Ah, the algorithm. The invisible brain behind your feed, the inscrutable force that determines what you see and don't see. Whether you're on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or LinkedIn: the algorithm is watching. But what if you give it a little ... bullying? What happens if you don't behave the way it wants you to?
Here are a few (not recommended, but oh so interesting) ways to anger the algorithm:
Everyone knows you have to post on Tuesdays at 11:13 a.m. for maximum engagement. Right? Well, try posting on Sunday night at 02:17. You'll see: the algorithm frowns its digital eyebrows.
Why is this bad? The algorithm likes patterns. If you deviate from "optimal times," you get less visibility. But who knows ... maybe you're actually attracting waking nocturnal animals?
Or better yet, use totally irrelevant hashtags. Post a picture of your dog with #financialindependence #crypto #interiorstyling. The algorithm gets completely confused.
Why is this naughty? Hashtags help with categorization. If you sabotage those categories, the system doesn't know who should see your post. Chaos!
Do you want people to like, comment or share? Then you have to ask. Right? Well ... refuse to do that. No "What do you think?", no "Tag a friend". Nothing. Just your pure message.
The effect: Less interaction means less relevance in the eyes of the algorithm. But who knows, maybe people will actually find it refreshing?
Post every day for two weeks. After that: silence. Then suddenly another overload of five posts in one day. The algorithm likes structure - and you break the pattern.
Tip: If you hate discipline, you are inadvertently already a master at this.
Don't post what's trending. No dances, no viral sounds, no hot takes. Post long texts, black-and-white photos, or philosophical musings. In short: anything that "doesn't work."
Why this is cool: Sometimes people actually find authenticity more appealing than optimization.
Bonus: Respond to everything with complete nonsense
Post comments like "Broccoli has feelings too" or "The moon doesn't lie" under random content. The algorithm doesn't know what to do with these. And secretly: people might not either.
So ... should you do this?
Not necessarily. But it is good to remember that you are not creating for the algorithm, but for people. Sometimes it's fun - and even valuable - to break the rules. Creativity often arises right at the margins, where the algorithms don't expect you.
And say, what could be more fun than a little rebellion against a robot?
Written by someone who secretly posted this blog at 02:17. #algorithmboos