Facebook is trying to improve the news feed, but this time listening to the users. A test, performed in the United States, attempts to relate the behavior of people with their likes in the social network without algorithms. Initial research applied a questionnaire with 30 people and seeks to introduce a more complete feed, with better content integrated with the users preferences.
Delivering a perfect news feed is still a challenge to Facebook. After all, among so many 'likes', comments, ads and clicks, unlock the user's taste is not as easy as it sounds.
To try to unravel these actions, the social network is working on 'personal' testing, in which a group of users is set to access a special version of Facebook.
Since 2006 that the developers prepare studies to offer to the user relevant content at different levels. The new pilot test decided to apply the questions to 'real users' and began addressing a group of 30 people to interact with the social network. The content offered is random and without ranking order. The goal is for the user to look at a story at a time. These evaluators observe about 100 posts per day, which are paid by unit. Then, they are asked to answer a few questions about user experience, with eight questions for each observed posting.
Finally are asked to write a paragraph explaining the feelings about specific stories. 'We really try not to express any editorial judgment', said the product manager Adam Mosseri.
The idea is to improve the code so that the content offered to the user is better integrated with their needs. So.. What did they found? During this study the reactions of users, point out important things.
One is that Internet users are more interested in content published by friends or close family members, such as images and messages. Another factor is that to 'like' that particular post does not actually mean that the user has primary interest in it, and may not represent an attempt to have better contact with the owner of the post.
Companies ads are no longer pleasing the users of Facebook, and are still not attracting great interest.
Facebook recently expanded the project to 600 people across the country, working four hours a day at home. According to the plans, this number should be expanded to thousands, until Facebook reach a kind of direct questions for all its users.
