Why we made this report
To explain, as simply as possible, how platforms recommend content to the marketing and communication teams preparing their 2027 plans, and to turn the research we did for Gamechangers into ten rules you can take into your next content meeting. Every page chases the same question: why would someone spend time on this content?
Key findings
- 01Instagram also weighs how likely a post is to be shared: make content people will want to send to each other.
- 02Instagram can favour the original among copies of the same video: show your brand’s own footage, expertise and experience.
- 03YouTube recommendations also use reactions and satisfaction surveys, not just watch history: make your video keep the promise of its title.
- 04YouTube search looks at relevance to the query, viewer response and quality: answer the question your customer is searching for.
- 05LinkedIn matches what a post is about with people’s professional interests: make it clear whose job you are making easier.
- 06LinkedIn treats time spent on a post as a sign of interest and can limit artificial engagement: give people something worth stopping to read.
- 07Watch time is one of the behaviours that matter in TikTok recommendations: show a reason to keep watching right away.
- 08In TikTok search, how well a video matches the query matters: be there with your answer when people search.
- 09The App Store and Google Play try to match an app with the job the user is looking for: make what your app does clear at once.
- 10In app campaigns, the goal you choose shapes who the system tries to find: describe the result you want to the algorithm correctly.
What’s in the report?
- Instagram: shares and originality (pp. 04–05)
- YouTube: satisfaction and search (pp. 06–07)
- LinkedIn: professional interest and reading (pp. 08–09)
- TikTok: watching and search (pp. 10–11)
- Mobile apps: store discovery and campaign goals (pp. 12–13)
- The first 90 days of 2027 and what to measure on each platform (pp. 14–15)
- Two reading notes and 25 sources (pp. 16–19)
How each rule is built
Each rule first explains how the platform works and what it means for brands, then gives a recommendation for 2027. A short, hypothetical example closes every rule, and some pages carry short notes from Ahmet Şükrü Altındağ.
The first 90 days of 2027
- Month one: take stock of current results; be clear about whom you want to reach and which business result you expect, and check that your measurement works.
- Month two: test one idea on each platform; don’t change everything at once.
- Month three: try the idea that worked in a few more pieces; if the result repeats, consider more production or budget.
What to watch on each platform
- Instagram: shares, reach to new audiences and relevant visits.
- YouTube: watch time, returning viewers and interest in the product or offer.
- LinkedIn: interest from the right professions, qualified leads and meetings.
- TikTok: continued watching, being found through search and relevant visits.
- Mobile apps: acquisition cost, purchases and continued use.
Sources
The report draws on 25 sources, including the platforms’ own statements from Meta, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, Apple and Google, and research by Kantar, Nielsen, Emplifi, Metricool, Sensor Tower and Adjust. Last checked on 3 November 2026. “10 algorithms” is a heading for explaining complex systems; it does not mean we know the rules that will be announced in 2027. There is no formula that guarantees reach or sales; the rules are there to guide your tests.