How Does The LinkedIn Algorithm Work And How Can You Make It Work For You?

Do you ever feel like you spend all this time and effort coming up with epic content, and then you post it up, and suddenly, it gets sucked into a black hole? The vast majority have been there because no one really knows exactly how the algorithm works.

With now 756 million members and only 3% of members posting once a week, there’s a huge opportunity to get some great cut through, you just need the right strategy. Over the past few years, LinkedIn has seen a 50% increase in activity on the platform – that is, liking, commenting and resharing posts – however the algorithm was still set up in a way that was mostly benefiting the top 1% of power users.

It was a classic the rich get richer situation. 🙄 To fix this, they changed the algorithm to be wired in a way to show members posts from people they know and content about topics they actually cared about. Now that LinkedIn has made the algorithm much kinder to all users, the big question is: How can you make it work for you? 🤔

The algorithm is in place to do two things: prioritise relevant content and promote engagement. Have you ever noticed that your feed is set to ‘top’ posts instead of ‘recent’ posts?

This is because relevant content is much more valued than recent content on the platform; people want to be looking at things they actually care about. And if members are enjoying and engaging with the content that they see, this keeps them on the platform longer, which makes LinkedIn happy. 😁

Simple Things You Can Do To Boost Your Content

Socialization

Let’s not forget that the whole point of social media is to be social, and when LinkedIn sees you doing that, they’re going to reward you. So including a CTA at the bottom of your post or in the comments that encourages people to engage is a great start.

Hashtags are another good strategy to utilise because it allows your post to be searchable based on that particular topic. Just make sure when you’re hashtagging you’re choosing words like #strategy and #personal development not #businessfordummies – remember, these have to be searchable. 🔍

If it makes sense to, you can also tag people into your post, especially if it’s a post where you’re talking about your team or thanking people who worked on a project with you, for example. The people tagged are most likely going to engage with the post in some way and most importantly, it’s an authentic interaction.

But don’t go overboard with tagging lots of people until it becomes spammy. Remember, LinkedIn knows all the tricks in the book.

Style of Post

LinkedIn will support a mix of text, image and video posts, but if you’re really wanting to crack the algorithm, try to incorporate as many video style posts as possible. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but video is the most engaging and effective way to grab your audience’s attention. And if they’re watching a 1-2 minute video, then they’re spending more time on the platform, which is what LinkedIn wants.

Speaking of keeping users on the platform, adding external links into the copy of your post is a big no-no. If you’re sending people off in all different directions with your links, LinkedIn aren’t going to be happy with you, and they simply won’t prioritise your post. ☹️

Timing

It’s an easy one, but it must be addressed – pick your times wisely! If you post content at ridiculous times, then it’s going to get buried under a pile, and you’re already not putting yourself in the best position for success.

The best times to post on social media are across three blocks: 9am-12pm, 2pm-4pm and 6pm-7pm. Why? Because they all align with the average worker’s schedule; the morning routine, lunch break, or evening commute. You should also try to post as much as possible – Monday-Friday if you can – because as we said – only 3% of members are posting once a week, so the opportunity to increase your visibility is HUGE.

Well, there you have it – these are some simple steps you can take to help master the LinkedIn Algorithm! Implementing these suggestions will definitely help to increase your reach and visibility on the platform. 😎