To hear some people talk about social media, you would think that the algorithm is a mysterious black box, or maybe just magic.
In reality, social media algorithms are ways to process huge amounts of data in order to deliver personalized content social media users want to see.
Let's explore how social media algorithms work and what you can do to improve your content quality and encourage engagement.
What are social media algorithms?
Social media algorithms work by using highly complex math to make decisions. They prioritize both relevance and user engagement (likes, comments, or shares on a post) to determine what shows up on users' feeds.
Social media algorithms exist to help manage the sheer size of platforms. Social media companies took inspiration from other companies developing recommendation engines to build social algorithms that could lead users to high-quality content.
Ranking content based on user preferences makes content relevant to each individual user and minimizes content that is deemed irrelevant (which could essentially drive users elsewhere).
How do social media algorithms work?
All the activity on social media platforms is just data. The algorithm analyzes user behavior, their preferences, and how they interact with different content on the platform to figure out the most relevant content for each individual user.
Different data points are known as ranking signals. Here are some examples:
- Engagement: Likes, shares, comments, and saves.
- Relevance: Keywords, topics, or trends a user follows.
- Timeliness: How recent the content is.
- Relationships: Who users interact with most frequently.
Why are social media algorithms important?
In very early social media, everything was chronological. But as these platforms evolved and users grew, the algorithm became one of the ways to help cut through all the noise.
Much like a streaming platform suggesting new shows or Amazon suggesting products (both based on past behavior), social media algorithms also suggest content the user might love. Without it, individuals and companies would struggle to find each other.
It's especially important for businesses to know and understand the algorithm, including key ranking signals. A social media marketing strategy can help businesses make content that includes elements the algorithm prioritizes.
Social media algorithms by platform
A general recommendation algorithm reads the data from individuals and other users like them and uses it to connect people to content they might love. However, specific ranking signals vary based on the social media network. Let's explore how it works on each social platform.
X algorithm
The X, formerly Twitter, algorithm goes through three stages. First, it sources potential posts from two main places: in-network sources, which are accounts a particular user follows, and out-of-network sources, which the user doesn't. The algorithm scores these sources based on activity and engagement and whether the content is similar to previous content the user interacted with.
Once the algorithm chooses relevant content, it applies filters to ensure quality and provide a little variety. This gives users a personalized, interesting feed.
Facebook algorithm
Facebook uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help users discover content they like. Meta is very clear that this doesn't leave social media users powerless over their feeds. Instead, user preferences, aka their choices while on the platform, determine the content they see.
For example, if a user shares a post, the Facebook algorithm notes that this type of content must be important or valuable to them. The algorithm uses 22 different "cards" or factors to determine the likelihood a user might like a piece of content. These cover a variety of content types like Reels and the Feed. Then, "signals" give an additional level of detail.
Instagram algorithm
Since both Instagram and Facebook fall under Meta, they both use the same recommender algorithms with similar ranking signals.
Content interactions on both platforms help refine what users see in each feed. It's based not only on the topics they're interested in, but also on the type of content. If users are interacting more with carousel posts, they will be recommended more carousel posts.
There is no single Instagram algorithm. Instead, each part of the app, like the Explore page or Stories, has its own algorithm. The platform also gives users the ability to reset the algorithms and recommendations they receive so they can start over.
TikTok algorithm
TikTok displays a "For You" page for users, full of content it thinks they'll like. It uses various signals, such as previous interactions and mutual connections, to predict what type of content they'd like. Similar to other platforms, suggested content will change over time as users' behavior changes.
TikTok's algorithm really does prioritize engagement. If a piece of content has a lot of likes, shares, and comments, especially in the first few hours, the algorithm decides that it probably has value and starts to show it to a wider audience. For businesses, the number of followers is also important. The algorithm is more likely to show users your future content if they have already engaged with it.
There are also clear things the algorithm will deprioritize. Duplicate content or content that feels like spam will probably not be shown on the "For You" page. Additionally, videos just uploaded won't show yet, but as the video gains traction, the algorithm may begin to recommend it.
YouTube algorithm
YouTube's algorithm is a collection of systems that work to figure out what you like. Its homepage is the first connection users will have with new content. To fill it with YouTube videos they love, the algorithm analyzes things like new uploads from subscriptions, watch history, and trending videos among viewers of the same type.
Even more important, YouTube also functions as a type of search engine, with a lot of traffic happening because users are searching for specific things. For this part, the algorithm considers keywords, engagement metrics, and audience satisfaction. For the last one, it looks at how users behave after they view your video. If they stick around and watch more content, the algorithm labels it with a higher value.
LinkedIn algorithm
LinkedIn is a little different from other social platforms. Rather than prioritizing interest, LinkedIn wants to give users relevant professional content from experts in the field.
It starts by deciding if the content is spam or not. Spammy posts might include reaction polls designed to artificially boost engagement or overt requests for likes. Then, it closely watches a post to see how valuable it is to others. It really prioritizes meaningful user interactions, especially from those in relevant fields.
Pinterest algorithm
The Pinterest algorithm prioritizes high-quality images and well-crafted keywords and captions.
It looks at domain quality (is your business's site trustworthy?), pin quality (does your pin use a high-quality image in the right dimensions?), and topic relevance (are users searching for it?).
Additionally, if you're also interacting on the platform and using rich pins to provide more value to pinners, you might trigger the algorithm to prioritize your pins.
Effective tips for overcoming social media algorithms
Overcoming can be a strong word, or at least it can feel that way at times. But we've got a few tips to help you refine your content strategy and turn the algorithm in your favor, no matter the platform.
Optimize your content for platform-specific algorithms
All platforms have algorithms. But the thing is, not all algorithms are the same. Each platform's algorithm prioritizes slightly different things.
While cross-posting, in some cases, can help save time, it only works if each platform has similar requirements. Instead, you'll want to adjust content to suit the platform itself. What stays the same is your brand, messaging, voice, and visuals, but you'll customize each post based on important ranking factors specific to that site.
A third-party social media management tool, like Brandwatch, can help you create, edit, and post content based on the specific platform's guidelines. It can also help you quickly view content to ensure consistency across different social media accounts.
Post consistently at peak engagement times
Algorithms across platforms like to see consistency and engagement from content because it demonstrates that the content is valuable. Paying close attention to analytics can help you figure out how often to post and when.
There are general guidelines for most social media platforms. For example, X sees the most engagement on Wednesdays and Fridays. It can also make sense to consider in which industry you operate. Our research has shown that Fridays work best for entertainment brands, while CPG brands can drive more engagement on Tuesdays.
But these are only places to start. As you gather more data on your social media content, pay attention to when people seem the most engaged and what types of content they seem to like.
Additionally, you can look at competitors and their audiences to see what resonates and consider your own audience demographics, like location and time zone, to better refine when you post and how often.
Leverage trending topics and hashtags strategically
Trending topics are things that everyone is talking about. It could be a current event or a breaking news topic, but whatever it is, there are a lot of conversations about it. Because people are showing an interest in it, the algorithm will often give priority to content that's about the same topic.
Likewise, trending hashtags are labels that help people find relevant content. Sometimes, these hashtags go along with trending topics, but at times, the hashtags are events in themselves. They might signal a conversation happening on that particular platform or a challenge.
Using both of these trends can help some of your social media posts gain more visibility. The best timing is to be ahead of the trend rather than behind it. A social media management tool can help you to discover trending topics and hashtags so you can create content that relates.
Focus on creating shareable, high-quality content
For individuals, social media can be a time to experiment and be casual. Companies, however, should stick to high-quality, highly shareable content. Each platform has guidelines for each type of content, so tailor your content to each platform's strengths to boost engagement and algorithmic visibility:
- X: Post short, snappy updates with relevant hashtags, images, or GIFs. Join trending conversations to increase reach.
- Facebook: Share a mix of text, images, videos, and live streams. Focus on content that sparks sincere user interactions, like group posts and Stories.
- Instagram: Prioritize Reels, carousel posts, and high-quality photos. Use interactive Stories with polls or quizzes to drive engagement.
- TikTok: Create short, entertaining video content with trending audio and hashtags. Participate in viral trends or challenges for better reach.
- YouTube: Combine longer-form videos (e.g., tutorials) with Shorts for quick engagement. Use strong thumbnails and compelling titles.
- LinkedIn: Post professional insights, career stories, and team achievements. Documents, videos, and polls diversify your content and boost visibility.
- Pinterest: Focus on vertical images, infographics, and tutorials
Engage actively with your audience
Social media is social. Your posts might be curated, but your follow-ups to comments, questions, and shares can give you the opportunity to interact with existing and new followers more casually.
You'll still need to follow brand guidelines for voice and interactions, but every time you're able to extend the conversation and interaction with a specific post, you'll signal to the algorithm that people find valuable content. The more meaningful user interactions you have on social media, the more your followers will continue to interact.
Use videos and interactive content to boost visibility
Speaking of interactions, many social media platforms offer embedded tools designed to encourage followers to interact with a post. Adding these interactive elements like polls gives users a little nudge to answer without asking them to type a long reply. For mobile users, which make up 60% of web traffic, this can be especially effective.
Additionally, rich media like videos tend to outperform simple text and even photos, with a few caveats. In general, videos are highly effective media to get people to stop scrolling. As you watch your own analytics, consider how videos perform against other types of media for your specific audience to understand an appropriate content balance for your strategy on each platform.
Collaborate with influencers to expand your reach
Strategic partnerships with influencers can also help widen your audience reach. When you find an influencer that already uses your product or service, you have the opportunity to reach their existing audience. That audience trusts them, and some of that credibility could transfer to your brand.
The partnership has to feel authentic, though, so be wary of partnering with someone just because of follower count. If you find an influencer with a slightly lower follower count or even a micro-influencer with a perfect audience, that will nearly always land better than an influencer whose brand doesn't make sense for your partnership.
A McKinsey deep dive found that people are less tolerant of advertising on social media, and Gen Z is particularly good at ignoring marketing. That said, influencer marketing is still a significant driver of sales, provided the influencer offers a highly tailored niche. Keep that in mind.
Monitor analytics and adjust your strategy accordingly
We can't say enough good things about analytics. This kind of data is an invaluable resource for understanding your audience's preferences and behaviors. You want to provide value to potential customers, so knowing what they want gives you the elements to base your marketing on reality instead of speculation.
Nearly all platforms offer some sort of analytics within the platform itself, but using a third-party tool can open up a level of granular detail you can't get from the platforms. Social media management platforms, like Brandwatch, allow you to plan and create content tailored to specific platforms and analyze their performance all from one place.
By using our tool to manage your digital marketing, you'll have access to advanced analytics like sentiment analysis, as well as social listening tools. You can manage organic, paid, and influencer marketing, discover trends relevant to your brand, and get a single view of your social media activity. With all your data in one user-friendly dashboard, you can make informed decisions.
Deciphering the algorithm one platform at a time
Social media algorithms may be complex, but they aren't a mystery. They're somewhat predictable if you know your own audience data and follow the guidelines set by each social media platform. Focus on creating value-driven, engaging content while staying attuned to platform trends, and there's a good chance you'll see your account grow.
FAQs
Let's handle some common questions about social media algorithms.
How do social media algorithms determine which content to showcase?
Social media algorithms ingest massive amounts of data — everything from when a person is online to what makes them interact to who they're connected to — to match a type of content. Once it makes a match, the algorithm adds that content to a user's feed and records how the user reacts. This further refines the algorithm's suggestions.
Are social media algorithms the same across all platforms?
No. While all social media algorithms want to recommend the right content for you, their main priorities and methods might be different.
Do hashtags help in improving reach with social media algorithms?
Yes, relevant hashtags can help your ideal audience find your content. They also help the algorithm match your content to users with a relevant search history or behavior.
How frequently should I post to perform well with the algorithm?
Consistency is often more important than frequency. You want to maintain regular posting, so there's always something fresh for the algorithm to index. Additionally, checking your audience data can help you determine how often to post for better engagement.
How can I stay updated on changes to social media algorithms?
Several of the major social media platforms have resource sections and blogs to help you understand updates and adjust your strategy. Our social media news week blog can also help you keep up with the latest changes and news.
