Facebook Algorithm Edgerank Eclipses Penguin and Panda

Farewell Arctic Algorithms, Hello Edgerank. Google no longer has the monopoly over algorithms and they have crossed over the e-commerce frontier to f-commerce.

Social Media is astronomically fast moving and with developing platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, You Tube, Stumbled Upon, Digg and Linked In, it’s important for online businesses to be aware of changes in a rapidly moving market.

The Edgerank Algorithm impacts upon Facebook. In this blog we find out what Edgerank is and why it matters.

What is Edgerank?

It’s an algorithm within Facebook. It equals: The total sum of Edges

An Edge is equal to: Affinity, Weight and Time Decay.

Edgerank ranks Edges in the news feed of Facebook. Edgerank looks at all the Edges that connect to the facebook user and ranks the Edges based on the importance to the user. Edges with the highest rank will usually go to the top of the news feed.

What is an Edge?

An Edge is all activity within facebook. Status updates, comments, likes and shares are all examples of edges.

What is Affinity, Weight and Time Decay?

Affinity measures the degree of closeness in a “relationship” between a Brand and a Fan. It is created by repeat interactions with a Brand’s Edges. The act of commenting, liking, sharing, clicking and even messaging can impact on a User’s Affinity.

Weight is a value system created by Facebook to reflect the value of certain actions within Facebook. All edges are assigned a value by Facebook. Commenting is deemed more valuable than a like and the general rule that prevails is that the longer an action takes, then the greater the weight.

Time decay is how long the Edge has been in existence. As an Edge ages, its value decreases. This helps to keep the News Feed fresh with interesting new content.

Why does any of this matter?

If your Brand has low EdgeRank events, then the Brand’s activity will be seen by a lower volume of facebook users. Brands that achieve success with high EdgeRank activities are increasing their Facebook budget. The difference between Your Brand will be graded on your capacity to engage your content. Some Brands enjoy natural, organic success due to their media rich content and highly engaged audience.

For more information about increasing your facebook visibility and understanding your brand’s social media strategy contact us to arrange a complimentary Social Media consultation.