Algorithm-Proofing Your Demand Generation Programs

I was talking to a friend the other day about how Google’s “AI Overviews and More” is changing the way search algorithms work. Teams have spent years thoughtfully building up an organic presence in hopes that their site will appear as the first result to users. They’ve played the game, followed the rules, built unique content and now…tough luck kid, Google itself is going to be the first result.

I shared with her a similar experience I had with Facebook targeting parameters in 2023. Facebook used to offer four location-based choices:

1. People living in or recently in this location
2. People living in this location
3. People recently in this location
4. People traveling in this location

Then one day, with no announcement,  those options were simply gone and “people living in or recently in this location” was the only choice. That change tanked my performance for about three months until I figured out how to work around it.

It’s actually heartbreaking. But it’s also completely expected. Because here’s the thing, algorithms, features, and policies change all the time. And when they do, we have to adapt quickly or fall behind. But what if we, as demand generation experts, could build a program that anticipates this change and incorporates algorithm-proof tactics into our strategy?

While my Facebook experience was annoying, it prompted me to start building sturdier demand generation programs. I took a step back to reassess how vulnerable my programs were to external threats and the answer was: very. And so, I changed it. Here are the steps I took to build a resilient, AI-compatible demand generation program.

1.  Take a step back and look at the strategy 

   If your demand generation program is just a series of campaigns that are broadly targeting an audience (or, in some cases targeting too narrow of an audience) then you are very vulnerable to algorithmic changes. You need to build a strong foundation that outlines your metrics, your audience, their motivations, and where they generally find information. Then, you need to tie all of these components together to create a cohesive user journey that offers multiple types of touchpoints. Having this foundation will make it easier to diversify channels or content types while still staying within your target market.

2. Become the go-to source of information for your target market

   Personally, I think with the latest Google features people are going to start looking for information in other places. The reliability of the “AI Overviews and More” feature is so bad that Google is quickly losing trust among users. Now is the time to take this opportunity and become a trusted expert source of information for your target audience. This starts by having a really good content strategy that actually serves the users’ needs. It means less SEO content, less leadership-driven think pieces, and fewer product-first offers. However, the trade off is using your high quality content to generate high quality leads. If your content is actually solving a problem, providing advice, or helping users, then they’re going to keep coming back to your site for answers. In an age when algorithms are changing, the only thing you can control is your own footprint. Own it, leverage it, optimize it. 
   
   Reinforce this step by offering opt-ins for your email nurture and newsletter programs to maintain a consistent flow of communication. Having a direct relationship with your users is gold, so maximize the potential and become the ultimate source of truth.

3. Build your own audiences

   As your database grows, build your own first-person data sets to rely on lookalike audiences instead of audience parameters generated by your external channel. That way you own the data and can use it much more specifically than you could use built-in targeting parameters. I’d recommend being very thoughtful about the data you collect here. Look beyond basic demographic segmentation and think about what affinity data points might influence your targeting capabilities.

4. Explore new offline channels like direct mail

   Okay hear me out. I was born and raised on digital demand generation tactics. They work, they’re pretty cheap, they’re easy and fast to tweak. But it’s just not enough anymore. I was recently having a chat with someone who was leveraging direct mail (like…sending snail mail through the USPS) and it was their best performing channel. They figured out that their audience wasn’t spending most of its time online, so they showed up in the channels where they wouldn’t be missed: in real life. Think about where your audience might be offline and show up there. You’re unlikely to have a lot of competition and it could just end up being a high performing channel.

5. Leverage existing clients to build a strong referral program

   I’ve never met a company that didn’t rely on referrals way more than they wanted to admit. I’ve also never understood that. If referrals are your best leads, then go with it! Build a demand generation program that enables your current clients to refer their network. Help them become champions with relevant content that they can share in their own circles, build a specific nurture flow for referrals, write BDR scripts that leverage knowledge gained from a referral, and watch the success rate skyrocket. A referral is a golden lead that has absolutely nothing to do with an algorithm. Don’t let it rot on the vine.

6. Train your team to adapt 

   The biggest threat to a demand generation program’s success is the team’s inability to be flexible. If an algorithm changes you don’t have time or budget to panic. You can’t afford to keep doing the same things hoping you get the same result. Train your team to be flexible by teaching them it’s okay to try new things and it’s okay to admit when something isn’t working anymore. 

7. Expect that there will be changes, they will impact your programs, but you will get them back on track. 

   Okay the biggest threat to a demand generation program’s success is actually expectations. The reality is that - even with no algorithmic changes - the number of leads you’re generating will fluctuate, sometimes dramatically and sometimes quickly. Don’t let executives or sales teams freak you out about dips, and stay the course. Try to encourage your teams to look at performance metrics from a monthly or quarterly view and - if you can - limit the capability to see daily metrics for anyone who isn’t on the marketing team. And if you are seeing a dip but you don’t know why, there’s probably been an algorithm change that you don’t know about. Do some research and see what you can find, but oftentimes there’s no public information. Reddit is a great sleuthing source and a lot of product-sponsored user forums will give you inside intel as the power users notice changes first. 

A good demand generation strategy will, at some level, always be subject to the whims of others. That’s because you’re aiming to engage your target audience at the right time, in the right place, which means being present on the channels that your audience is participating in. That’s likely always going to include social media and search (at least for the next few years until the internet as we know it completely changes).

But algorithms will change, platforms will shift, user preferences will do a 180 overnight. It’s inevitable and it’s something you can’t control. That doesn’t mean that these external threats have to take down your wildly successful demand generation program. Build a program that is sturdy enough to withstand the storm. Don’t let others’ opinions freak you out and don’t fall victim to the anxiety that takes over LinkedIn whenever there’s a change. Stay your course, make your adjustments, and keep hitting your targets. You got this!