If thou dost seeketh to engage with thine audience on LinkedIn, commence by comprehending the inner workings of the LinkedIn algorithm.
The LinkedIn algorithm doth operate in a manner distinct from most other social platforms — it is crafted to hinder content from spreading like wildfire.
Aye, thou hast readeth correctly. The LinkedIn algorithm hath been devised to populate users’ feeds solely with the most pertinent professional counsel and expertise, requiring a methodology entirely unlike that for platforms such as TikTok.
Recent updates to the LinkedIn algorithm dost affirm that concentrating on thine own expert knowledge and interacting with thy community is more crucial than ever before. Herein lies what thou must understand to harness the algorithm in 2024.
What is the LinkedIn algorithm?
The LinkedIn algorithm is a system of recommendation that doth select the posts each user shall behold in their feed.
The themes, individuals, and types of posts that one be most inclined to engage with shall determine the appearance of their LinkedIn feed.
LinkedIn boasts over a billion members (and counting). Its algorithm doth process myriad posts each day, all in the endeavor to render the newsfeed as enthralling and informative as possible for every user.
LinkedIn declares, “The prime aim of any algorithm is to render the platform enticing so that individuals spendeth more time online, ultimately leading to increased revenue from advertising. Hence, those who craft engaging content art indispensable to any algorithm.”
The more time thou spendeth acquainting thyself with what doth flourish on the platform, the more favorably the algorithm shall function for thee.
That being said, LinkedIn is not a stage where thou shouldst anticipate thy content to go viral. LinkedIn explicitly declares it “is not designed for virality.” ’Tis about sharing knowledge and updates with those who find worth in such information and can wield it to enhance their careers.
LinkedIn’s emphasis on business rendereth it a unique platform where users are already predisposed to hear from thy brand, about thy business, and about thy industry.
How doth the LinkedIn algorithm operate?
Pray, bear in mind that, much like any other social platform, the LinkedIn algorithm doth evolve. However, the overseers are rather adept at keeping their audience informed of how the LinkedIn algorithm transformeth.
1. LinkedIn doth determine if thy post is spam or high-quality content
The LinkedIn algorithm doth commence by categorizing thy post to ascertain whether it transgresses any of the platform’s spam guidelines or other community policies.
If the AI detecteth clear violations, the content is sieved. LinkedIn declareth violations could encompass:
- Spammy behavior. This may involve tagging unrelated individuals.
- Low-quality content. The more flaws, the greater the likelihood of the content being flagged.
- Excessive use of tags. 3-5 tags per post is optimal.
- Excessive posting. Strive to maintain a minimum of 12 hours between posts.
If the nature of the content is not sufficiently clear to filter automatically, it is dispatched for human review. Should it pass the human review, the content doth continue to be showcased on the platform with supervision.
2. LinkedIn doth put thy post to the test
Once the LinkedIn algorithm hath determined that thou hast not posted something overly spammy, the network distributeth thy post to a small cadre of thy followers and observeth for engagement signals.
In this initial hour (oft labeled “the golden hour”), LinkedIn doth strive to discern how valuable thy post is to denizens in thy immediate and extended professional networks. Should thy content pass the trial, it shalt gain wider dissemination.
Engagement serveth as a positive signal that thy post holds value, yet not all engagement be akin. The algorithm doth particularly prize meaningful engagement. This signifieth thoughtful comments from denizens in pertinent fields.
(This is wherefore joining a LinkedIn pod art unlikely to yield a considerable boost in thy dissemination unless ’tis a highly targeted pod of individuals genuinely intrigued by thy content already).
"Engaging with others’ content by leaving thoughtful comments builds relationships and improves thine own visibility. The more thou interact, the more the LinkedIn algorithm shall propel thy content to a broader audience." — Ilija Sekulov, Marketing & SEO, Mailbutler
3. LinkedIn doth deliver thy most valuable content to relevant users
Whom doth see thy post from henceforth hinges on three ranking signals:
Identity
LinkedIn doth employ a member’s personal profile to discern their predilections for content. A member’s abode, career, and skills may all weigh in on whether or not thy content is shown to them.
Content
The platform doth scrutinize how pertinent thy content is to other LinkedIn users’ interests based on performance, the content theme and type, and its antiquity. This is executed employing signals like:
- How frequently the content hath been viewed and engaged with
- How relevant the theme is to a user
- Whether the content imparteth knowledge or professional advice
- The language of the content
- How professional and constructive the discourse in the comments section is
- Which companies, individuals, and topics art mentioned
Member activity
The LinkedIn algorithm doth ascertain a user’s interests based on their prior actions on the platform.
Denizens shall behold more content akin to topics they hath engaged with aforetime and from the people they engage with most frequently. Hashtags they followeth, first-degree connections, and other members who follow them art also considerations.
Which types of content perform best on LinkedIn?
Conversational content
LinkedIn’s best practices in 2024 (as in years past) encompass community building.
Posts that ensnare individuals shalt please the algorithm, so endeavor to engage thy audience.
"Posts that ask questions or share personal stories can procure more comments and likes, which assists in broadening thy reach. Native content such as text updates, videos, or polls do tend to perform better, since LinkedIn doth prefer users to linger on the platform rather than clicking on external links." — Ilija Sekulov, Marketing & SEO, Mailbutler
Imagery and video content
Many platforms hath witnessed a movement toward video content, as it garners views and generally boasts higher engagement.
"LinkedIn is actually favoring video content extremely highly now, in a shift to catch up with other platforms. I’ve witnessed some truly splendid success and reach with genuine, camera-facing video content sharing insights, advice, and ideas." — George Panayides, Digital Marketing Specialist, The Digital xx
In truth, LinkedIn videos dost garner five times the engagement, and Live video acquires 24x! (Behold Mailchimp’s video post below as evidence of such high engagement.)
Posts with imagery do tend to fare better as well, garnering twice as many comments as purely text posts.
Value-driven posts
When thou providest thy audience with something they can verily apply, more people shalt save thy posts.
"I hath experimented with various content formats for my LinkedIn profile. Documents, or carousels, emerged as the most valuable assets in terms of reach. Most of my viral posts on LinkedIn were documents." The art dwelleth in creating value for the target audience. ‘Creating value’ is oft misconstrued. Value is almost always any relatable tip that thy audience can implement immediately. This doth ensue after copious audience research and practice." — Shubham Davey, SEO Copywriter, Prachar Max
Offering something of substance to thy readers sans expecting aught in return can yield grand dividends in terms of higher engagement and reach.
How to optimize thy content for the LinkedIn algorithm
If thou art grappling with what to post on LinkedIn, we hath thee covered. Herein lie some content ideas ’tis permissible to completely borrow.
Be relevant and informative
Recall, the LinkedIn algorithm now doth surface knowledge that members art likely to find intriguing based on their skills and interests.
This dictateth that thou must acquaint thyself with the skills and interests of the target audience thou seeketh to reach. Ideally, those skills and interests should possess substantial overlap with thine own so that thou can discourse as a credible expert on pertinent topics.
Schedule thy posts for the best times
Good engagement in the first hour is pivotal. The conversation shalt not commence if thine audience be soundly asleep.
For maximal exposure, schedule thy posts for when the majority of followers art usually online and most active on the platform.
Posting content regularly doth, according to LinkedIn data, lead to a two-times escalation in engagement.
"A tip for improving performance is timing and consistency. We’ve discovered that posting during peak hours (think mornings and early afternoons) garners the best traction. Couple that with a steady posting schedule, whether once or twice a week, and thou shalt commence building momentum." — Somila Tshangela, PR Strategist, Pearl Lemon Group
Promote thy posts (on LinkedIn and off)
One of the finest means to augment engagement on thy posts is to enlarge the number of individuals who shalt behold them.
There exist sundry tactics to accumulate extra traction on LinkedIn:
- Tag people and relevant company pages
- Use keywords strategically
- Include relevant hashtags
B2B marketers, take heed: branded hashtags do hold potential here as well. Should thou craft a hashtag worth following, the algorithm shalt surface posts that utilize it to the hashtag’s followers, such as Nike’s #SwooshLife below.
For more tagging tips, peruse our LinkedIn hashtag guide or behold this video:
"Tip: Not all promotion needeth to occur on LinkedIn.
If thou deem a recent post may be of interest to employees or customers, share it in Slack or in thy e-newsletter.
This can be a splendid means to engage inactive LinkedIn members with thy content. In turn, the engagement shalt enhance thine standing with the algorithm. ’Tis a victory for all.
Encourage meaningful engagement
LinkedIn’s algorithm doth reward pertinent and meaningful engagement. Generic comments from strangers shalt not extend thy reach. Thou dost crave comments that manifest individuals in a pertinent field hast comprehended and ruminated upon thy post.
Endeavor to pose a question that encourageth thine audience to impart their opinions or insights. Posing the right questions doth burnish thy personal brand as a thought leader and engender those meaningful conversations.
’Tis also an opportunity to learn more about thine audience’s interests so thou can fashion even more pertinent content.
Finally, ensure to participate in the discourse thyself. Rather than a one-way stream of comments, LinkedIn desireth to behold an active conversation with thee as a primary participant.
Craft original content with a unique perspective
Thy social media strategy cannot lean on content crafted by others. Original posts doth travel farther and arouse more engagement than a shared post.
Should thou elect to repurpose content or possess a user-generated content strategy, endeavor to locate a way to reframe it, appending thine own perspective and insights.
Recall, LinkedIn dost desire to surface content that imparts knowledge and fosters connections. Contributing to collaborative articles can be a superb means to flex thine perspective.
Do not forget that appending a question that provoketh conversation can verily get people talking. (Psst! Our AI-powered LinkedIn post generator can assist with that.)
Optimize with analytics
If something fares well, replicate it.
Perhaps ’tis because thou didst post them all at a specific time? Or perhaps each post posited a question?
Whatever it may be, ascertain it and utilize these insights to refine thy LinkedIn content strategy.
"Regular posting, responding to comments, and personalizing replies doth aid in building loyalty [on LinkedIn]. Alterations in content strategy should be informed by analytics, encompassing audience demographics and engagement rate." — Matthew Woodward, Founder & SEO, Digital Marketing Expert, Search Logistics
Post LinkedIn-appropriate content
Denizens art on LinkedIn to partake in the professional realm. Thou must consider that when crafting thy posts.
Certain self-promotion is permissible, but this is not a venue to post a video of thy dog’s birthday celebration. Rather, maintain the focus on business.
Stride in the niche and dwell in it. Thy vibe on LinkedIn need not be utterly heartless, robotic-corporation. Authenticity, humanity, and humor art more than welcome and are, indeed, rewarded.
Presume a brand voice that is amiable and approachable. Accounts that uphold the company line or employ excessive corporate jargon may dissuade the authentic human beings on LinkedIn from interacting.
"For those endeavoring to enhance their LinkedIn performance, my chief counsel would be to uncover thy unique voice and perspective. Share authentic narratives and experiences that resonate with thy audience, rather than simply regurgitating generic advice." — Swapnil Kumar, Growth & Marketing Manager, Smartlead
Use native platform features
LinkedIn doth not wish thee to depart from the platform. Hence, ’tis no amazement that the algorithm doth not hold in high regard posts with outbound links as much as other forms of content.
Ensure thy LinkedIn strategy doth leverage all of the platform-specific tools at thy disposal. Utilize native features like polls to engage thy audience sans leading them elsewhere.
