From Going Viral to Building Value: Strategic Communication in the Algorithmic Age

Abstract

In the algorithmic age, strategic communication has undergone a profound transformation—from the pursuit of viral visibility to the cultivation of meaningful value. This study explores how communicators navigate the complex interplay between algorithmic performance metrics and human-centered values such as authenticity, ethics, and trust. Drawing on qualitative interviews with digital strategists, influencers, and communication professionals, complemented by digital content analysis, the research identifies three key dynamics reshaping the communicative landscape: algorithmic literacy as a new professional competence, the authenticity tension in self-presentation, and the rise of value-centered communication frameworks. Findings reveal that while algorithmic systems incentivize emotional intensity and frequency of engagement, communicators increasingly prioritize purpose-driven content that fosters long-term audience relationships and ethical credibility. This evolution redefines the role of communicators as algorithmic negotiators professionals who balance engagement optimization with moral responsibility and relational storytelling.Theoretically, the study contributes to digital communication scholarship by reframing virality not as an endpoint but as a phase within the larger process of value cultivation. Practically, it offers an emerging model of sustainable digital communication, where visibility serves meaning rather than merely capturing attention. Ultimately, the research argues that in a data-driven communication ecosystem, the most valuable commodity is not visibility but trust, positioning ethical and relational integrity as the core measures of success in the algorithmic era.