Like many social media platforms, it can be difficult to navigate the LinkedIn algorithm. So how does it work – and how can you leverage it for success?
In 2020, LinkedIn has over 660 million users worldwide – making it the #1 go to for professionals to network. The company’s mantra of “people you know, talking about the things you care about” is simple enough in theory, but knowing how to navigate this platform is a whole new ballgame when compared to other social media channels.
What Is The LinkedIn Algorithm?
Once you understand the core of how LinkedIn works, “levelling up” becomes a whole lot easier. The two primary goals of the platform are to:
- Prioritise relevant content
- Promote engagement
You may notice that your feed defaults to “top” posts instead of the most “recent” posts. Although users have the option to switch, it’s a clear indicator as to how LinkedIn works – relevancy generally tops recency.
While you might worship Richard Branson or Bill Gates, interacting with their posts isn’t likely to get you ahead in terms of return engagement or professional development. Updates in 2019 changed the game again to instead focus on personal connections, with people that you have a likelihood of knowing in the real world.
To succeed on this platform, it’s important to know that the LinkedIn algorithm at its core prioritises relevant content and in turn engagement – but how do you get seen?
Ways To Crack The LinkedIn Algorithm
LinkedIn user Deborah Mazoudier recently connected with us at Content Hive, and asked the question that plays on the mind of most of the platforms users:
“Why am I only seeing a fraction of the material my connections are posting, and how come only a fraction of my connections can see what I am posting?”
To put it simple, it boils down to two things – consistency, and engagement. You may not be posting enough, or not commenting or engaging with the posts of your connections. In turn, LinkedIn doesn’t value your content. If you’re not engaging with your connections, it can also mark them as low value to you too – so be sure to reply to every comment that comes your way and start doing the same for others.
If you’re already doing this, what are some other methods that can help you to crack the LinkedIn algorithm and get seen?
Images and Video – You may well be a wordsmith, and credit to you – but it might be costing you connections and engagement. In the era of TikTok and Snapchat, short videos offering insights can help to humanise the platform and are actually doing incredibly well right now.
Chase Comments – Try getting as many comments as you can within the first thirty minutes of posting, this increases your chances of “going viral” dramatically. Reply to every comment, and this also broadens your reach onto the connections of your connections.
Be Relevant – Are you a real estate professional, but talking about science? You may be missing the mark. Pay careful attention to the types of hashtags you are using in your posts, and don’t be afraid to tag someone that is directly linked to what you are talking about.
Earn The Badges – There’s no shame in flaunting your skills, and it’s actually going to increase your chances of getting hired by 30%. The recently released “LinkedIn Skills Assessment” allows users to earn badges for their profile, based on their experience or accreditations.
Timing Counts – Like many other social media platforms, you might have a banger of a post – but none of your connections see it, because they’re all offline. Do yourself a favour and use the analytics function to source when your users are most active.
If you have the time, effort and energy to dedicate towards building up your LinkedIn presence, sooner or later it is going to pay off – after all, this is a channel dedicated to professional networking.
One thing to remember is that good quality content often requires the same amount of time, effort and energy to get it right. If this isn’t your thing, it might be worth outsourcing. Thankfully, here at Content Hive – great digital content production is exactly our thing. Get in touch today to discover how we can get your brand buzzing online.
