LinkedIn Algorithm Update: A Guide for Companies (2023)
With 950 million LinkedIn members as of July 2023, the number of posts have grown 41 percent in the past two years. This summer, the LinkedIn algorithm update marked a significant shift in how content is prioritized and displayed on the platform. These changes aim to foster meaningful interactions, prioritize connections, and highlight expert advice and knowledge. For companies looking to maintain or enhance their presence on LinkedIn, understanding and adapting to these changes is vital.
In an earlier blog, we explain how the LinkedIn algorithm works to make each posts go through a series of filters before its decided how it should get ranked and prioritized in people’s feeds. The latest LinkedIn algorithm update impacts the way the posts get through the filters or penalized.
LinkedIn Algorithm Update: Two Most Significant Changes
LinkedIn introduced two major updates to enhance user experience and content relevance:
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Increased Visibility to LinkedIn Followers
LinkedIn posts from first-degree connections are now being prioritized, leaning back towards being a space to genuinely connect with existing networks. LinkedIn posts are now more likely to be seen by the user’s followers, responding to the users’ desire for content that is grounded in knowledge and advice from people they know and care about. This has always been the case for posts on company profiles, which rely on individuals sharing the post to extend the reach of the post beyond those following the company.
While this change facilitates deeper interactions with users and their immediate networks, it poses a challenge for reaching new audiences. This change impacts individual users more than it does company profiles. LinkedIn algorithms are still designed to highlight individuals over company profiles. Therefore, it is still going to be imperative for employees to share or engage with the company content to boost its exposure. Resharing a company update alone boosts that content to a whole separate network of followers. Likes and comments also bring more visibility to that post. We always remind executives to engage with company content quickly after it goes up, ideally within the first hour.
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Prioritizing LinkedIn Posts that Share Knowledge and Advice
LinkedIn aims to be a hub for exchanging ideas on expert matters. The algorithm now rewards knowledge-rich posts and extends their reach beyond first-degree connections and networks. This means that even non-connected users who find your company content valuable might see the posts. LinkedIn evaluates whether a post contains expert advice and shows it to users who will find it relevant.
With this algorithm change, LinkedIn has had a nearly 40 percent increase in people viewing content from outside their network, provided the content showcases expertise and induces meaningful interactions. This change could have a big impact on the reach that company posts can achieve.
How does LinkedIn decide that a post includes knowledgeable advice?
LinkedIn’s new algorithm uses the author’s background and current position to assess the authority they have on a certain topic. This means it’s even more critical to have an “All-Star Profile” as an individual. Our earlier blog describes how to achieve “all-star” level for your profile. LinkedIn uses the information from your page, along with the information about your audience, and several other metrics to evaluate posts and determine whether they contain genuine knowledge and advice that should be prioritized:
Distinct Audience
The content should speak to a distinct audience, and the author should consider who they are trying to reach. This should be easy for companies with LinkedIn pages. The company should have very distinct audiences and should keep its content focused on those core audiences.
Author’s Core Subject Area
LinkedIn evaluates whether the author is an authority in the subject they’ve posted about, ensuring the content is of high quality.
Meaningful Comments
Where as before, any engagement was good engagement, the platform now rewards posts that receive what LinkedIn calls, “meaningful comments,” indicating genuine user engagement and response to the content. What makes it a meaningful comment? LinkedIn will be looking for comments longer than two-word comments like, “great read!” or “Nice Post”. Instead, they want to see comments that are more in-depth, indicating that the user read your post and has a genuine reaction. Companies and individuals should also make sure that they reply to all the comments – this indicates to LinkedIn that the post has generated continued conversation.
Perspective in Content
Posts that contain the some perspective and insights are more likely to be rewarded. This could be opinion, advice, or a personal take on a topic. Individuals can easily lean in on personal experience, but company profiles may need to be a bit bold. One tip that I try to apply to company LinkedIn posts is to have the content speak to the pain points of my audience and offer genuine solutions or strategies. This does not mean that I recommend posting about products, sales, and promotions. Instead leverage the expertise and thought leadership that the brand has to make sure each post has a key takeaway for the audience.
LinkedIn’s 2023 algorithm changes signal a return shift towards a more meaningful and informative user experience. Companies should continue focusing on real content for real people. We’ve said this before and it is still emphasized with the latest algorithm changes, consistency and relevancy matter most to building a successful LinkedIn program for brands. Companies need to nurture their followers, and this can start with the employees, to share and engage with the content.
For entrepreneurs and professionals aiming to make the most of this platform, the key lies in creating content that is knowledgeable, relevant, and engaging for the right audience. For companies, adapting to these changes means focusing on quality connections, showcasing expertise, fostering genuine engagement, and prioritizing relevance. By aligning with LinkedIn’s renewed vision, companies can continue to leverage the platform for networking, brand building, and thought leadership.
