With so much noise on LinkedIn it can be hard to get your voice heard and the LinkedIn algorithm has nuances that make it different to other platforms. LinkedIn prioritises content which attracts comments, so the more you can get your network engaged, the further your voice will travel.
Personal connections are given more weight and your posts are more likely to be shown to the people who most frequently interact with you.
Relevance is also a key trait related to post reach – LinkedIn works out what you and your audience are interested in based on the groups you interact in and the types of post you comment and share on. So post content that your audience is going to be most interested in, if you want to boost its reach.
Think Niche!
People are much more likely to engage with content that resonates with them and has a strong angle or niche. This also plays into LinkedIn’s algorithm which prioritises content which is relevant and promotes engagement. Niche content stands out more and is more attractive than more general content. It’s more likely to start a conversation and generate a response.
Think Quality over Quantity
Posting too much can negatively affect your reach. Posting more than once a day, restricts your reach on your second and further posts. So think carefully before you hit ‘Share’! Sharing posts in any case gets less reach than creating your own posts. Better to copy the content and tag the original poster than the press the share button.
Encourage Engagement
You want your LinkedIn audience to interact with you, make a comment and continue the dialogue. Sharing something that people didn’t know about you, or something that encourages conversation and debate is a great way to encourage people to comment. Including an image helps your post to stand out. Tagging people can promote engagement – but only if you are sure that they will respond. Poor response to a tag can negatively affect reach.
Think About the Time that you Post
According to Hootsuite, B2B brands are best to post in the morning on a Wednesday and a Tuesday, for B2C it’s Monday and Wednesday. Research has shown that the quicker you are getting engagement on your posts, the further that post could potentially travel. You need to get strong engagement with your post within the first hour if you want to maximise its reach.
Don’t forget to be present in that crucial first hour so that you can respond to comments and further boost the post.
Don’t Forget the Hashtags!
Choose 3 hashtags that are relevant to what the post is about and you could e exposing your content to a much wider audience. This helps members to find the content that best matches what they are looking for and interested in. So you’re much more likely to find an engaged audience.
Don’t Add a Link into The Body of the Post
LinkedIn wants to keep people on its platform and research has shown that including a link in your post will negatively affect its reach. If you really need to link out, include it in the comments.
Finally…Be Personal
People want to connect with genuine human experience. LinkedIn is all about personal connections and by sharing your human side, you’re more likely to get the connection that you need for success.
Article written by Cheryl Luzet, CEO of digital marketing agency Wagada.
