Tech Made Simple: What is an Algorithm?

Very often, you must have heard content creators and businesses talk about social media algorithms, blame them for lack of content performance, and display hate towards it. Lets break down what an algorithm really is.

In simple words, an algorithm is like a set of instructions or rules that tell a computer program what to do.

Social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, use algorithms to decide what content to show you in your feed.

These algorithms are designed to automatically sort through and filter the massive amount of content available on social media.

The algorithms consider various factors, such as your interests, engagement with posts, and online behavior, to determine what content is most relevant to you.

For example, if you frequently engage with posts about cats, the algorithm may show you more cat-related content in your feed.

Social media algorithms also take into account the popularity and engagement of posts, as well as the accounts you follow and interact with.

They use data analysis to prioritize content that they believe will be most interesting or relevant to you. Algorithms are not rigged to lower your content's performance, but based on your followers' interactions.

However, algorithms can also influence what content you see and what you don't, potentially creating echo chambers or filter bubbles where you're only exposed to certain types of content.

Social media algorithms are constantly changing and evolving, as platforms continuously update and optimize them to provide a personalized experience for users.

Next: EP 02: What is Metaverse?