Social Media Algorithms: How To Master A Channel

Social Channels and How Algorithms Work on Them

Instagram

Instagram aims at fulfilling users' needs by availing to them what they care about most. The main algorithms they focus on include posts on current trends, frequently shared content, tailored content stemming from an individual's past behavior, and content from real account holders. Other algorithm factors are how often you use Instagram, the number of followers you have, and how long you stay on Instagram. You'll see fresh content if you visit for long periods, and you'll see the most relevant if you are there for a short time.

For better ranking on Instagram,

• Post content as often as possible
• Interact with your followers for the first three hours after posting
• Employ hashtags
• Use creative captions for better engagement
• Use Instagram stories when marketing to increase organic traffic

TikTok

This platform is slowly becoming popular each day, with most people spending about 46 minutes there daily. TikTok's algorithms target an individual's likes, dislikes, and comments. They also aim at videos that individuals enjoy most, user interaction based on video completion rate, and account settings.

To perform well on TikTok,

• Create short, engaging videos of 15 seconds to influence video completion rate
• Use eye-catching captions
• Post your videos when the audience is active
• Ensure your videos are of high quality
• Include relevant, trending hashtags

Facebook

According to Pew Research, 68% of adult Americans are active on Facebook, the third most popular channel. Facebook's algorithms target local and friendly content that is engaging and relevant as opposed to business posts. Your post will rank high depending on your credibility, length and number of comments, native content (not just links), type and number of reactions, and use of videos or live chats.

To make the most of Facebook,

• Post in groups or events and use hashtags to increase ranking.
• Use Facebook Stories more because they are visible to users by being on top of the page
• Make your posts "public" to reach a wider audience
• Ensure your content is more engaging in a way that elicits long comments

LinkedIn

About 89% of B2B marketing teams use LinkedIn as it is valuable. The main algorithms LinkedIn uses are your identity (how well you have identified yourself), content (what it is about, how engaging, and the people or firms mentioned), and behavior (your level of engagement and consistency on the platform).

To win on LinkedIn,

• Create native content like texts or videos with captions that do not require links in the comments section
• Have a track record of engaging posts so that subsequent posts rank higher
• Use either a business owner's or employee's profile
• Create a variety or mix of content, that is videos, text, or photos
• Form an appropriate network of connections that can engage with your posts

YouTube

YouTube prioritizes videos posted consistently and the total time people watch them. Other factors include the number of subscribers, views, reactions, and comments, which means better ranking for numbers that are more significant. The title, meta tag, and meta description that are search engine optimized are important algorithms as well.

To gain traction from YouTube,

• Upload videos regularly
• Ask viewers to like or leave comments for increased engagement
• Maintain your videos within the range of 7-16 minutes in length
• Do keyword research to describe your videos appropriately
• Grow your subscribers

The knowledge of what algorithms affect different channels is crucial for your business or marketing strategy. It helps you to adjust your tactics accordingly to rank higher on search engines and gain visibility. Be sure to use the helpful tips above to improve your content's performance.
*(updated 3/6/2023)