Creativity vs. Configuration: What Really Drives Content Performance?

By Chrissie Zavicar

I've come across two extremes when it comes to creating on social:

• Those who say, "I want to engage in all the technical things to beat it!"
• And those who say, "I will NOT be defined by an algorithm."

Both perspectives are valid, but I invite you to recognize that neither extreme is the full story.

As much as we want to believe we own our content all the time, when we are building on borrowed land, it's important to understand the system you're creating inside of.

The platforms we post on have their own incentives. Their feeds reflect those incentives. And while authenticity should always be the goal, ignoring how distribution works won’t make it irrelevant, it just makes your content harder to find.

The Four Forces Behind Visibility

When people ask how social visibility really works, I break it down like this:

1. Content quality. It has to resonate. It has to be worth engaging. That’s step zero.
2. Attention triggers. Humans scroll fast. Faces, motion, and strong visuals stop us. That’s not algorithmic, that’s physiological.
3. Platform configuration. The algorithm is always changing. Portrait video is hot today because of TikTok . You don’t control this, but you can pay attention to it.
4. Business incentives. Platforms prioritize what serves them. If a new format or feature is being pushed, it’s not random, it’s product strategy.

What I See in Practice

Some people refuse to bend their voice to fit a system.

Others are building entire brands around mastering platform mechanics -- sharing daily tips on how to format posts, hook attention, and stay inside the algorithmic sweet spot.

Both approaches have value, but the game is fluid. There’s no single playbook.

There’s a shifting mix of:

• How humans behave
• How platforms evolve
• And how businesses prioritize

It's also critical to not just read about trends, but to spend time within the platforms themselves.

This is why I've I would rather hire a 20-something (or one of my kids if they were willing) who lives inside a particular channel than a "classically trained marketer" who doesn't spend time on social media.

What I Tell Clients

If you’re trying to build traction on social, here’s the simplest version of what I do:

1. Create something that’s actually worth someone’s time.
2. Make sure it looks like something they’d stop to notice.
3. Then, and only then, shape it for the feed.

Because the truth is: just posting what’s “authentic” won’t always travel. And trying to hack distribution without substance won’t stick.

Final Word

Create with intent. Distribute with awareness.

That’s how you keep your voice and keep it heard.

About Stacked Influence

Stacked Influence shares what we’ve learned by working with startups, Fortune 100 companies, and within professional and collegiate sports -- one of us on the field, the other in the front office. We bring expertise in entrepreneurship, investment strategy, branding, eCommerce, and marketing. Our support spans fractional to full-scale, always focused on clarity, trust, and real-world results. Each issue delivers insight you can apply, because we’re always at go. Visit stackbrands.com for more.