What Social Media Algorithms Are Rewarding Now (And Why Authenticity Wins)

Square Moon • May 23, 2025

The surprising science behind what the algorithm really wants from your brand.

TL;DR:


Authenticity beats polish on social media. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn prioritize content with high watch time, replays, and shares — not production value.
What works now: short-form, face-forward, emotionally real content.
What’s fading: scripted promos, b-roll montages, and over-edited explainer videos.

If your brand wants to be seen and remembered, stop performing and start connecting. The algorithm rewards truth — so lead with your voice, not your visuals.


It’s Not About Being Slick — It’s About Being Seen


The scroll is ruthless. Flashy editing, clever transitions, cinematic music — all of it gets passed over in a heartbeat if what’s on screen doesn’t feel human.


It’s not that people are ignoring your content. It’s that they’re not connecting with it.
And here’s the kicker: the algorithms aren’t broken. They’re actually doing their job — they’re elevating what real people actually want to watch.


And what they want?
Isn’t perfection.
It’s personality.


The Algorithm Just Reflects What Humans Want


Let’s clear something up: platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn aren’t out to punish you. They’re built to reward attention — and authenticity earns it.


Dwell time, full watches, and shares are now the top-ranking signals across most major platforms:

  • On LinkedIn, dwell time (how long someone lingers on your post) now ranks higher than clicks or likes. [source]
  • Instagram Reels are ranked based on watch time, shares, and replays — not production value. [source]
  • TikTok’s algorithm promotes videos based on how long viewers stick around, regardless of how many followers you have. [source]


So if your content is all sizzle and no soul, don’t blame the algorithm — blame the lack of connection.


What the Platforms Are Quietly Burying


Let’s be blunt. These formats just aren’t pulling their weight anymore:

  • ❌ Over-edited explainer videos that read like pitch decks
  • ❌ Voiceover-heavy promos with stiff, corporate scripts
  • ❌ Generic b-roll montages with zero narrative arc


Why? Because 88% of consumers say authenticity matters when deciding what brands to support, and 59% say they’re most likely to trust content that feels user-generated. [source]


That means your $10,000 studio shoot might be losing to a founder talking into their phone in bad lighting — simply because the latter feels real.


What’s Actually Performing


Across all platforms, the videos that are rising to the top have three things in common:

✅ They feature real faces, unscripted
✅ They speak directly to the viewer
✅ They have a human moment worth pausing for


According to Wistia, videos under 60 seconds consistently deliver the highest engagement across platforms. [source]

And when there's a face on screen — not stock footage or slides — engagement jumps. In fact, presence of a human face in UGC increases interaction rates significantly. [source]

It’s not about going viral. It’s about resonating — and that resonance begins with relatability.


How We Build for the New Social Reality

At Squaremoon, we never ask:

“How do we make this trend-worthy?”
We ask:
“What’s the truest thing this brand could say today?”

Then we film that.


We capture full conversations, not just sales soundbites — and from those, we carve out moments that work natively on social:


  • Founder clips that stop people mid-scroll
  • Behind-the-scenes moments that show the why, not just the what
  • Quote-driven videos that loop naturally and invite replay


We format for vertical, we add closed captions, we cut to the beat of real voices — and the platforms respond accordingly.


What You Can Do Right Now


Want to ride the algorithm shift without overthinking it?


Start here:

  1. Film a conversation, not a campaign
    Ask: “What’s one thing most people get wrong about what we do?”
  2. Find the honest sentence
    Look for the line that made you nod or laugh. That’s the post.
  3. Keep it short (under 60 seconds)
    Short-form videos have an 81%+ completion rate 30% of the time. [    source]
  4. Post it as-is
    No fancy cuts. Just you, your voice, and a good caption.


You’ll be surprised what happens when you stop trying to impress and start trying to connect.


The Takeaway: The Algorithm Favors Truth


This isn’t a trend — it’s a reset.


We’re in an era where human content wins. Because in the scroll of sameness, the most valuable currency is authenticity.

So if you’re spending more time polishing your video than thinking about what it says — you’re doing it backward.

Say something worth hearing. Then say it like you.

The platforms — and your audience — will do the rest.


Want Help Crafting Something People Will Actually Watch?


We’re Squaremoon. We don’t chase trends — we help brands say something real.

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Why Personality Beats Perfection in Modern Marketing

By Square Moon • May 23, 2025
TL;DR: If your brand’s video looks good but feels flat, the problem isn’t production quality — it’s personality. In an age of authenticity, the most powerful way to stand out isn’t by looking perfect — it’s by being real. The Problem with Polished There’s a formula we’ve all seen: Cue the drone footage. Enter inspirational music. Add a voiceover with phrases like “empowering solutions” and “driving innovation.” It’s technically sound. It’s safe. And it’s utterly forgettable. In a sea of highly produced sameness, most brands are polishing away the very thing audiences crave — humanity. At Squaremoon, we believe that marketing should reflect your brand’s voice, not just your value prop. The best videos aren’t perfect; they’re personal. They connect, not because they’re flawless, but because they’re true. Why Perfection Fails to Connect Here’s the truth: consumers are smart. They scroll fast, click faster, and sniff out inauthenticity before your logo even fades in. The minute something feels overly rehearsed, the brain tunes out. Why? Because perfection lacks friction — and friction is where story lives. That one awkward laugh. The honest “we had no idea what we were doing at first.” The founder who tears up describing the company’s origin story. These moments don’t just humanize — they anchor. Neuroscience backs this up. Studies in emotional memory show that people retain and trust emotionally rich, imperfect content far more than scripted messaging. It’s the same reason we remember a vulnerable TED Talk but forget a flashy brand launch. In other words: being real isn’t risky — being robotic is . The Age of Authenticity We’re living in what marketers now call the Authenticity Economy. Gen Z and millennials prioritize values, transparency, and relatability over production quality. User-generated content outperforms high-budget campaigns on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and even LinkedIn. Even major brands (think Dove, Patagonia, Duolingo) are shifting toward docu-style, unfiltered content. Why? Because in a world where everyone’s broadcasting, the winners are those who feel the most real. This trend isn’t a fad — it’s a full-blown shift in consumer psychology. And it’s exactly where your brand’s personality has power. Your Brand Personality Is a Strategic Asset A brand’s personality isn’t fluff — it’s your clearest competitive edge. It’s what makes people say: “There’s just something about them I like.” It informs how you speak, how you react, how you show up — on camera or in conversation. When you lean into your brand’s personality, you create a recognizable voice that builds emotional trust over time. But here’s the challenge: Most companies haven’t done the work to uncover that voice. Or worse — they’ve buried it under layers of branding “best practices.” That’s where we come in. How Squaremoon Builds Brand Personality We don’t start with scripts. We start with conversation. At Squaremoon, our video process is built around something simple but rare: listening. Here’s how we do it: Discovery Interviews We sit down with founders, team members, even customers — and just talk. No camera yet. We explore values, origin stories, philosophies, quirks, and the stuff that makes you tick. Narrative Mapping From those conversations, we identify your core story arcs — the emotional through-lines that shape how people perceive your brand. On-Camera Sessions With a deep understanding of your tone and truth, we film authentic, unscripted conversations. We guide, but we never manufacture. The result is footage that feels true to you. Editing for Emotion Here’s where the magic happens. We build your video around emotional clarity — not flash. Your words, your rhythm, your personality — elevated with subtlety, not drowned in graphics. What This Actually Does for Your Business Let’s be practical. All of this is great in theory — but what does personality-first video actually do for your brand? ✅ Higher Trust = Higher Conversion When people feel like they know you, they’re more likely to buy from you. Simple. ✅ Emotional Engagement = Stronger Recall Audiences remember how you made them feel — not your tagline. Personality sticks. ✅ Differentiation in a Saturated Market Most of your competitors sound the same. You? You sound like you. That’s powerful. ✅ Shareable, Evergreen Content A good story lasts. Unlike trend-based videos, personality-driven content holds value for years. What’s Next for Brands That Want to Be Understood  If you’re reading this and thinking, “Our video content is fine, but it doesn’t feel like us,” — we hear you. If you’ve done campaigns that looked great on the outside but left your team saying, “That’s not really who we are,” — we get it. You’re not alone. And you're not stuck. Whether you're just getting started or refreshing a stale strategy, you already have everything you need to tell a better story — your voice. Let us help you find it. Ready to Tell a Story That Sounds Like You? We’re Squaremoon. We don’t do hype — we help brands be understood. If you’re ready for video that shows the real you, we’d love to talk.