Facebook routinely tweaks its news feed algorithm, but this update has the potential to advance the company’s efforts in the area of news delivery. It’s a departure from the site’s roots as a means for solely keeping in touch with family and friends. Facebook users have already sampled this new algorithm by looking at the “trending” topics section in the right-hand column, which Facebook rolled out earlier this year.

Facebook wants to further engage users when they might be watching the same sports game or TV show, similar to Twitter posts, and then brush their posts under the carpet when the event is over or the topic fizzles out. Posts that aren’t as relevant to what’s hot, in other words, will get less priority.

The update is built around two changes. First, posts that are related to trending topics will appear higher and faster in the feed, Facebook said. Secondly, Facebook said it would be considering not just the number of likes that posts receive in determining their placement, but when people choose to like, comment and share.

If a lot of people are interacting with a post right after it was posted, but the activity drops off a few hours later, “this suggests the post was most interesting at the time it was posted,” Facebook said. As a result, that post would get promoted higher early on and less later.

For people who use Facebook to stay on top of news and events, that could be a nice change. But for others who log in less frequently, they may end up missing out on certain types of posts.

The changes could help Facebook better compete against Twitter and its ability to deliver the news in real time. But Twitter, at least at the moment, does not use a feed filtering algorithm like Facebook does. Facebook walks a tricky line between connecting people and providing them with information that Facebook deems relevant. And time will tell how successful they have been.