LinkedIn has changed over the years. Today, it’s a content-driven force where your career and business can expand – if you know how to use it properly.
What LinkedIn Wants (And Doesn’t Want) From You
LinkedIn has one mission: to keep professionals on its platform as long as possible. Every time you post, the algorithm asks itself: “Will this content make people stick around?”
When you post on LinkedIn, it shows your content to a small, test audience. If this audience engages with your post in any way, LinkedIn’s algorithm will show this post to a wider audience. But if by any means, your test audience doesn’t respond to your post, it will disappear from feeds and will lose its visibility and reach.
How LinkedIn Scores Your Posts
Behind the scenes, LinkedIn judges your posts in three main ways. First, it checks your Spam Score to see if you’re trying to trick the system. Then it looks at your Quality Level to determine if your content helps professionals. Finally, it calculates your Relevance Rating to measure how much your connections will care about what you’ve shared.
Red Flags That Kill Your Reach
- Dropping external links in your post (LinkedIn wants to keep users on their platform)
- Emoji overload (looks unprofessional)
- Excessive tagging or hashtags (looks desperate)
- Poor grammar (reflects badly on your professionalism)
- Machine-gun posting (quality over quantity)
The Golden 90 Minutes
The first hour and a half after posting is make-or-break time. This is when LinkedIn decides if your content deserves the spotlight.
Pre-Post Ritual:
- Engage with others’ content for 10-15 minutes before you post (warms up the algorithm)
- Respond to every comment you receive
- Don’t edit your post for at least 3 hours (it resets the algorithm)
Six Tactics That Work in 2025
1. The Dwell Time Secret
LinkedIn measures how long people pause on your post. The longer the better. Short posts with no visuals get scrolled past quickly.
Something to try on: Start with an intriguing question or bold statement. Use formatting that creates visual breathing space.
2. Comments Are LinkedIn Currency
Comments outrank likes and shares in the algorithm. A post with active discussion will keep appearing in feeds for days or even weeks.
Something to try on: End posts with a specific question that’s easy to answer but causes thought.
3. Hashtags Are (Mostly) Dead
LinkedIn now prioritizes natural keywords over hashtags as it moves toward SEO-driven content.
Something to try on: Write naturally with relevant industry terms. If you use hashtags, limit them to 3-5 highly specific ones that aren’t already in your text.
4. The Link Work-Around
LinkedIn bans posts that take users away from the platform.
Something to try on: Follow the 80/20 rule – 80% native content, 20% external links. Better yet, put important links in the first comment and mention “link in comments.”
5. Short Video Renaissance
With LinkedIn’s “Videos for You” section, video content is getting prioritized again, but attention spans are still short.
Something to try on: Try to keep your videos under 90 seconds, and anything that is longer than 3 minutes should be linked in comments.
6. Ride the Format Wave
LinkedIn gives preference to new content formats they’re promoting.
Something to try on: Carousels are getting boosted reach. Create engaging content that brings value in each slide.
Strategic Timing Matters
The LinkedIn audience follows predictable patterns:
- Peak engagement: Tuesday-Thursday between 8-10 am, 12-2 pm, or 4 pm
- Content matching: Early week = technical content; Late week = lighter topics; Weekends = personal stories
- Consistency sweet spot: 2-5 posts per week builds momentum
Companies that post consistently gain followers 6x faster than those with sporadic activity.
Timing Your Content to Your Audience’s Mood
Match your posts to when people are most receptive:
- Early Week: Share problem-solving tips when people are facing new challenges
- Midweek: Offer industry insights when professionals come up for air
- Fridays: Post uplifting content before the weekend
- Weekends: Connect with personal stories when professionals have time to reflect
Don’t forget, you can use LinkedIn to build relationships, not just to gather connections. Engage authentically, provide genuine value, and the algorithm will reward you.
If you need help with putting this strategy alive, book a 15 minute call with us today!
