Would’st thou engage thy LinkedIn audience? Discover how the LinkedIn algorithm doth function and conquer it with 9 proven tactics!
LinkedIn is a peculiar creature within the realm of social networks for the LinkedIn algorithm hath been crafted to thwart content from achieving virality.
Aye, ’tis true. The LinkedIn algorithm’s design is to connect its users solely with the most pertinent professional counsel and expertise. Thus, ’tis necessary to approach this platform differently than others, where content is often fashioned primarily for entertainment.
Recent updates to the LinkedIn algorithm accentuate the importance of showcasing thine own expert wisdom. Herein lies what thou must comprehend to navigate the algorithm as we journey into the year 2024.
What doth this LinkedIn algorithm entail?
The LinkedIn algorithm be a recommendation system that doth select the posts each user beholds in their feed.
The subjects, individuals, and types of posts most likely to engage an individual doth determine the appearance of their feed.
With 950 million members and more, the algorithm doth process billions of posts daily — all to render the newsfeed as engaging and informative as possible for each user.
LinkedIn’s primary aim is to prioritize relevant, high-quality content and stimulate engagement. The greater time spent on the platform, the more the algorithm shall benefit thee.
Yet, LinkedIn is not a platform where one should expect content to go viral. LinkedIn expressly declares it “is not designed for virality.” ‘Tis about sharing knowledge and updates with those who find worth in such information and can employ it to advance their careers.
How doth the LinkedIn algorithm toil?
1. LinkedIn doth decide if thy post be spam or valuable content
The LinkedIn algorithm commences by classifying thy post to discern whether it runs afoul of any of the platform’s spam guidelines or other community policies.
Should the AI detect clear violations, the content is filtered. Some instances of spam as defined by LinkedIn include:
– Emoji or reaction polls crafted to artificially boost engagement
– Chain letters
– Requests for likes, reactions, and shares
– Excessive, irrelevant, or repetitive comments or messages
If the content type doth not clearly trigger automatic filtering, ’tis sent for human review. Should it pass said review, the content shall continue to grace the platform.
2. LinkedIn doth subject thy post to scrutiny
Once the LinkedIn algorithm discerns thou hast not posted overly spammy content, it monitors for engagement signals to gauge the value of thy post to those in thy immediate and extended networks.
Engagement is a promising sign that thy post holds merit—though not all engagement is created equal. Recent refinements to the LinkedIn algorithm specifically value meaningful engagement. ‘Tis to say, thoughtful comments from individuals in pertinent fields.
(Herein lies the reason why joining a LinkedIn pod is unlikely to elevate thy distribution significantly unless ’tis a highly focused pod of individuals genuinely interested in thy content.)
3. LinkedIn doth deliver thy most valuable content to relevant users
Whom shall behold thy post henceforth doth hinge upon three ranking signals:
Identity
Recent alterations to the LinkedIn algorithm have been carefully tailored to ensure thy first-degree connections glimpse more of thy content.
By and large, the closer thy relation to a follower, the greater the likelihood of them viewing thy posts. This may encompass those with whom thou hast engaged previously in thy extended network. Factors such as thy skills and profile location also bear weight here.
Content
Here doth the LinkedIn algorithm scrutinize how relevant a specific piece of content is to an individual LinkedIn user based on its performance with other users on the platform. This encompasses signals like:
– Frequency of content views and engagement
– Relevance of the topic as per the identity signals aforementioned
– Whether the content imparts knowledge or professional advice
– The language of the content
– The professionalism and constructiveness of the conversation in the comments section
– Entities, individuals, and topics mentioned in the content
Member activity
The LinkedIn algorithm ascertains a user’s interests rooted in the groups, hashtags, pages, and individuals they follow. It further scrutinizes a user’s interest in a topic based on social actions such as crafting a post, liking content, or commenting on a relevant post or article.
Users shall encounter additional content akin to topics they have engaged with afore, and from those with whom they interact most frequently.
Recent modifications to the LinkedIn algorithm
LinkedIn hath heralded substantial algorithm changes in June of Twenty-Three. These changes, borne of user feedback, aim to achieve two primary objectives:
– Elevating more content that disseminates knowledge or advice
– Strengthening connections among those who know each other
What dost this signify in pragmatic terms? Foremost, thy content stands most to be beheld by those within thy network. This rings especially true for personal and professional updates. Indeed, thy connections may take an interest in thy newfound role, yet their extended networks are likely not as inclined.
The new LinkedIn algorithm implies thy followers and connections are indeed more probable to view thy content than heretofore, for there shall be a lessening of content in their feeds from individuals with whom they are not connected.
For thy content to transcend beyond thy connections, ’tis requisite that it imparts knowledge, advice, or insights. LinkedIn will elevate content congruent with members’ interests and skills.
Nine counsel for harnessing the LinkedIn algorithm to ensure thy content is seen
1. Be relevant and enlightening
Keep in mind, the LinkedIn algorithm now surfaces knowledge about which members are likely to show interest based on their skills and interests.
‘Tis incumbent upon thee to discern the skills and interests of thy target audience thou aim to reach. Ideally, these skills and interests should align significantly with thine own so that thou may converse as a credible expert on pertinent topics. LinkedIn is acquainted with thine areas of expertise as per thy LinkedIn profile. Posts touching upon said topics are predisposed to circulate beyond thy followers and first-degree connections.
Commence by examining analytics and insights from thy other social platforms. Chart the interests and obtain a deeper comprehension of what resonates with thy audience. Thou may even leverage a competitor’s audience to construct personas. Then correlate these interests with thine own skill sets and areas of specialized knowledge.
Utilize these findings as foundations for thy LinkedIn marketing strategy. Hint: LinkedIn members declared 98% of posts regarding professional knowledge to be valuable, even from those outside their immediate network.
Relevance likewise extends to formats. LinkedIn members demonstrate a preference for engaging with rich media:
– Posts adorned with images amass twice the comments of text posts
– LinkedIn videos yield fivefold the engagement
2. Schedule thy posts for optimal times
Securing robust engagement within that initial hour is paramount. No converse shall unfold if thy audience doth slumber.
For utmost exposure, schedule thy posts for the period in which the majority of followers typically peruse the platform and engage actively.
Ensure to share fresh content consistently. Data from LinkedIn reveals that posting weekly elicits a twofold increase in engagement.
3. Promote thy posts (on LinkedIn and beyond)
One of the prime methods to elevate engagement on thy posts is to enhance the number of individuals who shall glimpse them.
Several tactics exist to garner further traction on LinkedIn:
– Tag individuals and relevant companies
– Employ keywords judiciously
– Include pertinent hashtags
Branded hashtags wield potential here as well. Erect a hashtag of note, and the algorithm shall bring forth posts that adopt it to the followers of said hashtag.
Instances include Lyft’s #LifeAtLyft, Nike’s #SwooshLife, and Adobe’s #AdobeLife. Google’s #GrowWithGoogle hashtag forges a community exceeding 21,000 followers able to connect and exchange experiences on the platform.
For further advice on tagging, peruse our LinkedIn hashtag compendium or view this video:
Tip: Not all promotion need occur on LinkedIn.
If thou deem a recent post of interest to employees or customers, share it within Slack or thine e-newsletter.
This serves as an exquisite manner to engage inactive LinkedIn members with thy content. In return, engagement shall bolster thy standing with the algorithm. ‘Tis a double victory.
4. Abstain from outbound links
LinkedIn doth not wish for thee to stray from the platform. Thus, the algorithm doth not express preference for posts with outbound links as it doth for other content types.
We conducted an experiment on this matter to confirm. Our posts bereft of outbound links invariably outshone other post varieties.
Should thee desire to share a link to external content, place it within the comments.
5. Encourage substantive engagement
LinkedIn’s algorithm doth commend engagement—but solely if it be pertinent and substantial. Generic comments from sundry individuals shall not broaden thy reach. Thee should seek comments evidencing that those within pertinent fields have comprehended and pondered upon thy post.
Endeavor to pose queries that goad thy audience to air their opinions or insights. Posing the appropriate questions positions thy brand as a beacon of thought and beckons forth meaningful dialogues.
Such queries afford an opening to learn more about thy audience’s interests, permitting thee to tailor even more pertinent content.
6. Craft original content imbued with a distinctive viewpoint
Original posts voyaging beyond shared content incite greater engagement. Should thee opt to repurpose content or uphold a user-generated content strategy, strive to refract it, incorporating thine own perspective and insights. Bear in mind, LinkedIn strives to surface content that disseminates knowledge and fosters connection. Embedding thy own perspective proves pivotal on both fronts.
For example, when Thinkific distributed this post from Keenya Kelly, they interwove their perspective grounded in their ThinkinColor event.
Forget not that propounding a question that spurs conversation can truly spur discourse. (Psst! Our AI-powered LinkedIn post generator can offer aid in this endeavor.)
7. Construct thy network with deliberation
Connections and relevance stand as pivotal indicators for the LinkedIn algorithm. Thus, cultivating a sound and dynamic network of professionals within thy field is essential.
LinkedIn data conveys that once thy page crosses the 150 follower threshold, there burgeons exponential growth potential. Herein lie a few methods to traverse this path:
– Populate thy personal profile and Page to the fullest extent possible, and sustain them with regular updates. (LinkedIn reports that Pages punctuated by comprehensive information garner 30 percent more weekly views!)
– Deploy relevant keywords and phrases within thy Page overview, for LinkedIn members may conduct searches by keyword.
– Employ the Invite functionality to inform thy first-degree connections about thy LinkedIn Page.
– Encourage employees to indicate their association with thy company and employ thy corporate hashtag. Afford them the liberty to invite their own profile connections to follow thy company Page. em.
– Harness employee notifications (accessible via the three dots icon when crafting content) to apprise employees of thy most crucial posts once per week, thus amplifying reach and engagement.
– Pursue other relevant Pages and connect with professionals within thy field.
– Participate in LinkedIn Groups, or launch thy own.
– Ensure thy profile transparency for others to discover, add you, and peruse thy posts.
– Engage in conversations and maintain activity across the network at large.
– Promote thy LinkedIn pages on thy website and other apt spaces (e.g., employee bios, business cards, newsletters, email signatures, etc.). Crafting customized URLs proves beneficial for this endeavor. Thy logo selection is accessible here.
8. Refine with Analytics
When aught performs admirably, replicate it.
Unearth the underlying causes for this success and leverage these insights to enhance thy LinkedIn content strategy.
9. Share content befitting LinkedIn’s ambiance
Users convene upon LinkedIn to partake in the professional sphere. This factors into thy content creation.
This be not the domain to broadcast a video of thy hound’s birthday gala. Rather, maintain thy focus on commerce.
Dispense not merely with our word alone. This doctrine is woven into LinkedIn’s professional community policies.
Know thy niche, and reside therein. Thine vibe on LinkedIn need not be utterly robotic and corporate. Authenticity, humanity, and humor are more than welcome and, in truth, are commended.
Envision a brand voice exuding warmth and approachability. Accounts adhering solely to the company ethos or excessive corporate lingo may dissuade LinkedIn members from engaging.
Be genuine and relatable, and thy audience shall be more inclined to reciprocate in kind.
Witness this recruiting post from Allbirds, for instance. Instead of merely spotlighting available roles or enlisting desired skill sets, they forged a distinctive approach in showcasing the work of a specific employee.
Let us commence upon this voyage of LinkedIn mastery, armed with wisdom and insight to navigate the LinkedIn algorithm and engage our audience with purpose and efficacy.
