Facebook has used a couple of different algorithms to connect users with content. I find it extremely interesting the ways in which companies will sift through user data to figure out the most effective way to engage it’s users. In this blog I will compare the two algorithms Facebook has used to observe the different strategies used in content placement.
EdgeRank Algorithm (Original)
The original algorithm that Facebook used was based on three main factors.
Weight- The numbers of likes and comments that a post has.
Affinity- How closely related a the source of a post is to the user.
Time Decay- The age of the content.
Current Facebook Algorithm
The current algorithm uses many factors of the original, but is weighted more heavily in specific areas.
User Data- Includes everything from history and how a user interacts with friends.
Affinity- A user’s affinity score is much more heavily weighted compared to the previous algorithm.
