Facebook Edgerank Algorithm

1. How the Algorithm works: According to Facebook, Edgerank is determined by three key factors:

• The closeness of the user to the brand -- or person, if the content is posted by a friend rather than a business. This involves an analysis of the relationship based on such factors as the time spent on a particular brand page and the number of shared messages or comments. The more your audience interacts with you, the higher their affinity score for you will be.
   
• The weight of the content. This factor ranks comments and sharing higher than "likes" because they require more action on the user's part.
   
• The time decay factor. This measures the age of your content. If it's older than other content, it doesn't get as high a score. 

2. The more engagement the better: How many of your posts on Facebook contain an instruction or call-to-action? If not many do, start asking your fans to share or "like" the content. You also can pose questions to spur comments that will help your Edgerank score.
Coca-Cola, for example, often posts pictures with a product on a beach or similar setting and asks, "Coke Check-In: Where are you?" A recent post like this garnered 7,700+ "likes" and more than 1,000 comments.
3. 'Heavy-lifting' interactions help a lot: Based on the algorithm, driving your fans to upload pictures, videos and engage in lengthy discussions can help you rank better in their News Feed than other sources. Most Facebook users want to engage with friends and family, so your challenge is to make them want to do the same with you.
Video and photo contests can spark more interaction, as can simple calls for content. The Straz Center in Tampa once promoted the musical Cats by simply asking fans to post pictures of their cats on its Facebook page. Several dozen people did just that.
Related: 3 Little-Known Metrics That Can Help Optimize Your Facebook Page
4. Consistency is imperative: The algorithm's time-decay factor means that if your last Facebook post, compelling or not, was a week ago, it's likely not being seen by anyone now. Successful brands on Facebook are posting content that drives the audience to react on a daily basis -- maybe even several times each day. You'll need to test to see if your audience will respond to more than one post a day, but posting content once daily is one way to start.
5. Content is king: The one sure-fire way to get attention and interaction is to write and publish great content. When your fans find the content so good they have to share it, you win and your Edgerank rises.