Chasing Engagement Tricks Will Hurt Your Business on Social Media

The truth about algorithms, rage bait, and what businesses should really focus on.

The Algorithm Has Changed Everything

Nearly every social media platform today uses an engagement-based algorithm. Your follower count doesn’t mean much anymore. When you post, the platform shows your content to a small test group first. If people engage, the post gets pushed to a wider audience. The more engagement it earns, the more visibility you gain.

On the surface, that sounds like a fair system. Create something engaging, and you’ll be rewarded with reach. But here is the problem: most of the internet is not full of people flying jets for the Blue Angels or musicians who can break into a flawless street performance. For the rest of us, especially businesses, the path to engagement is a lot less glamorous.

The Rise of Rage Bait

If you scroll through your feed, you’ve probably noticed the trend. Rage bait works. Content that makes people angry, shocked, or frustrated often goes viral because it sparks comments, arguments, and shares. Algorithms see that spike in activity and reward it with more distribution.

Rage has become the shortcut to engagement. But it comes with serious consequences if you are a business.

The Trap of Chasing Virality

If your goal is “going viral,” you will probably be tempted to play the rage bait game. It might work in the short term, but what happens when algorithms shift? What happens when your audience only knows you for stirring up arguments rather than solving problems?

Chasing virality leads to content that focuses on tricking the algorithm, not serving your audience. You may rack up views, but are those viewers your potential customers? Do they understand what you actually do? Do they trust you as a solution provider?

The answer is usually no.

What Businesses Should Do Instead

Here is the good news: you don’t need millions of views to succeed. Most businesses would benefit far more from having 1,000 views from the right audience than 1,000,000 views from people who will never buy.

Instead of chasing tricks, focus on these three things:

• Educate your audience. Share your expertise in ways that show how you solve real problems.
• Build trust over time. Consistency and clarity about your brand matter more than a one-off viral post.
• Create content for your customers, not the algorithm. Platforms will always change the rules. Your audience’s needs will not.

Not sure where to start? Here are some suggestions for content you can make with your cell phone.

Final Word

The algorithm rewards engagement, but don’t let that drive you into rage bait or viral gimmicks. Virality is not a business strategy. Trust, authority, and relevance are.

Stay focused on your audience and you will create the kind of social media presence that actually drives growth, not just views.