Discovery

In the case of social media, discovery is the process through which users find and encounter fresh content, profiles, brands, or topics on a digital platform—often without any intentional searching. It's the way users gain access to new forms, figures, and noises: the stuff of contemporary life. Some might say it's the same as 'finding' something, and indeed, the serendipity loop of 'find' and 'discover' is a well-worn passage for earning engagement and growth for individuals, influencers, and businesses alike.

When users discover something on a social media platform, they are often doing so with the assistance of algorithms—that is, recommendations that make it seem as if a given piece of content was waiting specifically for them to encounter it. Alternatively, it might be something trending, poking just barely above the surface of social conversation, or a platform-facilitated exploration of the user's own subterranean interests—that is, what the user has been in the mood/content state to see and hear for no particular reason other than that reason. For creators and businesses, discovery represents a powerful opportunity to expand visibility beyond an existing audience.

Factors that enhance the potential for discovery range from the strategic use of keywords to the crafting of amusing and engaging posts. At the end of the day, you're only as discoverable as you are interesting.