Tips for Adapting to Linkedin Algorithm Changes

“insightful” and “curious” reactions now matter more than likes on LinkedIn. That’s straight from their own spring algorithm update. Comments, thoughtful replies, and meaningful interactions now drive reach—while passive metrics like likes or impressions are being quietly deprioritized. But that’s only half the story. According to LinkedIn’s Head of News, the platform is also heavily favoring timely, news-driven content. Think: hot takes, fast POVs, story-driven posts tied to current headlines. In short, LinkedIn is trying to become the new home for real-time conversation—filling the gap left by Twitter (X). Those two signals—depth vs. speed—feel contradictory. And yet they’re both true. Here’s my theory: LinkedIn isn’t confused. It’s running multiple plays at once—because different teams have different KPIs. The News team wants immediacy and trend velocity. The Engagement team wants time-on-platform and quality conversation. The Trust team wants credible, topic-aligned expertise. The Design team wants minimalist, professional posts (no emojis, no hashtags, no clickbait aesthetics). If you’ve ever felt like LinkedIn’s “best practices” contradict each other—this is why. And it’s exactly why you and your brand need to adapt across multiple fronts: What’s Working Right Now: 1) Timely POVs. Posts that react to real-world news and industry trends get fast distribution—especially in verticals where trust is key and conversation is happening in the moment. 2) Topic Authority. LinkedIn’s system now elevates content from users it associates with specific expertise. Consistency in what you talk about matters more than ever. 3) Meaningful Interactions. “Insightful” and “Curious” reactions carry significantly more algorithmic weight than a like. Thoughtful comment threads are the new currency of reach. 4) Longer Shelf Life for High-Quality Posts. Good content doesn’t just peak and die anymore. If it performs well, it can resurface weeks or even months later through the “Suggested for You” feature. 5) Native > External. Posts that simply link out or repost without commentary are downranked. Originality, context, and adding your take are table stakes now. 6) Video + Substance. Short, vertical, subtitled videos (30–90 seconds) perform best when paired with a full multi-paragraph text post. The format is evolving, not replacing. So what do you do with all this? Stop trying to reverse-engineer one tidy strategy. You’re not optimizing for a single algorithm—you’re navigating a platform with layered incentives and competing internal agendas. Instead, play multi-dimensional content chess: Mix formats: short, long, video, reposts Balance immediacy with depth Build topic authority over time Engineer conversations, not just visibility Relevance isn’t static. And on LinkedIn in 2025, movement is the strategy. Curious—have you seen a shift in your own content performance lately?

I constantly get recruiter reachouts from big tech companies and top AI startups- even when I’m not actively job hunting or listed as “Open to Work.” That’s because over the years, I’ve consciously put in the effort to build a clear and consistent presence on LinkedIn- one that reflects what I do, what I care about, and the kind of work I want to be known for. And the best part? It’s something anyone can do- with the right strategy and a bit of consistency. If you’re tired of applying to dozens of jobs with no reply, here are 5 powerful LinkedIn upgrades that will make recruiters come to you: 1. Quietly activate “Open to Work” Even if you’re not searching, turning this on boosts your visibility in recruiter filters. → Turn it on under your profile → “Open to” → “Finding a new job” → Choose “Recruiters only” visibility → Specify target titles and locations clearly (e.g., “Machine Learning Engineer – Computer Vision, Remote”) Why it works: Recruiters rely on this filter to find passive yet qualified candidates. 2. Treat your headline like SEO + your elevator pitch Your headline is key real estate- use it to clearly communicate role, expertise, and value. Weak example: “Software Developer at XYZ Company” → Generic and not searchable. Strong example: “ML Engineer | Computer Vision for Autonomous Systems | PyTorch, TensorRT Specialist” → Role: ML Engineer → Niche: computer vision in autonomous systems → Tools: PyTorch, TensorRT This structure reflects best practices from experts who recommend combining role, specialization, technical skills, and context to stand out. 3. Upgrade your visuals to build trust → Use a crisp headshot: natural light, simple background, friendly expression → Add a banner that reinforces your brand: you working, speaking, or a tagline with tools/logos Why it works: Clean visuals increase profile views and instantly project credibility. 4. Rewrite your “About” section as a human story Skip the bullet list, tell a narrative in three parts: → Intro: “I’m an ML engineer specializing in computer vision models for autonomous systems.” → Expertise: “I build end‑to‑end pipelines using PyTorch and TensorRT, optimizing real‑time inference for edge deployment.” → Motivation: “I’m passionate about enabling safer autonomy through efficient vision AI, let’s connect if you’re building in that space.” Why it works: Authentic storytelling creates memorability and emotional resonance . 5. Be the advocate for your work Make your profile act like a portfolio, not just a resume. → Under each role, add 2–4 bullet points with measurable outcomes and tools (e.g., “Reduced inference latency by 35% using INT8 quantization in TensorRT”) → In the Featured section, highlight demos, whitepapers, GitHub repos, or tech talks Give yourself five intentional profile upgrades this week. Then sit back and watch recruiters start reaching you, even in today’s competitive market.

If you feel like your LinkedIn posts haven’t been performing as well lately,  you're not alone. Last week, Chris Donnelly and Will McTighe released their “State of the LinkedIn Algorithm” report. They analyzed over 100,000 LinkedIn posts from their own clients, focusing mostly on Q1 2025. The bad news: There’s been a 25% drop in median impressions across LinkedIn The good news: Top-performing content is doing even better than before Findings I'm sharing with my founder and VC clients: 𝟏. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 LinkedIn isn’t suppressing content. It’s filtering for value. One strong post per week that educates, clearly communicates your point of view, or tells a story relevant to your target audience is more valuable than regular updates that don’t have much substance. 𝟐. 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 I have a love/hate relationship with them, but spending time to write a great hook is the cost of getting your important ideas out there. The good news: A great hook doesn’t have to compromise your unique voice or feel like an icky marketing tactic. 𝟑. 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥-𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. No one likes seeing lower reactions on their posts than they’re used to. But if you’ve written something truly valuable, LinkedIn should show it to more people—including those outside your first-degree connections. So teach something, share a process, break down a decision and expect to see impressions rise, even if reactions leave a lot to be desired. 𝟒. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 The algorithm factors in the work you do and how well your content matches with that. The more aligned your profile and posts, the stronger your credibility score. So be intentional with your profile and speak consistently to your audience’s goals. 𝟓. 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Long, thoughtful comments drive reach—for you and for others. Anyone else notice that LinkedIn started showing the impression count on comments lately? A nuanced take in someone else’s thread keeps you visible and builds relationships with new audiences. 𝟔. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 According to Chris and Will’s report, it might slightly reduce impressions, but consider whether that’s a worthy trade-off. If your link is important, why risk getting it buried in the comment section so no one sees it? I’ve always believed that the most effective content strategy strikes a balance—one that respects the algorithm without writing FOR it. My goal has never been to chase hacks, but to help people get their best ideas and stories out of their heads, strengthen their personal brands, and support the growth of their companies.

🚨 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗺 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 Noticed fewer immediate views on your posts lately? You're not alone, I do it too. LinkedIn has updated its algorithm, and here's what's changed: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 LinkedIn now prioritizes meaningful, professionally relevant content and sustained engagement over instant virality. While your posts may take longer to gain initial traction, they have significantly more staying power. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄: Content remains active in feeds for weeks instead of disappearing quickly. 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀: Posts build momentum gradually rather than spiking immediately after publication. 𝗠𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀: You'll see posts from days or weeks ago appearing alongside fresh content. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆: LinkedIn is actively discouraging engagement-bait content, instead rewarding posts that deliver genuine professional value. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Content from your direct connections and frequent interactions gets priority placement in feeds. 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲: The platform now rewards thoughtful comments and substantive discussions over surface-level reactions. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻: ▪️ Focus on creating valuable content that serves your professional network. ▪️ Engage authentically with others' posts through meaningful comments and discussions. This investment in quality will improve your long-term reach and visibility. The algorithm shift may feel challenging initially, but it's designed to create a more valuable professional networking experience for everyone.

The LinkedIn algorithm isn't magical. It's actually quite logical. Here's how it works (no fluff, just facts from LinkedIn’s blog): 1/ The Test Phase LinkedIn shows your post to a small test audience based on: • Their past engagement with similar topics • Who normally consumes your content • Who is online right now Takeaway: Post about the same topics, at the same time each day. Make it easy for the algo to show your content to the right people. 2/ The Quality Signals LinkedIn measures: • Time spent reading (dwell time) • Comments • Reactions • Reposts • Saves Most important metric: Time on platform 3/ The Decision Point → Low engagement = Limited reach → High engagement = Expanded distribution Now, the actually useful part. 3 ways to work with (not against) the algorithm: 1/ Build a focused network • Post about consistent topics • Post at consistent times (when your people are online) • Connect with people who will be interested in your content 2/ Optimize for dwell time • Break up walls of text • Use clear headers • Make every sentence worth reading • Good carousels get reach 3/ Drive real conversations • End with specific questions • Respond quickly to comments • Add value in your replies It's simple (but not easy): ✅ Provide value. ✅ Stay consistent. ✅ Say interesting things. ✅ Connect with relevant people. What's your biggest challenge with LinkedIn content? Let me know 👇 📌 Want to build a business on LinkedIn? Get my free playbook: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b ♻️ Repost to help others grow on LinkedIn ➕ Follow me for more like this (Sources in the comments) Note: the LinkedIn blogs are dated but the principles likely remain the same.

Why chasing likes won’t cut anymore. Comments from strangers boost reach by *2.6x*. Here’s what that means: Linkedin prioritizes *conversations* over passive engagement. Comments—especially from people outside your direct network—carry more weight than likes from connections. Why? Because comments spark discussions, attract new audiences, and keep content alive longer. But there’s more: 1️⃣ Comments from non-connections (2nd-degree) → Boost your reach by *2.6x*. ↳ Step outside your LinkedInd bubble. Engage with new people. 2️⃣ Engagement timing matters → Comments within *90 minutes* have *1.8x* more impact. ↳ Early responses can make or break your post’s visibility. 3️⃣ Content formatting wins → Posts with proper formatting perform *2.1x* better. ↳ Structure your posts. Add line breaks. Keep readers hooked. 4️⃣ Extended post lifespans → Posts now stay active for *5 days* (compared with *3 days* last year). ↳ Quality over quantity. Let your content breathe. 5️⃣ Tagging expands reach → When strangers tag others, growth accelerates by *80%*. ↳ Your reach isn’t limited by who you know—it’s about who THEY bring. What’s clear? Linkedin is shifting. Likes are nice, but meaningful *conversations* are what drive growth now. So, next time you post, think beyond your immediate network. Ask open-ended questions. Create space for dialogue. How are you adapting your Linkedin strategy for these changes? #LinkedinGrowth #SocialMediaMarketing #EngagementStrategies

Last January, I had a sharp drop in my LinkedIn reach, ~50% lower than usual. Tried everything — changing post timing, style, format, and pushing ever harder to make the content more value dense — but no improvement. Turns out, it wasn't just us: everyone was experiencing a similar drop. The long-awaited 2025 LinkedIn Algorithm Insights report from Richard van der Blom at Just Connecting™ confirmed what I'd been experiencing and hearing from clients: - LinkedIn runs multiple algorithms simultaneously, not just one. - Organic reach has significantly decreased, but engagement remains steady, indicating a shift towards more targeted, relevant content distribution. - Posts that highlight niche expertise, spark meaningful discussions, and build communities significantly outperform generic content aimed at a broad reach. - Company pages have become almost invisible organically, with paid content increasingly taking their place. - Posts are lasting longer, often staying visible and driving engagement for 3-7 days rather than peaking within a few hours. In short, LinkedIn is moving from rewarding mass appeal to prioritizing targeted, valuable, and meaningful interactions. Adjust your content accordingly.