It’s Girl Math On Another Level 📈

How often have you joked that your “government agent” heard what you were talking about and put it on your social media feed? Too many times to count.

Plot twist: It’s just social media algorithms doing their thing.

Your next question probably is, “Scott Social—how the heck am I supposed to keep up with social media algorithms if they keep changing?” And that’s the tea, isn’t it? Keeping up can be tough, but having a basic understanding of how social media algorithms work can ease the pain of those constant changes just a little bit.

We’re breaking down the complex and fascinating mechanisms that determine what you see on your favorite platforms. You have to start from somewhere! ⬇️

Understanding the Beast: What's a Social Media Algorithm?

A social media algorithm is like your personal assistant, sifting through never-ending files of content to bring you what it thinks you'll love. It's a dynamic system of parameters and calculations that consider your past behaviors, relevance, and popularity to prioritize the content that pops up on your feed.

How Do These Algorithms Work?

The magic of the algorithms lies in filtering content based on a few key factors like relevance, interactions, and sponsored content. Algorithms are keen observers, taking note of what you interact with and what you scroll past and strategically placing sponsored posts on your feed based on your interests. 

How social media algorithms work differs for every platform, so keeping it all straight can get a little confusing. Keep scrolling for a breakdown of what each social platform’s algorithm is largely based on. 👇

Instagram’s Algorithm Is Based On…

Feed and Stories

• Your activity- How many posts you’ve liked from an account

• Interactions- How many times you’ve liked, commented, saved, or shared content from accounts you follow

• Post details- How many users liked a post, when the post went out, and it's medium (i.e. video, carousel, static image

• Information about the account that posted the content

Explore Feed

• Content you've recently viewed, liked, or commented on

Reels Feed

• New content from accounts you don’t follow

• Previous interests

• Predictions based on content the algorithm thinks you’ll enjoy and consume in its entirety

TikTok’s Algorithm Is Based On…

• Prioritizing new content

• Video details- Hashtags, captions, sounds, and effects

• Past interactions

• Account/device indicators- Deice type, language preferences, and location

Facebook’s Algorithm Is Based On…

• Friends and followers

• Engagement metrics- Facebook boosts content with higher engagement 

• Content type- What you engage with most is what the algorithm will show on your feed

• Content quality- Authentic, informative, and accurate content ranks higher on the platform

Twitter’s Algorithm Is Based On…

• User interactions

• Relevant topics

• Popularity of discussions- Hello, trending topics!

• Recent publications- New content is prioritized and shown first in the feed

LinkedIn’s Algorithm Is Based On…

• Quality of posts- “Quality” on LinkedIn means posts that are easily readable, include strong keywords, and encourage engagement from your connections 

• Early engagement

• Your connections- Your content gets pumped out to your connections first

YouTube’s Algorithm Is Based On…

• Your watch history

• Video performance

• Related content- Videos that users might often watch together

Pinterest’s Algorithm is Based On…

• Quality pins

• Website ownership- Pins that have a website attached are considered to be of higher quality to the algorithm 

• Engagement

You’ve Got the Basics…Now What?

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by these algorithms? Our team is ready to step in and take over your socials! The Scotties, aka the best social media experts out there, handle these ever-changing algorithms every day so small business owners like you don’t have to. 

If you're ready to make the social media algorithm your brand’s you-know-what, we’re here to make it happen!