The 2024 Social Media Algorithm Update Explained

Think about it. Your interests change as you grow, but your social graph doesn’t automatically evolve. So if you're still connected to old high school friends who post about things you don’t care about anymore, guess what? You still have to scroll past their content.

It’s not your imagination. Something big has changed across all the different popular social media platforms in 2024. YouTube has its shorts, Meta has Instagram Reels “Explore” page, and Twitter and LinkedIn now have a prominent “For You” page. So what changed? The social media recommendations algorithm moved away from who you know and follow, and toward what your interests are, and how you’re engaging with them. How did this happen? Let me explain.

The TikTokification of Social Media: How Algorithms Are Changing the Game

Over the past few years, social media algorithms have been quietly reshaping how we engage with content online. You may have noticed that your favorite platforms are suddenly pushing videos or posts that aren't from people you follow. That's no accident—it's part of a broader shift from “social graph” algorithms to “interest graph” algorithms, and TikTok has been leading the charge, as Gary Vee points out in his latest book “Day Trading Attention.”

What’s Changed?

Let’s rewind for a second. Before TikTok skyrocketed to fame, most social platforms—like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter—relied on something called a social graph. This means that what you saw on your feed was based on your relationships. The platforms would show you content from friends, family, or people you chose to follow. Sounds great, right? Except, there was a big problem.

Think about it. Your interests change as you grow, but your social graph doesn’t automatically evolve. So, if you're still connected to old high school friends who post about things you don’t care about anymore, guess what? You still have to scroll past their content. Maybe even “unfollow but remain friends.” And here’s the rub: over time, this friction builds up, and you have to manually follow new accounts or unfollow, and the content you see can feel stale or irrelevant and that takes effort.

That’s where TikTok’s interest graph comes in.

What’s an Interest Graph?

Unlike a social graph, which is based on who you follow, an interest graph is based on what you’re interested in. TikTok’s famous “For You” page is a perfect example. The platform doesn’t just care about who you follow. Instead, it pays attention to what you watch, how long you watch it, what you like, share, or comment on, and even the language, location, and device you use. It learns your habits and constantly adapts, ensuring you see the content you're most likely to enjoy—whether it’s from a stranger halfway across the world or a close friend.

The more you interact, the more the algorithm learns about your preferences, and the better it gets at recommending content that keeps you hooked. This is why TikTok feels so addictive; it knows you better than you know yourself in predictive and unsettling new ways. This is a departure from the social graph approach. Here’s why.

The Limits of Social Graphs

Social graph algorithms, like Facebook’s old EdgeRank, used to focus on your interactions with people you already knew. If you liked your cousin’s photos but didn’t comment on their text-only status updates, Facebook would show you more of their photos and fewer text posts.

But this system was limited. As mentioned earlier, you had to manually follow people or pages that aligned with your interests, and over time, your feed could become cluttered with stuff that no longer appealed to you.

In contrast, the interest graph is smarter. It adapts automatically as your preferences change. You start watching more cooking videos? The algorithm takes note and serves you up more recipes, without you ever having to follow a cooking channel. It’s frictionless. It’s constantly updating itself and using your engagement data points, along with millions of others to predict what you’d be most interested in next, based on how you’ve interacted.

The TikTokification of Social Media

It’s not just TikTok anymore. The success of TikTok’s interest-based recommendation model has prompted other platforms to follow suit. In addition to Instagram’s Reels, Facebook inserts Reels suggestions in news feeds, YouTube’s Shorts, Snapchat’s Spotlight, and even LinkedIn’s recent “For You” feed are all examples of this shift. Twitter (X) has also jumped on the bandwagon with its own “For You” tab, showing that the battle for your attention is fiercer than ever.

As Gary Vee put it, “the TikTokification of social media” is in full swing. Platforms no longer want you to just interact with your friends; they want to serve you the most engaging content to keep you on their site. It’s a war for your time, and whoever can serve the most relevant, interesting content wins.

Small businesses and creators can now compete with big brands because the algorithm prioritizes engagement over size.

The Business Side: More Relevance, More Reach

Here’s where it gets interesting for businesses. In the past, social media success was often tied to follower count. The more followers you had, the more organic reach you had—simple. But with platforms caring less about who follows you and more about how relevant your content is, the game has changed. Small businesses and creators can now compete with big brands because the algorithm prioritizes engagement over size.

If your content resonates with people, you’re rewarded with more reach and visibility. This is a massive shift. Traditional media, like TV commercials or billboards, doesn’t care if your ad is good or bad—they’ll take your money either way. But on social media, if your content sucks, the algorithm penalizes you by reducing your reach or increasing your ad costs.

It’s a level playing field, and it rewards creativity and relevance over sheer budget. And it’s changing the way that marketing and selling is being done.

Think of it like a comedian testing new material at small clubs before their big Netflix special. Social media gives you instant feedback on what’s hitting with your audience and what’s falling flat.

The New Way of Creating Content

In this new landscape, the old way of doing things—months of research, focus groups, and high-budget campaigns—feels outdated. Big companies would spend millions on research, production, agency fees, and media buying, only to release an ad that doesn’t land. But now, you can test content every day on social platforms, seeing in real-time what works and what doesn’t.

Think of it like a comedian testing new material at small clubs before their big Netflix special. Social media gives you instant feedback on what’s hitting with your audience and what’s falling flat. You can use that data to inform your high-stakes campaigns, reducing risk and increasing the chance of success.

It’s no longer about “spray and pray”—throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. Instead, you start with small, everyday tests, using analytics to guide your decisions. If something works well organically, you can feel confident putting money behind it as a paid ad.

The Bottom Line

The shift to interest-based algorithms on social media is a massive update, and it’s changing how we create, consume, and engage with content. TikTok may have started the trend, but now every platform is racing to catch up. For businesses and creators, this presents an incredible opportunity.

Instead of focusing on follower count or big-budget campaigns, the focus is now on creating relevant, engaging content that speaks to what people actually want to see. And with the algorithm constantly adapting and learning, the sooner you jump on this trend, the more likely you are to succeed.

A massive opportunity just opened up for every marketer, aspiring influencer, business owner, and entrepreneur. Are you ready for it?

Leave a comment below or share this post with someone who needs to hear it!

Subscribe to Darragh on HackerNoon here. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.