LinkedIn's algorithm has shifted. It no longer penalizes content you ignore (a negative signal). Instead, it exclusively uses positive signals—what you actively engage with—to determine your feed, making intentional engagement more critical than ever for shaping your content visibility.
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The LinkedIn algorithm interprets direct messaging as a strong signal of connection. By engaging with a prospect in their DMs, you increase the probability that your organic posts will be prioritized and shown in their feed, creating a powerful content and outreach loop.
With the new "positive signal only" model, every like and comment trains LinkedIn's LLM. To maximize reach with your target audience, you must be hyper-intentional, engaging *only* with content from your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). This "cohort seeding" directly influences who the algorithm shows your posts to.
Previously, posting more than once in an 18-hour window would harm your reach. This is no longer the case. The current algorithm supports "content velocity," allowing creators and pages to post up to three times per day without cannibalizing engagement, rewarding consistent, high-frequency output.
When a social platform like LinkedIn introduces a new feature, such as "comment impressions," it's a direct signal of what behavior the algorithm will now favor. Prioritizing and testing these new features immediately can lead to outsized reach as you align with the platform's strategic goals.
Simply posting content and leaving—or 'posting and ghosting'—is ineffective. LinkedIn's algorithm prioritizes posts that generate conversation. Engaging with comments, especially within the first couple of hours, is critical for signaling value and maximizing your content's reach.
Social media algorithms value time spent more than passive engagement like "likes." To increase your visibility with target prospects, engage in back-and-forth conversations in their direct messages. This signals to the algorithm that your relationship is important, making it more likely your content will appear in their feed.
For new creators, follower count is less relevant. The algorithm now benchmarks your content's performance within a "designated cohort" of similar users and topics. This means a creator with 50 followers can achieve the reach of one with 50,000 if they effectively engage their specific niche audience.
LinkedIn actively suppresses the reach of users who accumulate large, unengaged audiences via mass connection requests. The platform algorithmically favors smaller, highly engaged networks over large, passive ones, making audience quality more important than sheer quantity for content visibility.
LinkedIn's algorithm heavily weights when a user saves a post, ranking it higher than a 'like'. This action reportedly provides an 80% 'return on effort,' making it significantly more likely your future content will appear at the top of that user's feed.
LinkedIn now lets users see how many people save a post or send it in a private DM. These are strong signals to the platform's algorithm, indicating high-quality content. Focusing on creating content that encourages these actions can significantly boost organic circulation beyond simple likes and comments.
