How do social media algorithms actually work across different platforms?

I'm building a social media scheduling tool, and the more I research, the more I realize every platform seems to rank content differently.

For example:

Does posting frequency really matter, or is engagement quality more important?
How much do likes, comments, shares, saves, watch time, and click-through rates influence reach?
Do hashtags still have a meaningful impact, or are they mostly for discovery?
Does scheduling posts through third-party tools affect reach?
How do newer platforms like Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon differ from Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, and YouTube?
Is there any consensus on what signals are universal across platforms?

I'm not looking for "growth hacks" or myths I'm interested in how the ranking systems actually work, whether from official documentation, engineering blogs, research papers, or your own experience.

If you've worked on recommendation systems, social media marketing, or have data from running large accounts, I'd love to hear your insights.

Thanks!

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