What the heck is an algorithm?

Why is it important?

Ask a strategist!

You may hear people throw around the word “algorithm” a lot and feel very confused. That’s okay! But if you are an avid social media user, like many are, understanding algorithms is something you’ll want under your belt. Ever wonder why you see some of your friends’ posts on Instagram but never see your favorite blogger? You can thank the algorithm for that! Or how about Tik Tok and that “For You Page?” That is one very extensive and excellent algorithm! Still a little confused? No worries! I am going to break it down so you can feel more informed about your social media!

The Wizard Behind the Curtain

In the most basic sense, an algorithm controls how things are put into your news feed. It learns about you and bases the content you see on what it thinks you want. It’s constantly working in the background to gain a better understanding of your preferences. It’s important to understand that any platform, website, search engine, really ANYTHING that you use online is designed to keep you on their site as long as possible. Algorithms are a way to do this. If you are interested in what you’re seeing, then you’re going to keep looking at it, right? That’s how they make money. The longer you are online, the more opportunity that platform has to put ads in front of you.

It may sound a little creepy that this mysterious entity learns what you like, but for the most part it’s innocent. For the user’s purpose, it really just personalizes their online experience. For example, my Instagram feeds me photos and videos of alpacas because that is the content I engage with a lot, as random as it may be. For others it could be fashion, or food, a whole number of things!

That’s also why people often see news that aligns a certain way politically. The algorithm learns your preference and feeds it. This is what we refer to as “algorithmic gatekeepers.” The algo gatekeeps what you see, it decides what is shown to you. This is where it can be more of a problem if people don’t understand it.

All Algorithms are not Created Equal

Without getting too technical, it’s helpful to know that not all social media platforms have the same type of algorithm. Some function more chronologically, while others place a very strong emphasis on engagement. This means that if you are working to strategically boost the performance of your content, you’ll likely need a different game plan for each platform.

The varying algorithms affect the visibility of what you post. Therefore, boosting posts in your stories, including a call to action and responding to commenters are all important. All social media platforms reward engaging content. If a lot of people are talking about it, then it will be pushed to more people. Gone are the days where you see people’s minute by minute status updates, unless you follow a small amount of people on Twitter. The bulk of social media platforms are working to show you things that you’ll find relevant. LinkedIn wants to send you jobs and blog posts you may like. Facebook wants you to be part of communities you identify with. Instagram wants you to buy things. Everything that happens on social media platforms is purposeful and crafted.

What does this mean for you?

Even if you are not someone who is posting in order to garner more followers or create a brand, understanding how the platforms you use function is important! It all builds into the greater concept of “media literacy” and understanding where the information we see comes from. Messages all have a purpose. Understanding that purpose can help users make more informed decisions about the content they interact with and create a more transparent social media experience.

If you want to expand beyond the algorithm and see a larger variety of posts, search for them! Follow different hashtags on Instagram or LinkedIn, make Twitter lists, or follow pages on Facebook. Play with your feeds and see if you can change your algorithm!