Gaming the Algorithm

First, there was SEO (Search Engine Optimization). 

If you were clever, you could figure out how Google ranked websites in its search results. Once you knew that, you could game the system. Once you could game the system, you could sell your services to others. 

Then, Google became more sophisticated and outpaced the gamers. Then the gamers caught up. And then SEO became YouTube and social media algorithms. 

And so on. Round and round.  

Is this the game you want to play?

You can chase the algorithm, but they have the control, and they’re trying to keep out the gamers. 

But there is a different and deeper algorithm. One that hasn’t changed in 1000 years. 

The human one.

It’s built on curiosity, trust, relevance, usefulness, and impact. 

The “you should see this” impulse and it spreads around dinner tables, break rooms, and group texts. It’s shared not because it was optimized for the algorithm, but because it hit something real. 

You can choose. You can play for the click, or you can play for the conversation. 

The real algorithm is still human.