How the Facebook algorithm works
Facebook prioritizes reels and native video over images and link posts. Keep posts short (40-80 chars), put links in the first comment, and write for shares.
By Tayyab, Founder
Where these numbers come from. The Facebook profile cites 1 source, listed below: a statement by the platform.
- Stated by the platformMeta Newsroom 2024 post on feed ranking
How the feed is assembled
In our Facebook model, shares and reposts count for 5 likes, then comments at 3 and saves at 1.5. Bars show multiples of a like.
- Shares and reposts5x a like
- Comments3x a like
- Saves1.5x a like
- Likes1x a like
The first-hour cliff
Facebook is checked 90 minutes after a post goes out, 30 minutes after the first hour ends.
90 min
Check point
50%
Stall line vs your median
Comments, shares
Signals read
Our model treats a post below 50% of your own median engagement by then as stalled. Comments and shares count most in that window.
Best posting windows
Our Facebook curve has 4 posting windows across 4 days, led by Friday 12:00 to 14:00 UTC at 2.26x a median hour. Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday have none.
FridayStrongest
12:00 to 14:00 UTC
2.26x
Monday
13:00 UTC
2.11x
Wednesday
13:00 UTC
2.11x
Thursday
15:00 UTC
2.11x
Times are UTC. Each figure is a multiple of a median hour.
Link policy
Facebook accepts a link in the body, but we model a 50% reach cost, so we place yours in the first comment.
Allowed
In the post body
-50%
Reach cost in the body
In the first comment
Where yours goes
We publish without the link and post it as the first comment. How the first comment works.
Posting cadence and cooldowns
The queue holds Facebook to 3 posts a day and 14 a week, at least 4 hours apart. Seven days at the daily ceiling would be 21, so the weekly cap of 14 is the one that binds.
4h
Minimum gap
3
Posts per day, max
14
Posts per week, max
Format mechanics
Reel leads on Facebook in our profile, at +60% against a plain post, ahead of native video (+50%) and single image (+20%). Text-only post (-10%) and link post (-50%) sit below it.
Reach by format
- Reel+60%
- Native video+50%
- Single image+20%
- Standard post0%
- Text-only post-10%
- Link post-50%
Hard limits
- Formats we publish
- Post, Story, Reel and Carousel
- Ideal length
- 40 to 80 characters
- Platform limit (enforced)
- 63206 characters
- Hashtags for reach
- 1 ideal, 3 before it costs you, end of post
- Hashtags allowed
- 10 by the platform
- Images per post
- 10
- Video
- up to 1200s, 1024MB
- Image formats
- jpeg, png, gif
Hashtags barely matter on Facebook. 1-3 specific ones is fine; 5+ looks spammy and is ignored.
How Content Drifter applies this to your Facebook posts
Each row pairs one of the Facebook numbers above with what the product does about it.
A link in the body costs about 50% of Facebook reach in our model.
We publish without it, post it as the first comment and rewrite the body so it still reads whole.
Link in the first commentFacebook engagement peaks around 12:00 to 14:00 UTC on Friday, roughly 2.26x a median hour.
An unscheduled post takes the next open peak slot in your timezone. On Pro and up those slots are ranked against this curve and your own posting history.
Best time to post schedulingReel outperforms a plain post by about 60% on Facebook.
Generation writes for the formats that carry a lift on Facebook, not one body cross-posted everywhere.
Per-platform publishingOn Facebook, a post below 50% of your median engagement at minute 90 is read as stalled in our model.
On Business and Agency plans with the boost engine switched on, we run that check at minute 90 against your own median, so a stall surfaces while it can still be acted on.
The algorithm-aware enginePosting more than 3 times a day, or inside 4 hours of your last post, works against you on Facebook.
The queue honours that spacing when it assigns slots, counting posts you already published as well as ones you have queued.
The queueFacebook posts land best between 40 and 80 characters, against a platform limit of 63206.
The pre-publish check names the rule a post breaks instead of handing you a score.
Pre-publish performance read
Recent Facebook algorithm changes
Only changes a person has reviewed appear here.
We have not published a recorded change for Facebook since our last check. A person reviews every shift our daily canary flags before it appears here. How we watch for changes.
Facebook algorithm questions
What is the best time to post on Facebook?
Our strongest Facebook window is 12:00 to 14:00 UTC on Friday, about 2.26x a median hour, then 13:00 UTC on Monday. Times are UTC, and the queue converts them to your timezone.
What does the Facebook algorithm reward most?
Shares and reposts carry the most weight, about 5x a like in our model, then comments at 3x and saves at 1.5x. Facebook prioritizes reels and native video over images and link posts. Keep posts short (40-80 chars), put links in the first comment, and write for shares.
Do links hurt reach on Facebook?
Yes. Facebook accepts a link in the body, but we model a 50% reach cost, so we place yours in the first comment.
How often should I post on Facebook?
The queue holds Facebook to 3 posts a day and 14 a week, at least 4 hours apart. Seven days at the daily ceiling would be 21, so the weekly cap of 14 is the one that binds. The queue applies those caps on your own calendar day, not UTC.
Which post format performs best on Facebook?
Reel carries the largest lift on Facebook in our model, roughly 60% above a plain post, ahead of native video at 50%.
How long should a Facebook post be?
Between 40 and 80 characters; Facebook allows 63206, which is where we stop you. Hashtags work best at 1 and start costing reach above 3; the publisher accepts up to 10.
How soon can I tell if a post is working on Facebook?
Minute 90. Our model reads a post below 50% of your own median engagement at that point as stalled, and comments and shares count most.
Every network we publish to
One record, one page, for each of the 9 networks.