Algorithm
The ranking system each platform uses to decide whose content appears in whose feed.
Every major social platform uses an algorithm to rank content. The 2026 consensus across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X: time-spent-watching matters more than likes, comments-and-saves outweigh likes, and the first 3 seconds of any video decide whether the algorithm promotes it further. Algorithms learn per-user — your friend's feed and your feed look completely different even for the same accounts you both follow. Gaming the algorithm has gotten harder: bot-like engagement is heavily penalized, and 'engagement bait' (asking for comments) is now down-ranked on most platforms.
Related terms
Percentage of followers who interact with a post (likes + comments + shares + saves divided by reach or followers).
Number of unique users who saw your post at least once.
The hours when your specific audience is most active and the algorithm rewards early engagement.