Facebook algorithm 2026: rules of reach for creators

If Facebook still looks like "one feed to rule them all" in your head, that's why your posts feel invisible. It's now a network of feeds and ranking systems that treat every post like a prediction problem.

The upside: when you know how those systems think, you can train them. The downside: they're stricter about quality, intent, and how you try to earn attention.

What happened

Facebook's feed is now a blend of two engines. First, "connected content" from friends, Pages you follow, and Groups you're in. Second, "recommended content" from accounts you don't follow but the system believes you'll like. Ads are separate and don't use the same ranking logic.

Both engines run a similar four-step playbook on every post: collect candidates, read signals, predict outcomes, assign a score. Signals include your relationship history with the poster (comments, replies, DMs), post-level engagement (comment depth, reactions, reshares), format and watch behavior (video completion, rewatches, fullscreen taps), topical interests, and even whether you hit "Show more/less" on similar posts recently.

There are guardrails. Facebook enforces its Community Standards (what's allowed at all) and, on top, a stricter set of Recommendation Guidelines (what's allowed to be pushed to non-followers). Content that's sensational, clickbaity, engagement-baiting, misleading, low-quality health/finance, sexually suggestive, or from opaque sources may remain on-platform yet be blocked from recommendations. Translation: it can live, but it won't travel.

Formats matter. Facebook continues to lean into video and especially Reels in discovery surfaces. At the same time, most of what people actually see in feed is native, no-click content - photos, videos, text - rather than posts that send people off-platform. Meta's own transparency reports have shown for years that the most-viewed posts in the U.S. are overwhelmingly non-link posts.

Why creators should care

Discovery moved from "only your followers" to "anyone the system believes you'll delight." That means the fastest growth now comes from recommendation surfaces, not just your Page's existing audience.

Engagement quality beats engagement quantity. Thoughtful comments, replies, shares, longer watch time, and DMs are stronger signals than quick likes. The ranking system cares about whether you start real conversations and hold attention, not whether you beg for a tap.

Native wins distribution. Link posts still work for warm audiences and conversion, but they're second-class citizens in feed ranking. If you must link, earn the click with real value in the post itself and a clean landing experience. Spammy or ad-heavy destinations get quietly downranked.

Reels are the on-ramp to non-follower reach. Short, mobile-first clips feed a dedicated Reels surface plus multiple recommendation slots across the app. Meanwhile, across many Page datasets we've seen, photos still punch above their weight on median engagement. Use both: video to reach new people, photos to deepen and harvest engagement.

Stop thinking "beat the algorithm." Start thinking "teach the algorithm what my best audience looks like." Consistency and conversations are the lesson plan.

The mentor take

You're not being shadowbanned. You're being out-competed by clearer signals. Facebook is asking two questions about every post: who will care, and how much? Make the answers obvious with tighter hooks, richer comments, and native-first packaging.

If your strategy relies on clickbait or "like/share if..." prompts, you're training the system to distrust you. Go for specific, story-led prompts that invite real replies. The algorithm can tell the difference - and so can your audience.

What to do next

Program for two feeds. Publish for your "connected" audience (updates, photos, carousels) and for "recommendations" (Reels-first, broadly appealing topics). Aim for native posts that stand alone without a click; use links sparingly and only to high-quality pages.
Engineer watchability. For Reels, hook in the first second, use strong captions, vertical 9:16, under 60-75s while you learn, and clear topic signals (title text on screen, keywords in caption). End with a reason to comment or share, not "follow for part 2."
Create conversation loops. Ask one specific question per post, reply to comments within 24 hours, pin the best comment, and continue the thread with follow-up posts. Treat DMs and story replies as fuel - those private interactions strengthen future ranking.
Protect recommendation eligibility. Review Community Standards and Recommendation Guidelines, avoid engagement bait and exaggerated health/finance claims, complete your Page info (authorship, contact details), secure your account (2FA), and prune spammy admins or apps.
Measure what the system values. Track 3-day and 7-day reach to non-followers, average watch time and completion rate on Reels, comments per viewer, and saves/shares. Double down on posts that earn deeper comments and longer watches, not just raw impressions.