Just when you thought you’d cracked the LinkedIn code, they’ve shuffled the deck again. If you’ve noticed your engagement dropping like it’s been pushed off a cliff, you’re not imagining things.
After analyzing 300+ posts from my clients over the past month, I’ve spotted the algorithm shifts that LinkedIn won’t officially confirm (but are definitely happening).
Here’s the unvarnished truth about what’s working now:
Text-only posts are no longer king Remember when plain text outperformed everything? That ship has sailed. Text-only posts are seeing roughly 30% less reach than three months ago. One client went from averaging 15,000 impressions to barely cracking 4,000 with the same content style.
The document carousel renaissance Those PDF slideshows everyone declared “dead” last year? They’re back with a vengeance. My test carousel last week outperformed my best text post by 227%. The sweet spot seems to be 5-7 slides with minimal text and strong visuals.
Comments are the new currency LinkedIn isn’t just measuring engagement; they’re measuring engagement QUALITY. A post with 15 thoughtful comments will now outperform a post with 50 one-word reactions. One client experimented by responding substantively to every comment on one post while using only emojis on another. The results weren’t even close—3x more reach for the post with meaningful comment interactions.
The ‘save’ signal is stronger than ever When someone saves your post, LinkedIn now interprets this as a super-signal about quality. Posts with high save rates are getting pushed into extended networks aggressively. Start explicitly asking people to save your posts if they want to reference them later (but only if the content is genuinely save-worthy).
The dwell time factor How long people spend reading your post now matters more than if they engage at all. This explains why some “high-engagement” posts still flop in reach. LinkedIn can measure how long someone spends on your post before scrolling, which is why those “click to see more” hooks no longer work—people click, scan quickly, and leave, signaling low-quality content.
The takeaway? Stop chasing engagement for engagement’s sake. The algorithm now rewards content that generates genuine interest, thoughtful discussion, and actual value—imagine that!
What changes have you noticed in your LinkedIn reach lately? Drop your observations below and let’s crack this code together.