Ever feel like you’re shouting into the LinkedIn void? You craft the perfect post, hit publish, and… crickets. Meanwhile, Karen from accounting gets 500 likes for posting a quote over a sunset. What gives?
The LinkedIn algorithm isn’t just being mean to you personally (though it sometimes feels that way). It’s actually looking for specific signals that your content is worth promoting.
First things first: engagement velocity matters. The algorithm measures how quickly your post attracts interactions in the first hour. This is why you see LinkedIn gurus posting at specific times—they’re trying to catch their audience when they’re most active.
But here’s what many miss: comments trump reactions. A post with 20 thoughtful comments will typically outperform one with 100 likes. This is why you’ll notice savvy creators adding “comment with your thoughts” at the end of posts. They’re not just being friendly; they’re gaming the system.
Recently, LinkedIn has been prioritizing “dwell time”—how long people actually spend looking at your post. That’s why those text-based stories that unfold over several paragraphs are performing so well. A former colleague of mine went from averaging 50 engagements to over 500 simply by restructuring his posts to maximize read time.
And contrary to popular belief, external links aren’t automatically penalized. The algorithm cares more about whether people come back to LinkedIn after clicking. So if you’re sharing valuable resources that don’t lead to a rabbit hole, you’re actually helping your reach.
Test this yourself: For one week, post content designed for maximum dwell time, ask genuine questions that invite comments, and time your posts when your network is most active. The algorithm gods may finally smile upon you—no sunset quotes required.