Instead, the site now prioritises meaningful content above all – this could take the form of comments from industry experts, insightful conversations with stakeholders, or constructive debates with first connections. But what does that mean for businesses using the platform to reach their core audiences organically?
The answer lies in understanding how the LinkedIn algorithm surfaces and distributes content. Businesses can do that by answering four simple questions: Who do we want to reach? How are we going to reach them? When are we most likely to reach them? And, most importantly, why would they choose to engage with us?
We have spent the year since the June 2023 LinkedIn algorithm update learning how the platform works inside out to help you answer these questions.
Who do we want to reach?
LinkedIn, with its 950 million members, is a professional networking and engagement powerhouse, but wading through the vast amount of content on the platform is an impossible task for even the most determined users.
A well-defined audience lies at the core of any successful organic LinkedIn strategy, as the algorithm now presents content to members based on their skills and interests, carefully watching for engagement signals to determine the value of each post.
Ensure your page is up-to-date and filled with information on your skills and expertise to reach the right people. Tailor your content to the unique needs and interests of your audience.
How are we going to reach them?
Precision is the key differentiator on a platform where billions of posts are processed every day. Once a clear audience is established, the focus must be shifted to crafting ‘good’ content – think relevance, precision, and relatability. If the content is good, the engagement will come.
A method that seldom fails to uncover the most efficient posts for each audience is A/B or split testing. This allows you to compare two versions of a post against each other to determine which one performs better. Use A/B testing for the post copy, asset, or even posting time and leverage the performance analytics to understand what works best for your audience.
Avoid using aids such as chain letters, excessive or repetitive messages and requests for likes or shares to artificially boost engagement, as the algorithm will pick this up and deem it meaningless, penalising your content.
When are we most likely to reach them?
Once your post makes it through the spam filter, the LinkedIn algorithm shares it with a small group of your followers for about an hour to gauge its popularity. If your content generates enough engagement during this ‘golden hour’, the algorithm will display it in more people’s feeds.
Getting good engagement in that first hour is critical, so to leverage that, schedule your posts for when most of your audience is online – for many, 1 pm on a Monday is prime time.
Schedule your posts for different times of the day over a few weeks and keep a close eye on your analytics to establish what the most successful posting time is for your page.
Why would they choose to engage with us?
Remember, the LinkedIn algorithm now surfaces content and distributes it to members based on their skills and interests. Ideally, those skills and interests should significantly overlap with your own so you can speak as a credible expert on relevant topics.
Users are on LinkedIn to be a part of the professional world, and you need to consider that when you’re crafting your posts. Be informative, cite sources when referring to data or statistics and create visually engaging content to ensure your posts stand out from the rest.
LinkedIn users prefer to engage with interactive media, such as video content or animations, so be sure to experiment with different post formats. And if you’re unfamiliar with the best use for each format, fear not… a CCGroup guide to LinkedIn post formats is coming soon!
