As a small business, you can use your understanding of Algorithms to become more effective on social media.

What is an Algorithm?

Algorithms are pieces of code that determine a website’s actions based on what the goal of the website is. Each algorithm is written into code by humans, with the goal of maximizing user experience.

What do Algorithms do?

The purpose of an algorithm is to enhance user experience, so users spend more time on the platform and are therefore exposed to more advertisements. The more advertisements that people are exposed to, the more revenue the site realizes. In short, the algorithm is designed to achieve revenue goals for the social media site.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, Facebook (Meta) made $32.6 billion from selling advertisements and marketing those advertisements to its nearly 2 billion Facebook and Instagram users. 

How Social Media Algorithms work

Now that we’ve covered how social media sites make money as a business, let’s dive into how their Algorithms decide which content is prioritized. By being aware of how content is prioritized in the Algorithm, your small business can learn to be prioritized as well. 

Social media algorithms are complex, and have multiple steps that it goes through in the blink of an eye (or while a user’s Home page loads). These sites don’t openly share their Algorithm strategy with the public, so we rely on reputable sources like Hootsuite, Hubspot, and others who are constantly learning about different Algorithms. Here are the steps that Algorithms go through:

Step 1: Take Inventory

Facebook gathers all content posted by friends and liked pages. The user’s “favorites” pop up first.

Step 2: Rank and Score Content 

Content is ranked based on thousands of categories, such as user preferences, internet connection/speed, the user’s relationship to the poster. Content is also ranked based on the recency, popularity, and type of media that is posted.

Step 3: Prediction of Engagement

The Algorithm scans the inventory to determine which content is similar to content that the user engaged with previously.

Step 4: Score Type of Post

Facebook has found that content is more engaging to view when an array of types of content are mixed together on a user’s feed. 

To wrap it up

Algorithms are designed to enhance the user experience which, in turn, increases their revenue. Algorithms pay attention to what the site’s users like to see and do their best to show them content that they will interact with. As a small business, if you are going to spend time posting on social media, it will help to know how to get the most out of each post. Learning about the Algorithm you’re working with, and keeping track of how it works for your business, will be extremely beneficial in the long run.

Related Post

Using Algorithms to Get the Most out of Social Media Marketing Efforts

6 minute read

Get the most out of social media marketing efforts by using the algorithm to your small business’s advantage.

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to us if you’d like to discuss this topic further.