June 12, 2025

Adding a live link to a TikTok video? Let’s demystify the algorithm. In its simplest form, an algorithm’s core function is to show you more of what you watch most frequently, whether that’s basketball games or cat videos. For TikTok and other platforms, the algorithm doesn’t care about the type of content, only that you’re engaged with it. Essentially, the algorithm serves you more of what you’re already watching.

In its simplest form, the algorithm is like a smart recommendation system. It pays attention to what you watch the most – whether that’s basketball highlights, DIY tutorials, or endless cat videos. To the TikTok algorithm, and algorithms on most social media platforms, what you consistently engage with signals what you’re interested in.
So, while a core function of the algorithm is to show you more of what you are already watching, it’s also important to understand a few more things:

• Beyond just watching: Algorithms also consider who you follow, the content you like, share, and comment on, the information in video captions and hashtags, and even the sound or music used.
• Personalization: The algorithm aims to personalize your feed, so what one person sees can be very different from what another.
• Discovery: While it shows you more of what you like, algorithms also try to introduce you to new content and creators they think you might like based on these patterns.
• It’s not static: Algorithms are constantly being updated and refined by the platforms.
  So, in short, a big part of the algorithm is giving you ‘more of what you watch,’ but it’s a dynamic system that learns your preferences through various interactions to curate your experience and help you discover new things!