Facebook’s News Feed algorithm determines which stories appear at the top of your News Feed. The goal is to show you the posts and stories that Facebook thinks will be most relevant and interesting to you. There are a few main factors that go into this:
What your friends and connections are posting
Posts from your friends, family, Facebook Groups, and Pages you follow are given priority in your News Feed. If someone you’re close with posts a new status update, photo, or video, chances are you’ll see it towards the top of your feed.
How recently the content was shared
Newer posts are generally given preference over older posts in your News Feed. Facebook’s algorithm favors recency and tries to show you the latest updates from your connections.
How often you interact with certain connections
If you frequently like, comment on, or otherwise interact with posts from certain friends or Pages, Facebook’s algorithm will place higher priority on showing posts from those connections in your feed.
Relevance of the post content
Facebook analyzes the actual content of posts to determine relevance. If a post is about a topic you often engage with, shares links from sites you visit frequently, or contains keywords related to your interests, it may be ranked higher in your feed.
Types of posts you tend to engage with
Over time, Facebook learns what types of posts you’re most likely to interact with – for example, photos, videos, links, or status updates. It may boost certain post formats that you have a history of engaging with in your feed.
Your Facebook activity and profile information
Things like your age, gender, location, and language all help Facebook understand your interests and preferences. The pages you’ve liked and groups you’ve joined also provide signals about the types of posts you might be interested in.
Paid promotions
If a brand pays to promote a post, it may be more likely to appear towards the top of your News Feed for a period of time. Facebook discloses paid partnerships with “Sponsored” labels on these posts.
Engagement-bait posts
“Engagement bait” posts that explicitly ask for likes, shares, and comments may appear higher in your feed. Facebook has tweaked its algorithm in recent years to reduce the reach of these types of posts.
News Feed algorithm changes over time
Facebook is consistently tweaking its News Feed ranking algorithm – typically hundreds of small changes per year. This means the factors that determine the order of posts are constantly evolving.
Major News Feed algorithm changes
Here are some of the most notable changes Facebook has made to its News Feed algorithm over the years:
| Year | Change | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Prioritized meaningful posts from friends and family over public content | Reduced engagement for many media outlets and publishers |
| 2021 | Boosted original reporting and local news content | More visibility for quality journalism and local information |
| 2022 | Focused on recommendations from friends and groups | Decrease in views for all Pages, including businesses |
Other factors that influence which stories you see
In addition to the main News Feed ranking algorithm, there are some other things that can impact the posts you see:
- Comments and reactions by your friends to a post may make it more likely to appear at the top of your feed.
- Being tagged in a post tends to increase its visibility.
- Paid boosting of a Page’s post can expose it to more people who don’t necessarily follow the Page.
- The number of overall comments and reactions on a post can factor into its ranking.
Ad transparency
Facebook clearly labels sponsored content as ads or sponsored posts. Here’s what to look for:
- “Sponsored” label on posts in your News Feed
- “Paid partnership with [Brand]” disclaimer when brands tag each other in posts
- Green “Ad” icon next to Page names in ads in the right sidebar
Clicking on any of these reveals more details about who sponsored the content.
News Feed controls
Facebook provides some options to customize what you see in your News Feed:
- Snooze – Hide posts from a person, Page, or group for 30 days.
- Unfollow – Stop seeing posts from a person, Page, or group without unfriending or unliking.
- Reconnect – Resurface posts you’ve snoozed or unfollowed in your feed.
- Prioritize who to see first – Choose specific friends and Pages that rank higher in your feed.
- Reacted to recently – See posts you previously reacted to or commented on near the top of your feed.
These controls allow you to customize your feed and promote content from your closest connections.
Conclusion
Facebook’s constantly evolving News Feed algorithm considers many signals – like your connections, interests, and activity on the platform – to determine which stories show up at the top of your feed and get the most visibility. Sponsored posts are clearly labeled, and you have options to snooze or unfollow content you don’t want to see. While Facebook’s algorithmic ranking isn’t perfect, the company constantly tweaks it in an effort to show you relevant content from friends, family, and Pages you care about.