The Secret Reason Marketing Results Tank — And What You Can Do About It

A cautionary tale about TikTok, other social platforms, and online advertising channels.

A marketer posted a cry for help on a public forum last week:

“Engagement on TikTok went down significantly … HELP!” 

He used to get 10,000+ views and “lots of engagement” with each TikTok post. All of a sudden, views and engagement plummeted.

“We are lucky to get a couple of hundred views and 10 or so likes!” 

(Yikes! ) 

His content strategy hasn’t changed. He complies with TikTok policies.

So what gives?

The advice flowed fast and furious.

One guy suggested his content is stale. “Time to take it up a notch.” 

Another suggested he should, “experiment with different types of content and see what works.” 

And then someone dropped the A-WORD. 

“Algorithm changes happen, and it’s not always in your favor.”

Ahhh… the almighty, mysterious algorithm.

Somewhere in the deep, dark depths of TikTok HQ, programmers tap on keyboards to create the algorithm — the rules. 

(Same goes for every social media platform online advertising services like Google). 

Those rules determine whether your posts or ads rise to the top or sink to the bottom. 

Those rules often control whether you get 10,000+ views or “a couple hundred.” 

Those rules control whether you’re seen and heard. 

With the click of a keyboard, those rules can dramatically change.

And those in control don’t tell you the rules or announce the changes. 

The algorithm is a secret. 

You discover the algorithm change only when your results tank for no apparent reason. 

And there’s little you can do about it because…

…the algorithm is beyond your control.

I prefer to be in control. That’s why I depend most on email to generate sales. 

Sure, I use a variety of other channels — including social media and online advertising — to generate leads.

But I don’t rely on those algorithm-powered channels to make the sale. 

I drive leads to my email list where I have more control. 

Same goes for Kim Garst, a Forbes top 10 Social Media Power Influencer with 23,772 followers on LinkedIn. who says only 3% of her sales come from social media. 

Like me, Kim uses social media to “make connections with people.” 

Once the connection is made, “I have to move them to my own real estate…”

…a.k.a. her email list. 

I’ve been running email campaigns for nearly a quarter-century and results have been consistently great. 

I’ve never had results tank the way they so often do on other channels. 

Why? 

Because with email, I’m not at the mercy of algorithms.

Yes, I have to contend with spam filters. And you have to know what you’re doing to maximize deliverability.

But it’s not beyond my control. With some basic knowledge and best-practices that haven’t changed much through the years, you can consistently achieve delivery rates of 99%+. 

Results don’t depend on the algorithm-writers. Results depend on you and the quality of the emails you send. 

That’s why I’m launching Email Marketing Power soon — so you can create and deliver high-quality, business-building emails — with consistency and ease.