The Influence of Social Media Algorithms on Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa

The article aims to investigate the influence of social media algorithms on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa which creates ability for SMEs to adapt to the evolving landscape. Algorithms are rules, signals, and data that govern the operation of social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram. These algorithms determine how content is filtered, ranked, selected, and recommended to users. Algorithms can play an important role in selecting what information is considered to be relevant to SMEs. This means that SME owners will be able to access information related to their business, which helps in terms of adapting to the changing environment. However, the article found that SMEs find it difficult to take advantage of algorithms due to challenges such as choosing the right platforms, balancing multiple platforms, expensive data, and lack of knowledge, which limits their ability to adapt to evolving landscapes. This article adopted a qualitative research methodology. It argues that a good understanding of social media algorithms can enable SMEs to adapt to the evolving landscape in South Africa. It recommends that SMEs should conduct thorough market research to select the most appropriate social media platforms for their target audience, instead of spreading themselves too thin across multiple platforms.