A feed is the stream of posts a user sees when browsing a social media platform.
Feeds may include followed accounts, recommended content, ads, reposts, and platform-curated suggestions.
For brands, feed content usually needs a strong hook and clear visual identity to stand out while people scroll.
Feed posts need to communicate value quickly because they compete with friends, creators, ads, news, entertainment, and recommended content in the same scroll.
Chronological feeds show posts in time order from accounts you follow. Algorithmic feeds rank content by predicted interest and mix in recommendations. Most platforms default to algorithmic ranking.
Ranked feeds show each person only the posts they are most likely to engage with, competing against everything else in their feed. Reaching every follower with every post has not been realistic for years.
A recognizable visual identity, hooks that stop the scroll in the first second, and formats the platform is currently favoring. Consistency compounds: familiar accounts get engaged with more.