Cracking the Facebook Code (Or at Least Trying)
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to share Chris’s art with more people online. Facebook and Instagram are ideal places to do that, but understand, not everything posted actually shows up for every one of her followers. But you already, know that! That’s because Parent company Meta uses what’s called an algorithm. As we scroll, the algorithm determines who sees what and when.
What the Algorithm Really Is
Think of Meta as a host who tries to make you feel at home with the madness of the internet and make it seem like it’s no big deal. Like it should feel natural. (Though for the Senior Element of the population it’s quite the challenge.)
Facebook/Instagram quantify the data below to determine success:
Who you interact with most – friends, pages, or artists you already like.
What type of posts you enjoy – photos, videos, links, or updates.
How fresh the post is – newer content usually gets placed higher.
How other people react:
If a lot of people comment or share quickly, Facebook assumes it must be worth showing to more people.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Drawn by Chris in college. At least this print survived. We can assume he is thinking about creating his own code—the Da Vinci Code.
My Plan to Figure It Out
I want to understand (as the blog writer) these rules better, so Chris’s art has the best chance to be seen and experienced. Here’s how I’m going to experiment:
Post regularly, at different times of day – to see when people are most likely to notice.
Mix up the formats – photos of finished paintings, short videos of Chris painting, and little behind-the-scenes stories.
Watch what gets the most interaction – likes, shares, and comments are all clues.
Tweak as it goes – if videos do better, we’ll make more videos. We can determine which days, and release times work best, then we’ll stick to them.
It’s a bit like gardening—you plant a few seeds, pay attention to what grows and nurture the ones that thrive.
How You Can Help
Every time you like, comment, or share one of her posts, it tells the algorithm, “This matters. Show it to more people.”
Even a quick “Beautiful!” or a heart emoji makes a real difference.
I’m excited to see how this new focus works out. By understanding how Facebook and Instagram work behind the scenes, maybe we can get Chris’s art in front of the people who will love it most.
Stay tuned—I’ll share what we discover!