Facebook Launches "Your Algorithm" for Feed and Reels Customization

Facebook announced on October 13, 2026, that it is rolling out "Your algorithm," a feature that lets users directly add and manage the topics they want to see in Feed and Reels by typing preferences in their own words. According to the company's announcement, large language models now incorporate the interests, context, and intent behind natural language input, so recommendations update in real time within the same session. For merchants running organic social or paid campaigns on the platform, this changes the discovery equation: shoppers can now explicitly tell Facebook they want home decor, outdoor gear, or skincare, and the algorithm will surface relevant posts and Reels immediately.

What Facebook changed and how it works

Facebook has always inferred interests from likes, comments, watch time, and thousands of other engagement signals. The new feature adds a conversational layer on top. Users open the three-dot menu on any post, tap "Interested" or "Not interested," and may be prompted to explain why in freeform text. They can also visit Your algorithm directly to list topics they care about. The announcement describes this as bringing freeform text together with existing behavioral understanding, so the ranking systems adapt more quickly and with more nuance.

In practice, that means a shopper can type "sustainable activewear" or "gifts under fifty dollars" and see those themes reflected in their feed before they scroll further. The algorithm doesn't wait for patterns to emerge over weeks; it responds in the same session.

Why this matters for organic reach and content strategy

If customers can now state their interests explicitly, organic posts that match those stated preferences have a clearer path to reach. A skincare brand posting about ingredient transparency may appear in the feed of someone who just told Facebook they want clean beauty content, even if that person had never engaged with the brand before. Conversely, generic lifestyle shots or off-topic promotions risk getting filtered faster when the algorithm knows exactly what the user asked for.

This doesn't replace existing ranking signals (engagement, watch time, and recency still matter), but it adds a new input. Stores should review whether their organic Feed and Reels content aligns with the specific language and topics customers are likely to type. If you sell camping gear, does your copy mention "backpacking," "ultralight," or "family camping," or does it stay vague? If you post Reels, do the captions and on-screen text match the way shoppers describe what they're looking for?

The rollout is gradual, and Facebook has not published a detailed eligibility timeline. Check the company's official availability updates for the latest information.

Potential workflows for stores (with the usual caveats)

One possible use is refreshing your content calendar to mirror customer search and browse language. If analytics or support tickets show people ask for "vegan leather bags" or "minimalist wallets," make sure those exact phrases appear in captions, on-screen text, and Reels voiceovers. The algorithm can now match that language directly to user input.

Another workflow is monitoring how "Not interested" feedback clusters. If a significant share of viewers flag a certain post style or topic, that signal may now propagate faster through the ranking system. Brands that test multiple creative angles (product demos, behind-the-scenes, user-generated content) can watch which formats attract explicit positive feedback and which get dismissed.

A third scenario involves paid and organic synergy. If a customer clicks a paid ad for running shoes, then later tells Facebook they want more fitness content, your organic Reels about training tips or gear reviews may appear in their feed without additional ad spend. The inverse is also true: if someone marks your category as "Not interested," future organic posts may be suppressed even if past engagement was strong.

All of these depend on suitable analytics, permissions to access engagement data, and the creative capacity to iterate quickly. Results will vary by audience size, posting frequency, and how well your catalog vocabulary maps to the way customers actually talk.

How stated intent flows into direct messages

When a shopper tells Facebook they want sustainable products or gifts under a certain price, that context doesn't vanish when they move to Instagram or Messenger. If they open a DM to ask "Do you have sustainable activewear?" or "Show me gifts under fifty dollars," the conversation often reflects the same intent they just fed into the algorithm.

That's where a tool like Kolton becomes relevant. Kolton connects to your Shopify catalog, stock levels, and order history, so when a customer asks a specific question in a DM, the agent can answer with real product names, prices, and availability. Configured guardrails let you decide whether Kolton should suggest alternatives, apply discounts, or escalate high-value requests. If a shopper has already signaled interest in a category to Facebook, you want your DM responses to match that intent with accurate inventory, not vague placeholders.

Limits and unknowns

The supplied documentation does not establish exactly how long stated interests persist, how often users will update them, or how the system weighs explicit input against behavioral signals when the two conflict. Facebook has not published a breakdown of which user segments will see Your algorithm first, nor whether the feature will expand to other surfaces beyond Feed and Reels.

For merchants, the immediate question is reach: will the change favor larger accounts with broad topic coverage, or smaller brands that speak precisely to a narrow interest? The answer likely depends on how many users actively engage with the new feedback tools. If adoption is low, behavioral signals will continue to dominate. If adoption is high, stores that align content with customer language will see measurable lift, while those relying on generic creative may see organic reach compress further.

The announcement also does not specify whether Your algorithm affects ad targeting or remains confined to organic ranking. Stores running both organic and paid should monitor whether stated interests influence ad delivery or simply shift which organic posts appear between ads.

What to do this week

Review your last thirty days of organic posts and Reels. Note which product categories, features, or benefits you highlighted. Compare that list to the language customers use in support chats, order notes, and product reviews. If there's a mismatch, test new captions and Reels that echo customer vocabulary. Watch whether engagement or reach changes as the feature rolls out.

If you handle a high volume of DMs on Instagram or Messenger and customer questions often include specific product attributes ("Do you have this in navy?" "Is this vegan?"), verify that your responses include real-time inventory and pricing. Tools like Kolton pull that data directly from Shopify, so answers stay accurate without manual catalog updates.

Finally, keep an eye on your three-dot menu analytics. If Facebook surfaces "Interested" and "Not interested" counts per post, that feedback will tell you which content aligns with stated preferences and which gets filtered. Adjust your creative calendar accordingly.