Platforms and Algorithms
How recommendation systems decide what people see and what that means for creators: feed pipelines and signals, short-form video, YouTube, Meta's apps, text and community platforms, audio and live, search and discoverability, growth dynamics, myths and experiments, moderation and regulation, and cross-platform strategy.
CRE-201 Year 2 3 credits 12 lessons · 5 h
Offered by HSM University · Content Creation
This is the American version of this course. See the Canadian version.
What you'll learn
- Explain how recommendation feeds evolved and how candidate generation, ranking, re-ranking and feedback work
- Interpret the signals platforms use, including watch time, completion, shares, saves, negative feedback and satisfaction
- Analyze how short-form video platforms test and distribute videos, and adapt content to TikTok, Reels and Shorts
- Apply knowledge of YouTube traffic sources, packaging, click-through rate, watch time and satisfaction to long-form video
- Explain how Instagram, Facebook and Threads rank different surfaces and treat connected and unconnected reach
- Compare ranking on LinkedIn, X, Bluesky, Reddit, Pinterest and community platforms, and adapt text-based content
- Describe discovery and recommendation for podcasts, music and live streaming, and repurpose long and live content
- Optimize content for platform search and wider web and AI search using keyword research and clear descriptions
- Explain the cold start problem, long-tailed reach and realistic growth dynamics for new and growing accounts
- Evaluate algorithm claims and design simple experiments that account for noisy results
- Explain moderation, transparency tools and platform regulation in Canada, the United States and internationally
- Design an ethical cross-platform distribution strategy with owned channels, experiments and risk management
Course content
12 lessons · 5 h total · final exam
- 1 How recommendation feeds work 25 min · quiz
- 2 Signals: watch time, engagement and shares 25 min · quiz
- 3 Short-form video platforms 25 min · quiz
- 4 YouTube and long-form video 25 min · quiz
- 5 Instagram, Facebook and Threads 25 min · quiz
- 6 Text, professional and community platforms 25 min · quiz
- 7 Audio, podcasts and live streaming 25 min · quiz
- 8 Search and discoverability 25 min · quiz
- 9 New accounts, growth and the dynamics of reach 25 min · quiz
- 10 Myths, tests and platform changes 25 min · quiz
- 11 Moderation, transparency and regulation 25 min · quiz
- 12 Cross-platform strategy and capstone 25 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
How recommendation systems decide what people see and what that means for creators: feed pipelines and signals, short-form video, YouTube, Meta's apps, text and community platforms, audio and live, search and discoverability, growth dynamics, myths and experiments, moderation and regulation, and cross-platform strategy.
Part of the Film & Photography stream, typically taken in year 2.