Social media is so ingrained in our culture that it’s now a daily activity for the majority of people across the globe, and old and new platforms, such as TikTok and Twitch, are attracting brands who want to advertise to engage new audiences. With so many users on these platforms, there’s a need to create order and relevancy, and an algorithm does just that. Social media algorithms are always changing, making it difficult for marketers to keep up. There’s no way to know every detail that goes into each change, but we have a good idea. The algorithm in play dictates where you rank in social media ads and content placement on a user’s feed.
In this guide
you’ll find out what an algorithm is, the different social media algorithms, and how to optimize your content distribution and engagement for social media. We’ll look at the algorithms of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. What Are Social Media Algorithms? An algorithm is a mathematical set of rules specifying how a group of data behaves. In social media, algorithms help maintain order and assist in ranking search results and advertisements. On Facebook, for example, there is an algorithm that directs pages and content to display in a certain order. (There are some great Facebook algorithm engagement hacks you can use if you’re looking to attract more views.) It’s estimated that 60 percent of the world’s population uses social media, with 150 million users coming on board to April 2023. That’s a massive undertaking to monitor and manage.
That’s a massive undertaking to monitor and manage
One of the major shifts in the past few years has been a user-friendly focus, much like the one Google ranks by. This encourages social media users to submit relevant, high-quality content, and engage with consumers. Why Do Social Algorithms Exist & Why Do They Change? Algorithms are used on social media to sort content in a user’s feed. With so much content available, it’s a way for social networks to prioritize content they think a user will like based on a number of factors. As a marketer that may sound wonderful as it gets your content in front of the right people. But be warned, social media algorithms are by no means perfect. The purpose of an algorithm is to filter out irrelevant content or content that’s not high quality. This puts your content at risk of being buried or hidden from feeds if it does not fit the criteria. Plus, as Google introduces a new ranking signal into the mix – page experience – it’s key that you brief yourself on core web vitals to ensure your content gets seen by bots and users.