface relevant articles, bypassing the publisher's own homepage.
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Relying solely on a chronological feed of followed accounts limits growth. The "For You" page, despite its pitfalls, is a powerful discovery tool. The ideal strategy involves using both: a curated feed for engagement and a discovery algorithm for finding new, compelling voices.
The primary function of cable news has shifted. It no longer breaks news but instead produces segments specifically designed to be clipped and go viral on social media platforms. Its main impact is now on the broader internet conversation, not its direct viewership.
Gary Vaynerchuk argues that platforms have evolved beyond a follower-based model ("social media"). Now, algorithms dominate, creating an "interest media" landscape where content is surfaced based on a user's demonstrated interests, regardless of whom they follow. This makes the content itself paramount over follower counts.
X plans to delete all heuristics from its recommendation system. The feed will instead be powered by Grok, which will analyze every piece of content to match users with posts and videos. This is a move from a traditional, rule-based algorithm to a fully generative, AI-driven content discovery engine.
The primary challenge for journalism today isn't its own decline, but the audience's evolution. People now consume media from many sources, often knowingly biased ones, piecing together their own version of reality. They've shifted from being passive information recipients to active curators of their own truth.
Social media algorithms can be trained. By actively blocking or marking unwanted content as "not interested," users can transform their "for you" page from a source of distracting content into a valuable, curated feed of recommended information.
The value of a large, pre-existing audience is decreasing. Powerful platform algorithms are becoming so effective at identifying and distributing high-quality content that a new creator with great material can get significant reach without an established following. This levels the playing field and reduces the incumbent advantage.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram no longer primarily show content from accounts you follow. Their algorithms serve content based on demonstrated interests. This means content quality and relevance now trump follower count, leveling the playing field for new creators.
Algorithms increasingly serve content to non-followers based on their interests, not just social connections. To succeed, marketers must shift from engaging existing followers to creating "recommendable" content that appeals to a broader, topic-focused audience.
The era of building a follower list like an email list is over. Platforms now use an "interest graph," meaning a post from an account with few followers can go viral if the content is compelling. This shift democratizes reach and prioritizes content quality above all else.