Social Algorithms

Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta use algorithms to determine what content is displayed to users, but they do it in slightly different ways. Here’s a simplified overview of how these platforms work when you, as a user, follow a page but do not interact with the posts:

Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes content by meaningful interactions and engagement. It uses several signals to determine the relevance of a post to a user:

•Newer posts are more likely to appear in the feed.

•Content from friends, family, and pages you interact with most is prioritized.

•The type of media in the post (e.g., video, photo, link) and how it aligns with what you typically engage with.

•Posts with higher overall engagement (likes, comments, shares) may be shown more often.

•If you follow a page but never like, comment, or share its posts, Facebook’s algorithm may gradually lower the visibility of that page’s posts in your feed, under the assumption that you are less interested in that content.

Instagram’s algorithm is somewhat similar but with a stronger focus on visual content. It also prioritizes posts based on several key factors:

•Instagram predicts what posts you’ll care about based on you past interactions with similar types of content.

•Posts that are more recent will be prioritized.

•Content from accounts you interact with frequently through likes, comments, and other engagements is shown more often.

•How often you open Instagram influences how your feed is organized, as the algorithm tries to show the best posts since your last visit.

•Similar to Facebook, if you never interact with a page’s posts on Instagram, the algorithm is likely to deprioritize those posts in your feed over time, because it interprets your lack of interaction as a lack of interest.

On both platforms, non-interaction leads to a decrease in visibility for the content of the pages you follow. This is because the algorithms are designed to curate a feed that reflects your apparent interests based on your engagement. If you want to keep seeing posts from certain pages, interacting with their posts—through likes, comments, or shares—is key to signaling your interest to the algorithm.

These platforms are continuously updating their algorithms to enhance user experience, so stay informed about these changes to help you understand how content is being presented or how your content is being shown to others.

Written by Norja Vanderelst
Brand & Design Ninja at Colour Infusion
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