Facebook Algorithm Explained [2025]
Facebook's algorithm works like this: it shows you posts from people and pages you interact with most (especially friends and family), prioritizes content that generates comments over likes, and tests every post on a small audience first—if they engage in the first 60 minutes, Facebook shows it to more people.
Unlike TikTok (which shows 90% content from strangers), Facebook shows 90%+ content from people you already know. Since 2018, Facebook explicitly prioritizes "Meaningful Social Interactions" from friends and family over content from businesses and brands—meaning business pages now only reach 2-6% of their followers organically.
This guide explains Facebook's algorithm in simple terms, no technical jargon.
Facebook's Algorithm in 3 Simple Rules
Rule #1: Facebook Shows You Posts From People You Interact With
In plain English: If you regularly like, comment on, or message someone, Facebook shows you their posts. If you NEVER interact with someone, their posts disappear from your feed.
How it works:
- Frequently comment on Mom's posts → See ALL her posts
- Like a friend's photos every few days → See most of their posts
- Haven't interacted with a high school friend in 2 years → Never see their posts
- Follow a business page but never engage → Almost never see their posts
Why this matters for businesses: Facebook WANTS you to interact with friends and family (not brands). Business pages have to EARN reach by creating content people actually engage with.
The Brutal Reality:
- Your personal profile: Posts reach 20-60% of your friends
- Your business page: Posts reach 2-6% of your followers
That's a 90% reach drop. This is intentional—Facebook wants businesses to pay for ads.
Rule #2: Comments Are Worth 10x More Than Likes
In plain English: A post with 10 comments is worth MORE to Facebook than a post with 100 likes.
Facebook's engagement hierarchy:
- Comments (most valuable) - "This made me want to respond"
- Shares (very valuable) - "This is SO good I need to show my friends"
- Reactions (Love, Wow, Haha - medium value) - "This made me feel something"
- Likes (low value) - "I acknowledge this exists" (passive, being phased out)
- Clicks (context-dependent) - Can be valuable IF combined with dwell time
Example:
- Post A: 500 likes, 5 comments = Medium performance
- Post B: 50 likes, 50 comments = MUCH better performance (goes viral)
Why Comments Matter Most:
In 2018, Facebook announced a major shift to "Meaningful Social Interactions" (MSI). Translation: Facebook wants people to TALK to each other, not just passively scroll.
Comments = conversations = meaningful interactions = Facebook's goal
How to get more comments:
- Ask questions ("What do you think about...")
- Share controversial (but respectful) opinions
- Tell stories with cliffhangers
- Use polls and discussion prompts
What NOT to do (Engagement Bait Penalty):
- "Comment YES if you agree!"
- "Tag someone who needs this!"
- "Like if you love pizza!"
Facebook PENALIZES these tactics (reduces reach by 50-80%).
Rule #3: The First 60 Minutes Determine If Your Post Goes Viral
In plain English: Facebook tests your post on a small group of people first. If they engage quickly, Facebook shows it to MORE people. If they ignore it, your post dies.
0-30 minutes:
Shown to 5-15% of your most engaged followers/friends
30-60 minutes:
If performing well, shown to 20-40% of followers/friends
60-120 minutes:
If STILL performing well, shown to 50-80% of followers/friends + some non-followers
2-6 hours:
Peak distribution (if highly engaging)
6-24 hours:
Declining reach
24+ hours:
Post is "dead" (minimal distribution)
"Performing well" means:
- Comments coming in quickly (most important)
- Reactions and shares increasing
- People spending time reading/watching (dwell time)
- Low "hide post" rate (people not hiding your content)
Why this matters: Post when your audience is ONLINE and can engage immediately. A great post at 3 AM gets no engagement → Facebook thinks it's bad content → Never gets distribution.
How Facebook Decides What Shows Up In Your News Feed
Step 1: You Open Facebook
Facebook already knows:
- Who you interact with most (messages, comments, likes, profile visits)
- What types of content you engage with (videos, photos, text, links)
- How long you spend on different posts (dwell time)
- What you hide or report (negative signals)
Step 2: Facebook Picks Posts for You
At any moment, you have 1,500-10,000 possible posts Facebook could show you:
- Posts from friends
- Posts from family
- Posts from pages you follow
- Posts from groups you're in
- Sponsored posts (ads)
Facebook DOESN'T show you all of them. It picks the top 50-200 based on predicted engagement.
Step 3: Facebook Ranks Posts
Facebook gives each post a "ranking score" based on:
1. Your Relationship With The Poster
- Close friend/family you interact with daily → High score
- Acquaintance you haven't talked to in months → Low score
- Business page you follow but never engage with → Very low score
2. How Engaging The Post Is
- Lots of comments → High score
- Lots of reactions and shares → Medium-high score
- Just a few likes → Low score
3. How Recent The Post Is
- Posted 30 minutes ago → High score
- Posted 12 hours ago → Medium score
- Posted 3 days ago → Low score (unless still getting engagement)
4. What Type Of Content It Is
- Native video (uploaded to Facebook) → High score
- Photo → Medium-high score
- Text post → Medium score (personal) or low score (business page)
- External link (to website/YouTube) → Low score (Facebook doesn't want you leaving)
Step 4: Facebook Shows You Posts In Order Of Ranking Score
NOT chronological order.
Your News Feed shows:
- Top posts: Highest predicted engagement, recent, from close connections
- Middle posts: Medium engagement predictions, mix of friends and pages
- Bottom posts: Lower engagement, older posts, pages you rarely interact with
Every time you refresh, Facebook re-ranks based on new posts.
What Makes a Post Go Viral on Facebook
1. High Comment Rate (Most Important)
What it is: Number of comments relative to reach.
Why it matters: Comments = conversations = Facebook's #1 goal (Meaningful Social Interactions).
| Comments in First Hour | Performance Level |
|---|---|
| 5-10 comments | Good performance |
| 10-20 comments | Strong performance |
| 20+ comments | Viral potential |
Content types that generate comments:
- Questions ("What would you do in this situation?")
- Controversial opinions (respectful debates)
- Emotional stories (people want to share reactions)
- Relatable experiences ("Has this ever happened to you?")
2. Native Video With High Completion Rate
What it is: Videos uploaded directly to Facebook (not YouTube links) that people watch to the end.
Why it matters: Facebook HEAVILY prioritizes video (competing with TikTok, YouTube). Videos get 2-3x more organic reach than text or photo posts.
| Completion Rate | Performance |
|---|---|
| 80%+ | Viral potential |
| 60-79% | Excellent |
| 40-59% | Good |
| <40% | Limited reach |
How to maximize:
- Keep videos SHORT (<60 seconds ideal, <2 minutes max)
- Hook in first 3 seconds (auto-play is MUTED, need visual hook)
- Add captions (85% watch without sound)
- Upload directly to Facebook (NOT YouTube links - they get 60-80% less reach)
3. Posted During Peak Hours
What it is: Posting when your audience is online and scrolling Facebook.
Why it matters: If you post at 3 AM and nobody sees it in the first 60 minutes, Facebook assumes it's bad content and never gives it distribution.
Best Times for MOST Audiences:
- Tuesday-Thursday, 1-3 PM (lunch break scrolling)
- Wednesday, 12-1 PM (peak engagement day/time)
- Avoid: Late night (11 PM - 6 AM), early mornings (5-8 AM)
BUT: Your audience may be different. Check your Facebook Page Insights → "When Your Fans Are Online."
4. High Share Rate
What it is: People sharing your post to their own timeline or in Messenger.
Why it matters: Each share exposes your content to a NEW audience (the sharer's friends). Shares multiply reach exponentially.
What gets shared:
- Inspirational stories (people want to spread positivity)
- Shocking news or information ("You won't believe this...")
- Relatable humor ("This is SO me, tagging my friends")
- Valuable tips ("Everyone needs to know this")
How to encourage shares (without engagement bait):
- Create content worth sharing (not just viewing)
- Make it relevant to specific groups ("Parents will relate")
- Use emotional storytelling (heartwarming, funny, surprising)
Common Facebook Myths (Debunked)
❌ Myth: "Facebook shows posts chronologically"
Truth: Facebook shows posts in order of PREDICTED ENGAGEMENT, not time posted.
Evidence: You'll see a post from 3 hours ago ABOVE a post from 30 minutes ago if Facebook thinks you'll engage more with the older post.
Your News Feed is ranked by:
- Relationship with poster
- Engagement predictions
- Content type
- Recency
Recency matters, but it's NOT the only factor.
❌ Myth: "If I follow a page, I'll see their posts"
Truth: Following a page doesn't guarantee you'll see their content.
The Reality:
- Business pages reach only 2-6% of their followers organically
- If you NEVER engage with a page's posts, Facebook stops showing them to you
- You must actively ENGAGE (like, comment, share) to keep seeing their content
How to see posts from pages you care about:
- Turn on "See First" notifications (page settings)
- Engage regularly (like, comment)
- Visit their page directly
❌ Myth: "Using more hashtags helps reach"
Truth: Hashtags on Facebook do almost NOTHING (unlike Instagram/TikTok).
Why hashtags don't work on Facebook:
- Users rarely search hashtags on Facebook
- Facebook's algorithm doesn't prioritize hashtag-based discovery
- Hashtags can make posts look spammy
What actually works:
- Write descriptive captions (Facebook's AI reads text)
- Use keywords naturally in your post
- Focus on engagement, not hashtags
Optimal hashtag use on Facebook: 0-2 hashtags max (if relevant), NOT 10-30 like Instagram.
❌ Myth: "Posting more = more reach"
Truth: Posting too often REDUCES individual post reach.
Why:
- Facebook has limited space in users' feeds
- If you post 10 times/day, Facebook spreads your limited organic reach across all 10 posts
- Result: Each post reaches fewer people
Optimal Posting Frequency:
- Personal profiles: 1-2 posts/day
- Business pages: 1 post/day (5-7 posts/week)
- Groups: 2-3 posts/day (groups have higher tolerance)
Quality > Quantity. One highly engaging post > Five mediocre posts.
Remember: Facebook's algorithm prioritizes friends and family over businesses, values comments 10x more than likes, and makes viral decisions in the first 60 minutes. Focus on these 3 rules—engage with your network, create comment-worthy content, and post at peak times—and you'll master 90% of what determines your Facebook success.