Social media algorithms use certain engagement metrics to gauge content and determine if it is worth users' time. For aspiring content creators, figuring out which metrics to focus on represents one of their most frustrating conundrums. With tons of other content creators grappling for viewers' attention, which metrics should you focus on to maximize social media growth? What kind of engagement should creators prioritize to ensure they are on track to achieving their content creation objectives?
The answer is that it depends. Algorithms don't weigh all types of social media engagement equally. Some metrics look good on paper but have little impact on organic growth, while others, seemingly unassuming, pack a much larger punch. Understanding how platform algorithms weigh different engagement metrics can help content creators focus their efforts on the metrics that best align with their content goals.
This guide will discuss what each type of engagement signals to the algorithm, how algorithms weigh different engagement metrics, which metrics matter most for social media growth, and how you can build a content strategy that earns you a healthy mix of likes, comments, saves, and shares.
Why Not All Engagement is Weighted Equally
Social media users interact with content that interests them in various ways. Sometimes, they drop a like and move on; sometimes, they leave a quick comment; other times, they discuss the content with other viewers in the comments section; and in some cases, they share the content with other users or save it for later viewing. Notice something about these interactions? They each require different amounts of effort, with some types of engagement being very low-effort and others requiring more.
That's why social media algorithms weigh engagement metrics differently. A like on your post is a positive engagement metric, but it isn't as good as a comment; spirited discussions and shares will trump a single comment. These engagement metrics aren't equal in the eyes of the algorithm, and treating them as interchangeable will cripple your social media strategy before you even get it off the ground.
Successful content creators are acutely aware of how algorithms weigh each metric and can tailor their content strategies to gain the algorithm's favor. They understand the weight of each engagement metric and apply this knowledge throughout the content creation process.
What Each Engagement Type Actually Signals
So, what does each type of engagement signal to the algorithm? Let's break down what each metric reveals to algorithms about social media user intent and behavior;
Likes: Quick, Low-Effort Approval
Likes represent quick, low-effort, and mostly passive approval from users. They indicate that users enjoyed your content when they viewed it but weren't engaged enough to spend more time interacting with it. While likes are an important engagement metric, they shouldn't be the end-all, be-all of your social media growth strategy.
Comments: Active Investment and Conversation
To the algorithm, comments signal that your content was engaging enough to make social media users pause their scrolling and hang out on your profile for a minute or two. They cared enough about your content to stop by and articulate a thought or feeling. The algorithm loves it even more when the creator themselves and other viewers take part in the conversation, as it maximizes the time they spend on the platform, which is what all social media algorithms "want".
Shares: Content Worth Passing On
A "share" means that a viewer resonated with your content so much that they went out of their way to send it to another unique user. It is a clear sign that your account posts high-quality and value-driven content, which is critical to gaining algorithmic favor. Furthermore, shares extend a creator's reach to audiences that may never have encountered them, enabling organic growth and giving algorithms more incentive to recommend their content.
Saves: Content Worth Returning To
This engagement metric generally indicates that users want to return to a specific piece of content for a particular reason. A piece of entertaining content can be revisited for more laughs, while educational content can be referred to again and again when the user needs to relearn something. Saves show the algorithm that your content provides such intrinsic value that users can gain something even after repeated viewings.
How Algorithms Rank These Signals
As we have established, algorithms do not weigh engagement metrics on social media equally. Some metrics signal a real value proposition while others look good on paper but don't impress the algorithm. While algorithms on different platforms don't function identically, they generally use the following hierarchy to rank engagement signals:
Shares and Saves Often Outweigh Likes and Comments
Likes look really good on paper. Believing that likes are critical to social media success, many new content creators prioritize strategies that maximize likes when they start producing content. Unfortunately, likes are the lowest in the hierarchy of algorithms used to weigh engagement. They require very little effort and represent a more passive form of engagement. A social media user can like dozens of posts as they scroll by, making their value as a metric for true engagement negligible.
Comments require more effort from the user. They show that viewers were interested or engaged enough to leave a comment, so they rank higher than likes in the algorithm's hierarchy. Shares and saves rank highest when platform algorithms weigh engagement metrics. These two serve as the ultimate showcase of a piece of content's value, signaling that it is good enough to share with other viewers. Furthermore, saves show that a user is committed to interacting with a specific piece of content for the foreseeable future, which is the kind of long-term engagement most algorithms seek.
Context Still Matters
This ranking system isn't set in stone. While the hierarchy does play a major role in how algorithms weigh engagement, context often determines which metric takes priority. The "most important" engagement metric for a content creator may vary depending on the platform they use, the type of content they create, or the format they use. For instance, saves carry more weight for reference or tutorial-style content while comments may be more important on discussion-driven platforms like Reddit and other forums.
Which Metric Should You Prioritize?
The metrics you decide to prioritize and optimize your content for will likely determine how it fares on the wild web. Optimizing for some metrics may result in performance that looks good on paper but isn't meaningful, while focusing on other metrics could give your strategy the boost it needs to succeed.
Prioritize Shares and Saves as Primary Goals
Regardless of the type of content you make, you should consider making saves and shares your primary content goals. These two metrics carry the most algorithmic weight compared to likes and comments, and are much more likely to help you build the momentum your account needs to grow. Shares will allow you to extend your content reach without needing ad spend or marketing strategies, while Saves keep followers within your ecosystem, as they repeatedly interact with your content.
You can prioritize shares and saves by making highly insightful, educational, or entertaining content that grabs users' attention and encourages discussions. Optimizing your content strategy around shareable and saveable content will gain you the most algorithmic trust and significantly raise your odds of meeting your objectives.
Don't Ignore Comments and Likes Entirely
Likes and comments may not be as important to the algorithm as shares and saves, but they still serve a purpose. Before your content is saved and shared with other users, it must first be liked and commented on. Likes and comments are the earliest engagement signals a post will receive, and they will lay the groundwork for the more impactful engagement signals every content creator should aim for. Social media users are much more likely to interact with content that already has likes and comments, as it indicates social proof.
What you want is a healthy mix of all four engagement metrics to make sure you are putting your best foot forward, content-wise. A healthy number of likes to set the ball rolling, discussions in the comment sections to get more people talking about the content, and closing with saves and shares as users resonate with the content.
Creating Content That Earns All Four
Content that encourages all four types of user engagement is much more likely to gain the algorithm's favor. For new and aspiring content creators, this favor is integral to getting as many people as possible to see and interact with your content.
Here's a quick guide to show you how you can craft content that will earn you likes, comments, saves, and shares:
- Start with a relatable hook to invite quick reactions and likes.
- Invite opinions or ask viewers questions that will spark discussions in the comment section.
- Include a moment or two that are insightful or entertaining enough for viewers to consider sharing the content with other viewers
- Make your informational content easy to consume and understand to encourage saves for later reference
Conclusion
Likes and comments may be the most visible user engagement metrics, but they shouldn't be at the center of your content strategy. Yes, social media algorithms heavily favor shares and saves when weighing engagement. But this doesn't mean comments and likes aren't important; they are the earliest signals of engagement and provide the social proof your content needs to receive saves and shares eventually.
The most effective content mix for social media focuses on driving likes, comments, shares, and saves. It recognizes that the initial groundwork comes from comments and likes, with shares and saves being the culmination of a journey that began with a single like.
