Understanding Facebook's New Algorithm For Business

Mark Zuckerberg announced in a 11 January 2018 post that Facebook’s algorithm will be measured by “Time Well Spent.” The goal of Time Well Spent is to reverse what it calls “the digital attention crises” through ever-more sophisticated and manipulative techniques to deliver content in our feed.

Facebook’s algorithm has become smarter because Facebook has more data. More users produce more things such as video, images, and apps. Instead of looking at pure engagement, the algorithm now looks at how long people watch videos, click-back rates, and other factors that indicate whether something is a legitimate signal.

Today, the algorithm’s job is to show users relevant content from friends and family, versus business pages.

Will This Affect My Paid Ads?

Does this mean that businesses using Facebook to drive attention though paid ads is over? Not at all. Facebook is a for-profit business and will do nothing to upset investors and those who financially support their stock value.

How The Algorithm Seeks Valued Engagement

The more content (more friends and more posts), the stronger the algorithm’s filter power has to be to deliver relevant content. For instance, the average user has more than 500 friends and likes 150 or more pages. The amount of content being produced keeps growing, while the user’s attention remains finite. The more friends added and pages liked, the stronger the algorithm’s filter power needs to be to determine what a certain user wants to see.

The number of times a user logs in per day also matters. The algorithm needs to work differently for a user who logs in once or twice per day versus 20 times per day. Plus, based on where you are, what you’re doing, and whom you’re with, the algorithm has to be smarter because your expectations have increased.

The Takeaway

You and I need to be smarter in how we create quality content. We have to ask ourselves, “What are the most important topics to cover and share?”

See, you and I need to become smarter and faster in delivering value, answer questions, quenches their thirst for knowledge, makes them think differently, and yes, even be willing to stir up some controversy.