As of February 2025, approximately 63.9 percent of the world’s population uses social media—a whopping 5.24 billion people. With so many social media users, how can platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook give every user a personalized feed? The answer is social media algorithms!
These algorithms play an integral role in curating the content each user is served, but many still don’t understand how they work. Keep reading to learn why social media algorithms are so important and how to use them to your advantage as a digital marketer or content creator!
What are social media algorithms?
A social media algorithm is a set of rules and calculations that determine how content is filtered, ranked, and recommended to users. These algorithms are designed to feed users the content they’re most interested in seeing based on users’ past activity on the site, post popularity, content relevance, and multiple other factors. The idea is that delivering users personalized content will create a better user experience, thereby incentivizing them to stay on the platform for longer.
How do social media algorithms work?
Social media algorithms work in mysterious ways, and there is no one set formula that governs every algorithm across all social media sites. However, most, if not all, social media algorithms have several qualities in common.
One of the most critical factors affecting the algorithm is relevancy. When you interact with a specific kind of content frequently on a social media platform, this lets the algorithm know that you’re interested in this type of content, meaning the algorithm is more likely to recommend similar content to you in the future. Essentially, you tell the algorithm what kind of content you want to see through your behavior on the site, and it delivers that content to your feed.
This applies not only to user-generated content but also to advertisements. The ads you’re served on social media are tailored to your unique tastes and interests, increasing the likelihood of your interest in the product or service.
In addition to relevancy, many other factors impact the algorithm, such as:
- Profile authority: profiles with more followers and engagement are deemed more interesting to users and are likely to be recommended
- Recency: newer posts are favored over older ones
- User engagement: likes, comments, and shares signal that users find a piece of content engaging and interesting
- Location: algorithms consider users’ demographics and location; this means similar content is often recommended to users in the same area
- Virality: content that gains rapid attention and popularity is more likely to be recommended
Combined, these factors allow the algorithm to deliver trending content relevant to your interests, keeping you hooked on the platform for longer.
The Importance of Social Media Algorithms
Social media algorithms are crucial to user experience because they help filter the content you’re uninterested in and give you more personalized content recommendations based on your past interactions. These algorithms are equally vital for content creators and digital marketers attempting to elevate their online presence, as they reward high engagement by spreading your content to a broader audience.
Plus, as more and more users interact with your posts, the algorithm can better determine what types of users your content should be recommended to. In other words, the algorithm helps content creators and consumers with similar interests find each other, making digital marketers’ jobs exponentially easier.
Top Social Media Algorithms Explained
- TikTok’s algorithm considers captions, hashtags, user interaction, location, language, and device type when recommending content on the “For You” page. This platform allows anyone to make a viral video, regardless of how many followers they have, as long as they create optimized content for their intended audience.
- Instagram’s algorithm considers interest, follower count, relationship with a user, time posted, and session time when recommending content on the “Home” and “Explore” pages. Certain content formats are recommended more frequently, with Reels and Carousels performing best on the platform.
- YouTube’s algorithm considers watch hours, video performance, related content, and watch history when recommending “Home” page content. To reduce the spread of misinformation, YouTube favors videos from authoritative, trustworthy, and experienced sources.
- LinkedIn’s algorithm considers engagement (likes and comments), hashtags, connections, and time when recommending “Home” page content. As a professional networking website, LinkedIn prioritizes quality content relevant to users in a specific field, especially if that content has been interacted with by other users in their network.
How to Use Social Media Algorithms to Boost Visibility
- Encourage interaction
Engagement is key to getting your content picked up by the algorithm, so find ways to encourage users to like and share your posts without simply begging for comments and follows. For instance, ask a question under one of your feed posts to facilitate a discussion or create a contest where users enter by reposting a story.
- Utilize keywords and hashtags
When you don’t use keywords in your hashtags and captions, the algorithm has a harder time classifying your content and delivering it to users who might be interested. Include a few relevant hashtags for each post while keeping an eye out for trending keywords.
- Post more videos
Many social media platforms are heavily promoting video content right now, as this kind of content is proven to keep users engaged. On Instagram, Reels helps widen your audience by distributing your content to users who aren’t following you yet.
- Get the timing right
Recency is a factor in many social media algorithms, meaning the timing of your posts is essential. To create an ideal posting schedule, get to know your target audience’s behavior, including when they’re most active on social media.
- Take advantage of trends
Trending topics are a fantastic way to get your content out there, but you shouldn’t follow every trend you see. Pick and choose the ones that align with your brand for the best results.
Go Beyond The Social With BlueTickSocial
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Additional Sources:
2024 Social Media Algorithms: A Guide for All Networks
Everything You Need to Know About Social Media Algorithms
How Do Social Media Algorithms Work?
How Do Social Media Algorithms Work in 2024?
Understanding Social Media Algorithm
