Algorithms and Their Effect on Searches Engines and Social Media and What You Get in the Way of Results

As we broaden our marketing efforts on social media sites, and even as simply as using a search engine, we need to be aware of the effect that Algorithms are having within the the global internet.

We can understand the possible need by these websites and search engines to customize results to yield more items that meet our needs and interests, given the vast amount of information available today. Still we need to make sure that we are cognizant about the "results" that we get and realize that they are just a small view into into a vast World of information.

A friend recently sent me a link to a YouTube video (see below) which highlights the ramifications for all of us, from CEO and Senior Management on down. How to combat it? Is there a way?

At times we get Google requests if we want to focus searches on the country where we are located, or Worldwide. But, with the ongoing revelations about FaceBook changing privacy settings without approval as an example, we will most likely need to be constantly vigilant to make sure that we are protected while also getting the necessary information we need, not "customized" to a person's or company's view, as there may be a lot of critical information that can be overlooked or not made immediately available to us.

This kind of "slant" on information provided to us, can have significant effects on strategic planning and in particular, competitor analysis, succession plans, and other areas of our strategies. Consequently, we need to be aware of how this kind of "customization" by providers can skew our perspective of the World, allowing us to be blindsided at times, especially if the information is not verified by direct customer contact and information gathering techniques. Reliance on single sources like the internet may not afford us an adequate view of the world to thwart the rise of competitors from unknown areas of the marketplace.

Being informed about how search engines and social media works, is essential in our new quest to use this powerful media and how we communicate. Enjoy the video below:

What FACEBOOK and GOOGLE are Hiding from world