LinkedIn has always been an important social media platform for professionals. Over the years, LinkedIn has made several changes to its algorithm, making it harder for businesses and individuals to reach their target audience. In this blog post, we will look at how LinkedIn’s algorithm works and what you can do to improve your chances of being seen by your target audience.
What is the LinkedIn algorithm?
The LinkedIn algorithm is the set of rules determining what content is shown to users on the platform. LinkedIn uses several factors to decide which content to offer, including the user’s activity, connections, and interests. The layout of a user’s feed and the kinds of posts from businesses, individuals, and topics they will be served are determined by the LinkedIn algorithm. The algorithm is highly scalable. Daily, billions of seats could be impacted by it. It aims to improve the user experience and aesthetics of the newsfeed. If you understand the algorithm, LinkedIn marketing is simpler. Your marketing efforts can be successful in 2023 if you know the algorithm and how it functions.
How Does the LinkedIn Algorithm Work?
LinkedIn’s algorithm is constantly changing and being updated. The platform uses several factors to determine what content to show users. These include:
The user’s activity: LinkedIn considers the user’s actions on the platform, such as how often they log in, what kinds of posts they engage with, and who they connect with.
Connections: LinkedIn looks at the user’s contacts to determine what content to show them. The algorithm gives more weight to content from relationships close to the user, such as first-degree connections and mutual friends.
Interests: LinkedIn also looks at users’ interests when determining what content to show them. The platform uses various signals to determine a user’s interest, including the pages they follow, the groups they join, and the articles they read.
The algorithm also considers the time of day, the user’s location, and the language they use on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn uses all these factors to determine what content to show users in their feeds. The algorithm is constantly updated, so it’s important to keep up with the latest changes.
How To Make Your LinkedIn Algorithm Works For You
Give Relevant Content Priority
The LinkedIn algorithm favors relevance over recentness heavily. Its objective is to present users with the information they are interested in, even before more recent posts.
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This enables LinkedIn to show users the articles, videos, job listings, and other content that most closely matches their search criteria or that they are most likely to find interesting.
Promote LinkedIn post engagement for users.
Displaying relevant content to users encourages them to continue using the platform, re-sharing content, and even investing in LinkedIn advertising. Despite your Connection count, your posts have the potential to reach a much wider audience, even generating thousands of views, likes, and comments.
LinkedIn Ranking Signals For More Connections And Views
Like Google, LinkedIn employs its own “ranking signals” to determine what content should be displayed, how often, and to what audience.
In short, harnessing the power of these ranking signals could help your content reach more users, land you more jobs, and grow your audience.
Connections
LinkedIn considers the varying “degrees” (first, second, third, and fourth+) of Connections when determining who or what is most relevant to your interests. Put on LinkedIn; your network is extremely important.
More connections on LinkedIn equals more opportunities to virtually rub shoulders with other professionals. This allows users not in your first-degree Connections to see your content and vice versa.
The LinkedIn algorithm also considers the LinkedIn users you have interacted with through comments, likes, shares, and reactions.
LinkedIn is then likely to show you content outside your immediate network that aligns with the types of content (and people) you have interacted with in the past.
Relevance of Content
LinkedIn’s algorithm also measures how relevant a user’s content is to your interests. It “reads” the types of hashtags, posts, pages, and profiles you have engaged with the most.
Again, based on your previous online activity, LinkedIn may show you content unrelated to your immediate Connections. You can learn about pertinent subjects, job openings, people, and more in this way.
Engagement
Engagement is crucial when determining what a user likes and wants to see on a platform, as with many others.
The likelihood that you will interact with additional content is calculated by the LinkedIn algorithm using your likes, shares, comments, Connection requests, and other engagement indicators.
In addition, LinkedIn considers the content’s “virality” and timeliness when deciding what to include in other users’ news feeds. If a post “takes off,” LinkedIn is even more likely to distribute it to a larger network.
How To Succeed With LinkedIn SEO
LinkedIn uses the signals above to decide how to “filter” user content and present it to other users. The good news is that this is a simple algorithm that anyone can learn!
Perform “Keyword Research”
Regarding Google keyword research, the SEO industry provides us with several useful tools, but there are fewer options available for LinkedIn.
But don’t worry! Knowing where to look makes it rather easy to research on LinkedIn.
Assume, for instance, that you want to “rank” in a LinkedIn search for “SEO copywriter,” but are unsure of this term’s appropriateness or how to use it to its best advantage.
An initial search on LinkedIn for “SEO copywriter” will produce several results, showing what terms are being used by other profiles and how.
LinkedIn copywriters for SEO
Even though I have SEO copywriters in my network, as shown in the image above, the ones that are “ranking” must be doing something different in optimizing their profiles. This is because LinkedIn only shows me profiles at the second degree of Connection, not the first.
They are using the keyword “SEO copywriter,” as seen by quickly scanning their Headlines.
Results for “SEO copywriter” on LinkedInNumber of results from LinkedIn, October 2021
Additionally, I can see that roughly 123,000 people are ranking for this term when I click on the “See all people results” link. This helps me get a sense of how competitive this term is.
But I don’t want to stop there; I need to try other variations as well (“SEO writer,” “web content writer,” etc.) to figure out what LinkedIn’s search algorithm is emphasizing.
Improve Your Account
You can optimize your profile to increase your chances of ranking once you’ve decided which terms you want your profile to rank for (whether it’s to draw clients, Connections, or jobs).
You have plenty of room in your headline, about section description, and experience section to include your target keyword(s) and to add more context describing what you do or what you have to offer.
Experience section on LinkedIn.
Without resorting to keyword stuffing by job descriptions, I’ve completely filled out the Experience section of my profile to let users and the algorithm know what I do.
Ultimately, you want to draw users to your page while persuading them to follow, work for, or hire you.
Other suggestions for improving your LinkedIn profile include:
- To encourage clicks, have a professional profile picture.
- Add a polished and informative cover photo to draw connections and even point users to your website.
- Link to your website or blog there.
- Include more media (with descriptions), such as blog posts and videos.
- Request recommendations from former employers or contacts who can speak to your offering or the keywords you want to rank for.
- Include Skills that are associated with the keywords you want to rank for. Include a list of your top three skills.
Establish more relationships
The more (relevant) Connections you have on LinkedIn, the better. Again, this is because your content will be shown to your first-degree Connections, their second-degree Connections, and so on.
User Should aim for at least 500 connections because this is the “magic number” for virality (based on the small sample size I gathered via optimizing client profiles). Users with 500 links or more are more likely to have their posts appear highly visible (as reflected by their Analytics).
The more connections you have, the more likely LinkedIn will index your profile, and people outside your immediate network will see your posts. (This is how I employ LinkedIn as a tool for my company’s passive lead generation.)
Participate in User Posts
Finally, since the LinkedIn algorithm heavily weights engagement, it is crucial to comment on other people’s posts.
LinkedIn will display your interaction with other users, so it is not just obvious to one user that you have linked to their content.
Despite not being any personal connections of mine or someone I follow on LinkedIn, Russell Brunson, a prominent figure in the marketing industry, I still saw what he “commented” on this post by Houston Golden.
Even based on a single interaction, anyone can “rank” in another person’s feed. In light of this, liking and commenting on content can help your profile get more attention.
Even some of the smallest content creators can achieve “viral status” in this way. When someone with a larger audience engages with their content, it can be seen by more people, increasing visibility exponentially.
The Importance Of LinkedIn For SEO
LinkedIn can be a potent tool for doing so if you want to win clients, expand your audience, find a job, or build your brand.
Another way to use SEO to your advantage is to use the LinkedIn algorithm.
You can expand your network, increase the number of people who see your content, and even drive leads to your inbox by doing keyword research and profile optimization on the platform.
By optimizing for your target terms and creating Connections with the appropriate individuals, you can essentially “rank” in the LinkedIn search results. Outbound links on LinkedIn are very useful as they can be used to join conversations and help in building connections on the news feed of any company page. The LinkedIn algorithm determines your post’s success from other LinkedIn posts using multiple or outbound links.
Use LinkedIn SEO to expand your company, or even start your own LinkedIn optimization company to assist others in developing instead!
Whom Should I Add on LinkedIn?
The people you add to your LinkedIn profile should be a mix of:
- People you know relatively well and have worked with before.
- People you want to know better (perhaps they’re in your industry or field).
- People who can help you with your job search or business goals.
- People who might be interested in the content you share on LinkedIn.
Keep in mind that LinkedIn is not a popularity contest. It’s okay to add people you don’t know as long as they fit into one of the categories above. Your goal should be to have a diverse network of connections who can help you achieve your goals.
If you need help finding the right people to add, start by searching for your target keywords. LinkedIn will show you a list of people who match those keywords.
You can also try searching for specific companies or job titles. For example, if you’re looking for a job in marketing, you might search for “marketing manager” or “director of marketing.”
How to Use Hashtags on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn allows you to use hashtags in your posts, much like Twitter and Instagram. Hashtags are a great way to get your content seen by more people, as they allow users to search for specific topics.
To use hashtags on LinkedIn, include them in your post or update. LinkedIn will automatically turn them into links.
When choosing hashtags, make sure to select ones that are relevant to your industry or target audience. You can also use general hashtags, such as #marketing or #socialmedia.
If you want to see what content is being shared with a particular hashtag, click on the hashtag. This will take you to a page that shows all the recent posts that have used that hashtag.
Why Use LinkedIn Groups?
LinkedIn groups are a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and professionals in your industry. Groups allow you to share content, start discussions, and collaborate with others on projects.
You can join groups that are specific to your industry or field, or you can join general groups that allow you to network with other professionals. There are also groups for job seekers, entrepreneurs, and freelancers.
To find groups, go to the Groups tab on LinkedIn and search for keywords related to your interests. LinkedIn will show you a list of relevant groups. You can also browse through the different categories to find groups that fit your needs.
Conclusion:
LinkedIn is a powerful platform that can be used for SEO purposes. Optimizing your personal profile and using LinkedIn groups allows you to connect with like-minded individuals, share your content, and even drive leads to your inbox. If you’re unsure how to get started, search for your target keywords and add connections. Remember to add a mix of people you know and want to know and those who can help you with your job search or business goals. Hashtags are also a great way to get your content seen by more people. I hope you understand how the LinkedIn algorithm works and how you can use it to your advantage. More Blog Follow YouTube Channel
