The algorithms for Facebook Reels and the News Feed, although part of Meta’s recommendation system, serve distinct primary purposes and consequently evaluate different signals. Recognizing this variance is essential for your content strategy.
The primary aim of the News Feed algorithm is to present content most relevant to you personally, with a strong emphasis on posts from your current network. It gives priority to content from friends, family, and the Groups and Pages you already follow, aiming to nurture your established connections.
On the other hand, the Reels algorithm is geared towards discovery and entertainment. Its main goal is to deliver a continuous flow of engaging short videos, often from creators and accounts you are not yet connected with.
This disparity in objectives leads to different prioritized ranking signals. In the News Feed, signals from individuals you know hold significant weight. Meaningful comments and shares on a post from your friends are highly valued. The algorithm also considers your past interactions with a person or Page to gauge your interest in their new content.
In contrast, the Reels algorithm places more emphasis on immediate engagement metrics from a broad audience, including individuals outside your network. Crucial signals for Reels include how quickly a video grabs a viewer’s attention, total watch time, completion rate, likes, comments, shares, saves, and interactions with the audio page to potentially create their own Reel.
Furthermore, the origin of content plays a different role. The News Feed favors sources you are already connected to, while the Reels algorithm is inclined to promote content from unfamiliar creators if it predicts you would find it entertaining based on your viewing history and the Reel’s performance with similar audiences. Originality also carries weight for broader discovery in Reels.
To summarize, approach these platforms as distinct entities requiring tailored strategies. Focus your News Feed strategy on engaging your existing community with relevant updates and conversations. For Reels, concentrate on crafting engaging, entertaining, and discoverable short-form videos to reach a new and wider audience.
Best,
Sean