From Platform Logic to Creative Agency: Negotiating Visibility on TikTok and Instagram in the Saudi Context
Abstract
This research explores the role of social media platforms as dynamic environments that shape human perception and digital visibility. Platform-driven biases, alongside content creators’ limited understanding of platform systems (Souza, 2020), contribute to visibility challenges within the Saudi social media landscape. This research argues that creative negotiation provides a means to navigate these constraints without compromising professional value. The methodology combines research-led literature on platform dynamics and recommender systems with practice-based research through the production of three short videos and reflective practice to evaluate production decisions. Each video was produced in two versions, with performance compared through view counts. Findings show that production quality, the vertical turn (9:16), strategic timing, and #hashtag use function as cognitive tools that translate human behaviour into platform visibility priorities. The study presents an applied model linking platform logic with creative agency and offers practical strategies for improving audience reach.