Have you ever wondered why certain names always appear first in the list of people who like your post?
While Facebook is well known for using complex algorithms responsible for almost everything you see on your Facebook page, some things are simpler. One of them is the way Facebook organizes likes on your posts.
Factors in How Facebook Organizes Likes on a Post
Facebook has yet to release anything about the algorithms they use to organize post likes and similar features. However, we may notice some regularity, which causes several factors to decide which of your friends will appear first in your post’s likes list.
The following factors play a role:
1. People you chat with the most
This is something you may have noticed already. The friends you chat with the most on Facebook Messenger are almost always at the top of the list of people who like your posts. This is because Facebook “tracks” who you chat with and tries to find a link.
The most likely scenario is that Facebook has a trigger inside its algorithm that notifies other properties when a certain threshold is exceeded. So, if you’re chatting with a new friend every day for several days, the algorithm is likely to put that friend’s name at the top of the list of likes on your posts.
2. Profiles you view most
This works pretty much the same as the previous factor. If you frequently view a particular profile on Facebook, the algorithm will remember the profile and set a flag or trigger. Therefore, if a particular friend likes your post, their name will most likely appear first or second on the list.
The interesting thing here is that if you search for that friend using Facebook’s search bar, the algorithm works faster. If you just click on their name when you see their posts in your feed, the algorithm won’t trigger as fast.
3. Activities
Let’s say you like your best friend’s photo and 30 other people’s photos. If you and your friend consistently like each other’s posts, share or like similar things on Facebook, your friend is likely to see your name first in the likes section at the bottom of the post.
4. Recent likes
Recent likes always take precedence over older ones. This means that the algorithm looks for repetition and similarities between your likes to establish a rule. Who appears first under ‘?likeThe ‘ tab is a result of this rule for your posts.
What you need to know is that these factors may not always be correct as Facebook is constantly changing its algorithms. Also, these are not the only factors that determine who you see first. There are many things that Facebook developers cannot and cannot share here.
How Does Facebook Know Which Ads to Show?
Have you ever wondered how Facebook knows exactly that you want to buy these new sneakers, when they post their ad in your news feed?
Before we dig deeper into this, you should know that the ads displayed in your news feed are not the same ads that other Facebook users see; unless they have the same interests as you, that is.
Facebook remembers all the posts you liked and the pages you visited while using this platform. Facebook can also review your chats (using an automated algorithm) and look for interesting words to help the algorithm build your virtual profile.
Facebook may also remember other websites you have checked through your browser. This has brought a lot of controversy to the company in recent years, and it’s one of the reasons Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg was put on trial.
While this may all sound scary, sometimes the ads that appear in your feed are exactly what you need and can make your search easier.
Know Your Social Media Platform
Understanding how different social media platforms such as Facebook collect and use your private information is important as it will determine the extent to which you can use their services and features. Allowing social media networks to collect different data about you as you interact with others and browse online can improve the overall platform and search experience. It just depends on how far you want to take it.
