HOW TO MAKE THE LINKEDIN ALGORITHM WORK FOR YOU

We know that every social media platform, if used correctly, has the capacity to propel your brand and business, and reach new audiences.

Over recent years, marketeers have candidly, reported the drop in reach and engagement across many platforms; in particular, Facebook and Instagram (where the figures of organic reach are consistently plummeting). Some of our recent analysis has shown a drop in paid and organic reach on Facebook, by almost 32%.

Naturally, this decrease in figures has a consequence. Organisations and business owners are now looking at other platforms to build their brands.

In recent years, LinkedIn has had a huge resurgence since the introduction of video. The ability to post different types of content, such as structured articles, PDFs, and video, mean statistically higher engagement rates. In addition, the chances of your post experiencing virility is much greater.

But the question still remains, how does the LinkedIn algorithm actually work?

Pete Davies, LinkedIn’s Director has summed it up in a nutshell: “People you know, talking about the things you care about”.

From our own analysis, we have noticed, that the more comments you garner from content that resonates or is relevant, the more views/ reach you acquire.

In fact, analysing my personal LinkedIn account over the past 4 weeks; I took a sample of 10 posts, and the 4 that received the most comments (above 5) were 52.7% higher in views, than the ones that had 5 or less.

In summary, once you understand how the LinkedIn algorithm works, the guiding principle is simple in practice.

LINKEDIN’S ALGORITHM UPDATE: Addressing the Celebrity “Echo Chamber”

Unbeknown to many, LinkedIn updated its algorithm in 2019, following what is referred to as the “Echo Chamber”. They found that Influencers and celebrities were translating popularity into virality; and this in-turn, lead to “average users” receiving little engagement.

These everyday LinkedIn users who were finding it difficult to garner attention were soon losing the motivation to post, meaning that a lot of high-quality content was being left unseen. Fortunately, LinkedIn addressed this discrepancy, and in their 2019 algorithm updates, decided to show members posts from people they “actually know”, as well as content that relates to the topics they care about.

As it stands, the platform now encourages more content creation and higher engagement (from the “right” people), down the line.

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW LINKEDIN ALGORITHM

Since it’s 2019 update, the LinkedIn algorithm now focuses on two key areas:

• To prioritise relevant content
• To promote engagement

You might have noticed that the LinkedIn homepage feed is set by default to “top posts”; but members still have the option to switch to “recent” posts. This is because relevancy is favoured over recency.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 RANKING SIGNALS OF THE LINKEDIN ALGORITHM?

This is a great place to start before we dive into further “tips” and advice. Fortunately, it’s not rocket science either. LinkedIn uses the following three simple signals to filter and rank posts.

1.      Personal Connections

By this we mean, connections whom you actually know. For example, you may follow James Caan on LinkedIn, but chances are that you don’t know him personally. The new LinkedIn algorithm would pick up on this and therefore, prioritise your personal connections.

Rather cleverly, LinkedIn takes implicit and explicit signals into considerations. So, it would notice things like who you’ve interacted with directly (through comments, shares, and reactions) and take personal data on profiles into account. Have you ever noticed, the more you engage with someone on LinkedIn, the more of their content you end-up seeing on your newsfeed?

2.      The Likelihood of Engagement

We’re all looking for maximum interaction on our LinkedIn posts, and rightfully so. The LinkedIn algorithm ranks “engagement” in two stages.

First, there’s something called the “multi-objective optimisation”. In simple terms, this refers to the likelihood that you will share, comment, or react to a post (this often based on the content that you’ve liked and shared in the past). So, a handy tip if you’re trying to get a prospect’s attention on LinkedIn, is to evaluate the kind of content that they’re already engaging with, and create something similar.

Secondly, the algorithm considers the “rate of interaction” on a published post. If a post attracts more engagement within the first half hour of it being shared, then LinkedIn is more likely to include it in the feeds of others. A clever way of giving your LinkedIn post a quick boost, is to ask your friends and fellow peers to engage with it, as soon as it’s been published.

3.      Relevance (Based on Interest)

The LinkedIn algorithm measures a post’s affinity to someone’s interest based on the groups they’re in, and the hashtags, people, and pages that they follow.

This is particularly useful because you may be connected with someone on the platform, but that doesn’t mean that you’re both drawn to the same type of content. Did you know that the LinkedIn algorithm also analyses the language used in the post, and the third-party companies, people, and topics mentioned within it – it’s a technical and hugely inspired process!

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN ENCOURAGE THE LINKEDIN ALGORITHM

Many marketeers make the mistake of believing that they can “beat” the LinkedIn algorithm. This should never be the goal. Instead, the focus should be on “working with” the algorithm and encouraging it to work in our favour, with relevant and high quality content and engagement(s).

Here are some simple tips, that you can action now to work with the LinkedIn algorithm.

1.      BE RELEVANT

Rule number one for any content creator. In order to be relevant, you need to first and foremost, know your audience. This means, doing your research, using data analytics, or even a competitor’s audience to build personas and get a better understanding of your target audience is interested in. These findings will form the very core of your LinkedIn marketing strategy.

Don’t forget that “relevance” also applies to the type of media that you share. Use formats that your LinkedIn connections warm to; you’ll notice that video content gets four times more engagement than text posts only – use this to your advantage and start sharing posts with more video and catchy images.

2.      ENCOURAGE CONVERSATIONS

Posts that inspire conversations are hugely favoured by the LinkedIn algorithm. One of the best ways to encourage this on your posts, is to ask relevant questions. Communities and people love sharing their opinions and insights; so, pose the right question as a “thought leader” and use the responses as an opportunity to learn more about your audience. And dare I say it, controversy does work so long as its done in authentic way.

To keep the momentum of the engagement going, try and respond to everybody’s comments if you can. Remember, LinkedIn wants members to engage with you with real conversations. Try conversational type responses, rather than just “yes, “no”, “thanks" and the obligatory fist pump emoji (but some response is better than no response). Remember, its social, so be social. We’d also recommend that if you’re struggling with creating content that inspires conversation, it’s worth getting some advice from a professional content creator.

3.      TIMING IS KEY

Another easy way of optimising your posts for interaction, is to post at the time when LinkedIn members are most likely to be online. This has changed somewhat since the outbreak of the coronavirus and the worldwide lockdown. However, from our recent analysis, we have found:

• The best time to post on LinkedIn is 7am-11am, 12.30pm-1.15pm, and from 7pm onwards.
• If you’re a B2B brand, we recommend posting on Monday mornings, Wednesday morning, and Wednesday evenings.
• During the lockdown, it’s worth sharing content over the weekends too – especially Sunday.

These timings are taken from our own findings, it may vary from industry to industry. That’s why its vitally important to use science to make your posting decisions. If your analytics are setup correctly, you’ll be able to see the statistics and adjust your strategy accordingly. Where possible, be data lead for optimal return.

4.      PROMOTE YOUR POSTS

You can easily “promote” your posts and increase its chances of getting seen, by tagging/ mentioning relevant connections and companies, as well as using relevant hashtags. However, try not to get too carried away here, otherwise you may end up looking “spammy”. Ensure that the people you’re mentioning don’t mind being involved in your post (which they shouldn’t if the content is relevant to them); and don’t include more than 5 hashtags, as this can deter from the actual point of the post.

LinkedIn offers a helpful LinkedIn Hashtag Guide if you’d like more information about what kind of hashtags to use or are thinking creating a branded hashtag of your own. LinkedIn favours branded hashtags that are worth following, and this could spike up the interest in your content, massively.

5.      BUILD YOUR NETWORK STRATEGICALLY

Not to say that all your LinkedIn connections should be potential “prospects”; because selling should never be the sole purpose of your LinkedIn activity. However, it’s vital to build a network of like-minded professionals; those who have the same interests as you, and are more likely to engage with your content. With the right network, you will soon find that the conversations will happen naturally.

There are certain things you can easily do to ensure that your LinkedIn profile is attracting professionals, who you wish to connect with. Try these, to start off with:

• Add connections of people you know or who you think would be interested in what you have to say (send a short, personalised message, along with the invitation to connect).
• Complete all areas of your LinkedIn profile, but remember, it is not a CV! Don’t be afraid to show some personality and give your audience a “flavour” of what you’re about.
• Top tip: Make sure you update your profile regularly.
• Join in on conversations and engage with others. The engagement doesn’t always have to begin from your own posts; engaging with a post that is already receiving a lot of traction is likely to boost your presence, too.
•  Encourage employees to mention that they work for your company on their own profiles.
• Offer to leave recommendations for your connections; people will eventually begin to do the same for you.

6.      DON’T BE AFRAID TO “NICHE”

I find that a number of businesspeople are still sitting on the fence about “going niche”. The idea of focusing on one, core area is daunting for some, as they fear that they’re alienating a large portion of the market.

The truth is, it is impossible to appeal to everybody – and those who consistently try and do this with their content, appear very “vanilla” in their approach; and sadly, not the most memorable. When you have a niche target audience, the marketing itself, immediately becomes somewhat effortless. People will have a clearer idea of what you stand for, as well as what you’re offering, and this in-turn, will make it easier for the right connections to spur conversation.

Tear-away from the “safety net” of corporate generalisations. You’re better off focusing on the specifics, rather than promising your audience that you will “revolutionise the industry”. This approach will be fundamental to an effective LinkedIn content strategy.

A great example of this is,

, (one of the largest accounting organisations) and their decision to use niche hashtags such as #sustainabilitymatters, #impactmatters, and #globaltax as part of their content marketing strategy. This offers their audience a far better insight of their unique brand values, which generic hashtags such as #finance and #accounting wouldn’t have been able to do. Think about the kind of people who would be looking for Deloitte’s niche hashtags on LinkedIn, these are the exactly the kind of people that the brand is trying to attract. 

1.      OPTIMISE WITH LINKEDIN ANALYTICS

Using analytics is the only way to truly understand which of your posts perform best, and why. Yet a number of marketeers are failing to study their own data. Tools such as LinkedIn Analytics or Hootsuite Analytics will give you a clear idea of these all-important details. This way, if one your posts performs well, you can easily replicate it – by posting in the same format, on the same day, and at the same time.

If you’re not already doing this, you’re missing a fundamental trick for your LinkedIn content strategy.

2.      ALWAYS BE YOURSELF

Whilst a number of people are still bellowing that “LinkedIn is not Facebook!” (and rightfully, so); it’s important to remember that LinkedIn is still, a social media platform. Granted, the focus is business; but the age-old saying of “people do business with people” could not be more apt here.

Researchers, LinkedIn experts, and marketeers say, that the best way to encourage engagement on LinkedIn is through genuine conversations.

Natural conversations about real-life experiences build feelings of trust, compassion, and empathy; and this is what long-lasting business relationships are forged on. Gone are the days of using corporate jargon as a means of getting “your foot in the door”; remember to be relatable (and don’t be afraid to show some personality); your audience will warm to you for it, and it will make networking on LinkedIn a real pleasure.

TO SUMMARISE

In-light of the above, the advice here is to remember that LinkedIn is a social media platform. It therefore makes good sense (and is far more effective), to keep it social.

Keeping it “social”, networking, and building relationships should be at the heart of everything that you do. Remember, the more you engage on other people’s content and make conversation, the more they will interact with yours. This will ultimately lead to increased views, likes, and shares.

In saying this, it’s equally important to remember not to chase “vanity metrics” (empty likes and engagement); and rather, focus on creating content that provides value and showcases your businesses and personality, in a positive way. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content; it’s okay to not be “perfect” so long as you’re active and remaining at the forefront of people’s minds, especially when they need your product/ service.

As they say, “start now and get perfect later” and enjoy the conversations you have along the way! Above all, remember to be Brave, Bold, and Empathetic.

#BeBraveBoldEmpathetic