The social media landscape has changed rapidly.

Elon Musk’s mercurial changes at X prompt a lot of discussion. So do government proposals to ban TikTok. YouTube added Shorts to compete with TikTok. Meta added Threads as an alternative to X. Every platform changes its algorithm to accommodate its latest business model.

How do you update your social media strategy with all that’s happening? Do you even need to change it?

That’s the question posed to the experts presenting at Content Marketing World. They didn’t disappoint, sharing ideas that range from the audience to the content to the process.

Follow your people

Savvy creators and social media teams should be following what their followers are doing. Each audience will respond to the shifting social media ecosystem in different ways. Pay attention to communities, such as Discord servers, Reddits, or Circle groups; these semi-open spaces appear to be growing in popularity. – Jesse Harris, digital marketing coordinator, ACD/Labs

Delve into personas

Study your target personas’ social media behavior and keep tabs on how these preferences are changing. You can do this anecdotally through conversations with sales, periodically asking customers (trade shows are a great place for this), or referencing industry research where social media behavior is studied. – Wendy Covey, co-founder and CEO, TREW Marketing

Go private

When it comes to mitigating volatility in your social media strategy, turning to private social media communities is the way to go. Platforms like Slack, Discord, and Telegram offer fantastic opportunities.

Discord, in particular, shines when it comes to community building. Its core promise revolves around fostering communities, while Slack leans more toward being a workspace management solution, and Telegram focuses on messaging.

If you’re considering establishing a community for your audience, Discord should be on your radar. The beauty of Discord lies in the fact that it’s not mediated by AI, offering a more authentic and organic experience. Plus, you’ll find a substantial number of users already thriving within its vibrant ecosystem. Take advantage of this platform’s potential for community building and engagement. – Christopher Penn, chief data scientist, TrustInsights.ai