Last updated: 31.5.23

Are you struggling to get the engagement you desire on your LinkedIn posts? You’ve put in the effort, crafting thoughtful content, yet your posts disappear into the digital abyss, barely getting any likes, comments, or shares.

It’s frustrating, isn’t it?

You’re not alone.

Many LinkedIn users are grappling with the same issue. And it’s not necessarily a reflection of the quality of your content.

Instead, it’s likely due to LinkedIn’s ever-evolving algorithm, which determines who sees what content on the platform. But what if there was a way to work with the algorithm rather than against it?

How can you increase your LinkedIn visibility, foster meaningful engagement, and build a solid professional network?

Imagine seeing your posts spark lively discussions, reach a wider audience, and influence industry conversations.

Imagine building a robust professional network that values your insights and looks forward to your posts.

This is entirely possible, and the key lies in understanding LinkedIn’s latest algorithm update and how to leverage it to your advantage.

In this article, we’ll unpack the algorithm changes and provide practical tips to maximise your engagement on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn’s Evolution

From Professional Networking to Content Hub

LinkedIn has come a long way since its inception as a professional networking site. Remember when it was primarily a platform for job seekers and recruiters?

Fast forward to today, and LinkedIn has evolved into a dynamic content hub where professionals share insights, discuss industry trends, and build thought leadership.

Efforts to Increase User Engagement

LinkedIn has continually tweaked its platform to increase user engagement, introducing new features and refining its algorithm. The goal?

To make each user’s newsfeed as relevant and exciting as possible, increasing engagement and time spent on the platform.

Understanding LinkedIn’s Algorithm Changes

The Shift in Content Ranking and Display

The recent changes in LinkedIn’s algorithm have significantly altered how content is ranked and displayed. Gone are the days when the number of connections primarily determined content visibility.

Today, the algorithm considers various factors, including a user’s interests, based on the groups, pages, hashtags, and people they follow.

Key Factors Influencing the Algorithm

So, what exactly does the algorithm consider?

Here’s a rundown:

1. Interest relevance: The algorithm prioritises content that aligns with a user’s interests.
2. Engagement probability: Content likely to generate engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares, gets a boost.
3. Format: Popular formats with LinkedIn members are favoured.
4. Timing: Posts that receive good engagement in the first hour are more likely to be promoted.
5. Profile activity: Active users regularly update their profiles are rewarded with more comprehensive content visibility.
6. Quality: The algorithm aims to bury spam and surface only relevant, high-quality content.

Impact of Algorithm Changes on Users

Reward System for Posts

The new algorithm has introduced a reward system favouring posts generating engagement, particularly those that ignite conversations and interactions. This is a significant shift from the previous algorithm, which primarily focused on the user’s number of connections.

Posts that offer thoughtful insights, compelling narratives, or practical tips are more likely to gain traction. For instance, a well-crafted post discussing the latest industry trends or offering expert advice on a topical issue is more likely to attract likes, comments, and shares.

This, in turn, increases the post’s visibility, allowing it to reach a wider audience.

Effect on Power Users

Power users, those with a large following on LinkedIn, may notice a change in the visibility of their posts. In the past, having an extensive network almost guaranteed high visibility. However, this is no longer the case with the recent algorithm changes.

The algorithm now prioritises quality over quantity and relevance over reach. This means that even if a power user has thousands of connections, their posts won’t automatically gain high visibility.

Instead, the algorithm assesses the quality of the content and its relevance to the user’s network.

As such, power users need to focus on creating high-quality, relevant content to maintain their visibility and engagement levels.

Benefits for Regular Users

The algorithm changes present a golden opportunity for regular users with a smaller network. Previously, their content might have been overshadowed by posts from power users. However, with the new focus on quality and relevance, regular users have a chance to shine.

By creating highly relevant content for their network and of high quality, regular users can increase their visibility on the platform.

Active engagement, such as regularly commenting on other posts and participating in discussions, also plays a crucial role.

The more a user engages with the platform, the more likely others will see their content.

In essence, the algorithm changes have levelled the playing field. Regardless of the size of their network, users who create high-quality, relevant content and actively engage with others can maximise their visibility and engagement on LinkedIn.

Practical Tips to Leverage the Algorithm Changes

Creating Relevant Content

Creating content that resonates with your target audience is essential to maximise LinkedIn engagement. 

This involves understanding who your audience is, what they’re interested in, what challenges they face, and their aspirations.

Start by conducting audience research. Look at the profiles of your connections, followers, and those who engage with your posts. What industries do they work in? What roles do they hold?

What content do they share or engage with? This can give you insights into their interests and challenges.

Once you understand your audience, tailor your content to meet their needs. For instance, if your audience comprises marketing professionals, you might share content about the latest marketing trends, case studies, or tips for improving marketing strategies. 

The more relevant your content is to your audience, the more likely they will engage.

Encouraging Engagement

Engagement is a two-way street. It’s not enough to just post content and hope for the best. You need to encourage your audience to interact with your posts actively.

One way to do this is by ending your posts with a call to action. Ask your audience questions, seek their opinions, or initiate a discussion. For example, suppose you’re sharing a post about a new marketing strategy. 

In that case, you might ask your audience what strategies they’ve found effective or challenges they’ve faced in implementing new strategies.

Another way to encourage engagement is by responding to comments on your posts. This shows that you value your audience’s input, foster a sense of community, and encourage further interaction.

Remember, the more engagement your posts generate, the higher they’ll be ranked by the algorithm, increasing their visibility.

Choosing the Right Format

LinkedIn allows you to share content in various formats, including text posts, images, videos, and articles. Each format has its strengths and can be used to convey different types of content.

To determine which format resonates most with your audience, experiment with different types of posts. You might find that your audience prefers short, concise text posts, or they might engage more with videos or image-based posts.

Monitor the engagement each post receives to identify patterns. If you notice that a particular format consistently generates more engagement, consider using that format more often.

However, don’t limit yourself to just one format. Different types of content may appeal to different segments of your audience, so it’s beneficial to maintain a diverse content mix.

Plus, variety can keep your content fresh and exciting, encouraging your audience to return for more.

Timing Your Posts

The timing of your posts plays a crucial role in maximising engagement on LinkedIn. Posting when your audience is most active increases the likelihood of your content being seen and interacted with.

To determine the best times to post, consider your audience’s habits. When are they likely to be checking LinkedIn? For many professionals, this might be first thing in the morning, during lunch breaks, or after work.

LinkedIn’s analytics can also provide insights into when your posts receive the most engagement. Use this data to inform your posting schedule.

Remember, the LinkedIn algorithm favours posts with good engagement in the first hour. So, timing your posts to coincide with peak activity times can significantly boost your content.

Regular Profile Activity

Regular activity on LinkedIn is key to maintaining visibility on the platform. This involves not just posting content, but also interacting with other users’ posts, updating your profile, and participating in groups. Effective social media management can help you stay active and engaged on LinkedIn.

Keeping your profile updated signals to LinkedIn that you’re an active user. This includes updating your profile picture, headline, summary, and experience sections.

If you’re considering outsourcing this task, you might be wondering, ‘how much should I pay someone to manage my social media?‘. Remember, the investment can be well worth it if it helps you maintain a consistent and engaging presence on LinkedIn.

Ensuring Content Quality

When it comes to content on LinkedIn, quality trumps quantity. While posting regularly is essential, ensuring that your content is high-quality and provides value to your audience is even more important.

High-quality content is informative, engaging, and relevant to your audience. It offers insights, sparks discussions, and encourages interaction.

This could be a well-researched article, a thought-provoking discussion post, or a compelling case study.

Before posting, ask yourself: What value does this content provide to my audience?

If you can’t answer this question, it might be worth reconsidering whether to post it.

Staying Up-to-Date with Algorithm Changes

LinkedIn’s algorithm constantly evolves, with changes being made to improve user experience and engagement. Staying informed about these changes is crucial for maximising engagement.

Similarly, keeping an eye on future trends in social media marketing can help you stay ahead of the curve and adapt your strategy accordingly.

Follow LinkedIn’s official blog and newsroom for updates on algorithm changes. There are also numerous online resources and forums where LinkedIn users discuss their observations and strategies.

When a new change is announced, consider how it might affect your content strategy and make adjustments as necessary.

Remember, what worked yesterday might not work today, so being adaptable is key to maintaining high engagement levels on LinkedIn.

Understanding LinkedIn Analytics

LinkedIn’s built-in analytics tool is a treasure trove of insights that can help you refine your content strategy. This is especially crucial for small businesses venturing into social media marketing.

To access these insights, navigate to your profile’s ‘Activity’ section and click ‘See all activity’. Here, you can view your posts’ engagement, including likes, comments, and shares.

By analysing this data, you can identify which types of content resonate most with your audience and what times are best for posting. Use these insights to inform your content strategy and maximise engagement.

Utilising LinkedIn Features

LinkedIn offers a variety of features that can help boost engagement.

Here are a few to consider:

• Hashtags: Adding relevant hashtags to your posts can increase their visibility. Users who click on or search for a hashtag see all the posts tagged with it.
• Tagging: Tagging other users in your posts can increase engagement. The tagged users will receive a notification and will likely respond or share the post with their network.
• Polls: Creating polls is a great way to encourage interaction. They’re easy to respond to and can provide valuable insights into your audience’s opinions or preferences.

Building a Personal Brand on LinkedIn

Building a consistent personal brand on LinkedIn is key to maximising engagement. Your brand is a reflection of your professional identity, and it can influence how others perceive you on the platform.

To build your personal brand, maintain a consistent tone of voice in your posts and interactions. This involves creating a consistent brand voice across all your social media channels, including LinkedIn.

Engage with others in a manner that reflects your brand values.

Remember, your brand isn’t just about what you say but how you say it. Be authentic, respectful, and professional in all your interactions.

Networking on LinkedIn

Networking is a key aspect of LinkedIn. Expanding your network can increase your visibility and open up new opportunities for engagement.

Connect with colleagues, clients, and industry professionals to expand your network. Join groups related to your industry or professional interests, and participate in discussions.

Attend virtual events and webinars, and engage with other attendees.

Remember, networking isn’t just about adding connections. It’s about building relationships. So, engage with your connections regularly, and offer value wherever you can.

LinkedIn Etiquette

Maintaining proper etiquette on LinkedIn is crucial.

Here are a few tips:

• Respect others’ opinions: LinkedIn is a platform for professional discussions. It’s okay to disagree with others but always do so respectfully.
• Avoid spammy behaviour: Don’t spam others with unsolicited messages or excessive self-promotion. This can harm your reputation and deter others from engaging with you.
• Maintain professionalism: While LinkedIn is a social network, it’s also a professional platform. Maintain a professional tone in your posts and interactions, and avoid sharing inappropriate or irrelevant content.

In Summary

In the ever-evolving landscape of LinkedIn, understanding and adapting to the platform’s algorithm changes is crucial for maximising engagement.

While these changes may initially seem daunting, they present many opportunities for users willing to adapt their strategies.

By creating relevant, high-quality content, encouraging engagement, choosing the correct format, timing your posts effectively, maintaining regular profile activity, and staying up-to-date with algorithm changes, you can significantly increase your visibility and engagement on LinkedIn.

Furthermore, utilising LinkedIn’s features, building a consistent personal brand, expanding your network, and maintaining proper etiquette can enhance your LinkedIn experience and help you build a solid professional network.

Remember, the key to success on LinkedIn lies not in battling the algorithm but in working with it. Understanding how the algorithm works and tailoring your strategy accordingly, you can turn LinkedIn into a powerful tool for professional growth and thought leadership.

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