Influencers could get super viral thanks to this Microsoft social media patent

More clicks! More views! More passion, more energy! More social media interactions!

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has recently published a patent application from Microsoft – it's a personalized social media notification system, based on user engagement.

In essence, Microsoft is developing a way that allows social media platforms to send notifications customized according to the recipient's level of engagement with the content.

So, what does this system entail? When users follow others on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube, they can choose to receive notifications about new posts, tweets, or videos. However, the current notification system is considered outdated because not everyone responds to every "new post" notification. You don't do it either, correct?

Microsoft aims to address this by implementing a system that will send notifications only to users who engage frequently with a content creator's posts (e.g., clicking, liking, watching). For others, notifications will be sent more sparingly.

This approach, in theory, will entice influencers to tailor their content based on what resonates most with their audience. Simply put, they'll get more and more viral, as a result.

The method employs a scoring system called rAffinity, which evaluates the likelihood of a content creator interacting with a notification based on viewer engagement. This scoring system guides content recommendations, helping creators understand which content garners the most engagement.

This approach is somewhat akin to YouTube's notification settings (offering "all" or "personalized" notifications), but the key distinction is that the system autonomously determines the frequency and intensity of notifications. Magic stuff!

Microsoft has been granted this patent by the USPTO, similar to its patent for enhancing Bing's reverse image search capabilities, suggesting that we may see this system in action soon. However, it's important to note that since most major social media platforms are not owned by Microsoft (except for LinkedIn and Skype), collaboration with other companies may be necessary for implementation.