Social Media: As soon as you open any social media app and start scrolling, you lose track of time. Even if the intention is to watch just one post, such a series of videos and posts come up that it becomes difficult to put down the phone. This happens not because the content is good by chance but because your feed is tailored to your behavior. Social media algorithm works behind this.
After all, what is social media algorithm?
Social media algorithms are a type of computer system that tries to understand what kind of content you like. The algorithm notes all the information about which video you watch, for how long, which post you like, which you share and which you forward without watching. On the basis of this data it decides what to show on your screen next time.
How does your favorite content appear again and again?
When the algorithm identifies what kind of things you like, the same category of content starts appearing again and again in your feed. If you watch a lot of videos related to cricket, then next time you open the app, you will see a lot of posts related to cricket. This is why once you start scrolling, it becomes difficult to stop.
Algorithm does not work without rules
Every system needs rules to function properly. Social media platforms also decide through algorithms what to show to which user and what not. It filters content based on your language, location, interests and online activity and then arranges it in the feed.
Meaning of algorithm in simple words
In simple language, an algorithm is a program that tells the computer what to do with some data. Technically, it is a set of rules on the basis of which information is processed. These rules decide on social media the order in which posts will appear, how search results will appear and who will see ads.
Why is every user’s feed different?
No two people’s feeds are the same on Facebook, Instagram or any other platform. This is because the algorithm understands the activity of each user differently. The content from the accounts you interact with the most is seen at the top while other posts go down.
Why is algorithm so important?
Today more than half of the world’s population is using social media. Every person’s preferences are different. If there was no algorithm, some people would see cooking videos instead of cricket and others would see yoga instead of travel. It is the algorithm that decides that every user gets the content of his choice.
How does the algorithm learn your habits?
The working of the algorithm may be complex but its basic principle is simple. It watches your every activity carefully. What you watch, for how long, what you like, what you share and what you ignore – all this helps the algorithm create your profile. Initially the feed may seem a bit random but after a few days most of the content starts matching your preferences.
How do the algorithms of Instagram and Facebook think?
Instagram first shows posts from accounts you follow. After this it sees which posts you like, save or share. The posts which get more likes and comments are delivered to more people. Content from accounts you frequently engage with appears at the top of your feed. Facebook also ranks posts in much the same way.
How do videos go viral on YouTube?
YouTube’s algorithm not only looks at views but also checks how long people are watching the video. If a video is being watched till the end or its watch time is good then it is suggested to more people. Apart from this, likes, comments, shares and your old watch history also play a big role.
What kind of content runs on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn’s algorithm gives more importance to quality. Here the usefulness of the post, its relevance and the engagement received on it are seen. Users with trustworthy profiles, personal connections and consistently active status get more reach.
What does the X (Twitter) algorithm take into account?
X’s algorithm works on your language, location and interaction. Which posts you react to, how active you are and how trustworthy the account is, all these factors matter. Accounts that post regularly and are more active generally get better reach.
Whatever you see on social media is not a coincidence. The algorithm prepares your feed by understanding your every digital habit. This is the reason why social media keeps you so engaged. If you want, you can even change the algorithm by changing your preferences and interactions.
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