How have social media algorithms changed from the old follower-based model?

Social media has shifted from a likes-followers-plus-paid-ads model to an interest-based algorithm model. Platforms now determine what content to show you based on your past behavior rather than just accounts you follow. The algorithm analyzes what keeps people engaged and serves content it thinks you’ll like, even from accounts you’ve never followed. This means the algorithm often knows better what will entertain you than your own explicit follows. This is sometimes called the TikTokification of social media, and it’s here to stay because users have voted for it with their attention. The huge benefit is that follower count no longer acts as dead weight preventing discovery—anyone creating good content can get shown to relevant audiences organically.

---

Asked by a general teaching point · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-06-21