Algorithm

An algorithm is a set of rules and calculations used by social media platforms to determine what content to show to users and in what order.

How do social media algorithms work?

Social media algorithms are designed to optimize user engagement, and they take into account factors such as relevance, popularity, recency, and user behaviour.  Typically, machine learning techniques are used to analyze data on user activity and content characteristics, such as likes, comments, shares, clicks, and hashtags. Based on this analysis, the algorithm decides which posts to show to a particular user and in what order.

The specific algorithm used by each social media platform is proprietary and closely guarded by the company. However, social media platforms generally prioritize content that is relevant to the user, engaging, and from sources that the user has previously interacted with or shown interest in. Social media algorithms can also be influenced by factors such as advertising revenue, user feedback, and company policies.