Understanding how the algorithm works

Content can be just be reposted to all my businesses social channels right? Wrong!

Because of things like the algorithm, post specifications and more, 1 peice of content will no longer span all channels. It’s important to understand what each channel is favouring what KPI, so that you can tailor your content to this, therefore increasing the performance of your content.

As of March 2025, here's an overview of how these algorithms function across major social media channels:​

Facebook

Facebook's algorithm prioritizes content that fosters meaningful interactions among users. Posts from friends, family, and groups are given precedence, especially those that encourage discussions and active engagement. For businesses, this means creating content that prompts comments and shares is essential. Utilizing Facebook Live and participating in community groups can also enhance visibility. ​HALCON Marketing+1StoryChief+1

Instagram

Instagram employs multiple algorithms to personalize user feeds, stories, and the Explore page. Key factors influencing content visibility include user interactions (likes, comments, shares), the relevance of the content, and the timeliness of posts. To improve reach, creators should focus on producing high-quality, engaging content and maintain a consistent posting schedule. ​

LinkedIn

LinkedIn's algorithm favors content that is relevant and valuable to professionals. It assesses factors such as the credibility of the poster, the relevance of the content to the user's industry, and the level of engagement a post receives. To optimize content for LinkedIn, share insightful industry news, engage with your network through comments, and post during peak professional hours.​HALCON Marketing

Twitter (X)

Twitter's algorithm focuses on recency and engagement. Tweets that receive immediate interactions are more likely to be featured prominently. Utilizing relevant hashtags, engaging with trending topics, and posting during times when your audience is most active can enhance visibility.​Gravital Agency+1Search Engine Journal+1

TikTok

TikTok's algorithm is designed to surface content that is likely to be engaging to individual users. It considers factors such as user interactions, video information (captions, sounds, hashtags), and device/account settings. Creating authentic, creative content and participating in trending challenges can increase the likelihood of being featured on users' For You pages.​

Pinterest

Pinterest's algorithm prioritizes content based on relevance and quality. It evaluates the engagement levels of pins, the quality of the source website, and the relevance of keywords. To optimize for Pinterest, use high-quality images, incorporate relevant keywords in pin descriptions, and pin consistently.​

YouTube

YouTube's algorithm recommends videos based on user behavior, video performance metrics (like watch time and click-through rates), and relevance to the user's interests. To enhance visibility on YouTube, focus on creating engaging content, optimize video titles and descriptions with relevant keywords, and encourage viewers to like, comment, and subscribe.​

Understanding and adapting to these algorithms is essential for effective social media strategy. Regularly analyzing performance metrics and staying updated with platform changes will help in refining content strategies to achieve better engagement and reach.