How Do Algorithms Work?

Social media marketing is hard work. On top of getting your account going and creating content, you also have to think about the algorithm. “It’s all decided by the algorithm,” is probably a phrase you’ve heard before, but what exactly is an algorithm anyways? How do they work, and what kind of impact do they have on my social media marketing strategies?

What Is an Algorithm?

Let’s start off slow. An algorithm is a set of mathematical rules. Algorithms take group data and then get to specify how it’s arranged and behaves. They are used for all kinds of purposes, but as a marketer, your main concern will be learning the algorithms of search engines and social media platforms so that your content achieves the highest possible chances of getting engagement on the platform. 

How Do Social Media Algorithms Work?

When you type a search into Google, it will list the results in a ranked order based on the set algorithm. Algorithms can also determine what posts or videos get recommended to certain users based on their social media history. The goal of social media algorithms is to provide highly relevant and quality content to users. Depending on the algorithm, it may also discourage showing posts that spread misinformation or scams.

How Do Algorithms Impact My Social Media Strategies?

Each social media platform has their own algorithms. For instance, Facebook and Twitter prioritize relevancy in their algorithms while TikTok and LinkedIn rely more heavily on tags for their rankings. The algorithms can have a direct impact on the visibility of your brand and engagement. It’s important to know not just your audience when posting, but also what you can do on specific platforms to get the most attention from the algorithm.

At the end of the day, getting ranked high in the algorithm is a battle. What matters most is that you are willing to work with the algorithm so that you can generate the attention your brand needs.