LinkedIn: Algorithm update requires more variety in content strategy

Disadvantage for AI-generated content, number of followers over content reach, introduction of Collaborative Articles: Recent changes to the LinkedIn algorithm require communicators to pay more attention to the diversity of their content strategy, the optimization of post types, and emphasize interaction with their audience. Richard van der Blom’s annual Algorithm Insights Report provides an overview of how the LinkedIn algorithm has changed – and how an effective post should be designed and written. 

With over 850 million users, it is no wonder that LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world. Companies and marketers want to reach their stakeholders via linkedin.com. However, the success of the communication is largely determined by whether the activities meet the priorities of LinkedIn's algorithm.  

In the past years, the algorithm of LinkedIn has undergone significant changes. According to Richard van der Blom’s Algorithm Insights Report, these are the Top Changes to the LinkedIn algorithm in 2024:  

1. Impact on average metrics. Actual algorithmic changes have an impact on reach, engagement and follower growth on personal profiles. As a result, the reach of 95% of users decreased by more than 50% and follower growth slowed down by 40% compared to 2022.  

2. Visuals are even more key to catching attention. More than ever, visuals are attention catchers, with an increased reach of 10-20% Gifs even more than static pictures. 

3. Engagement evaluation. Creator engagement is now evaluated throughout a post’s life-cycle, beyond the initial ‘golden hour’.  

4. Followers rather than content reach. In terms of content reach, now the system favours followers rather than connections. About 10-15% of connections see a typical post, while up to 25-30% of followers will see it. 

5. Reposts. Following the algorithmic changes, now, when a post is ‘instantly reposted’ within the first four hours of posting, there is a 40% increase in growth. A ‘Repost with thoughts’ has 12 times less impact!  

6. Integration of AI features. AI-enhanced content creation has been introduced, where you can ask the AI in 30 words to create a post targeted at your audience in any style you prefer. But due to the changes in the algorithm, AI-generated content has a 30% lower reach, 55% lower engagement and 60% lower click-through rate, compared to original non-AI content. 

7. Collaborative Articles. As a major change, the knowledge sharing platform Collaborative Articles (CA) has been released. Interaction with these articles offers increased feed visibility, enhanced profile views and a cumulative badge effect, when earning a badge on LinkedIn.  

These changes lead to requirements for professional communicators on LinkedIn. Do’s:  

1. Engage, don't post & ghost. Stick around to mingle after you have posted. Engaging with your post (commenting and replying) within the first hour significantly increases its reach, potentially by up to 40%.  
2. Comment response. Reply to comments within the first hour.  
3. Play tag. Interact frequently with creators by tagging them with intent. Strategic tagging (up to 4 profiles) can increase reach, while excessive tagging can result in penalties, like lower reach. 
4. Pick your flavour. Show preference in the type of content you engage with.  
5. Mutual vibes. Engage with others’ content and encourage engagement on your own, e.g. through commenting.   
6. Direct messages matter. Personalize your interactions with direct messages. Show something of yourself and address others directly, for example by saying ‘thank you’ or giving a compliment.   
7. Curate ruthlessly. Unfollow the noise, e.g. trolls, and meticulously curate your feed. 

Personal storytelling, thought leadership, event content, educational content, industry related content, a unique value proposition and employer branding are the pillars of a successful content strategy that should be used, to create the perfect content strategy. 

And these are the Don’ts: 

1. Avoid overusing rich media. Use images, video, and links reasonably. Using one to three rich media is enough.  
2. Don’t link too many external sources. Focus on one external source in your posts.  
3. Be careful with tagging. If three or more tagged individuals fail to respond you will be penalized.  
4. Don’t ignore formatting. Thoughtful formatting, of the chosen post type, like a text + image post, LinkedIn poll or video posts can have a positive impact on reach and engagement.  
5. Avoid posting more than once a day. Stagger your posts to avoid diminishing the visibility of your content.  
6. Don’t overuse hashtags. Hashtags are not the growth hack they used to be in the past.  
7. Avoid editing too much after posting. Small tweaks are fine, but significant edits can lead to penalties.  

Important up-to-date LinkedIn essentials 

The Algorithm Insights Report by Richard van der Blom, a consultant from the Netherlands, is probably the most important source of information for professional LinkedIn users, such as communicators, marketers and HR professionals. The report analyzes the changes on LinkedIn and highlights the impact of the algorithm on key performance indicators, the usage behavior of LinkedIn’s audience, how to master formats, and how to maximize one’s own impact on LinkedIn. You can download Richard van der Blom’s Algorithm Insights Report here.  

Jörg Pfannenberg says: “Ultimately, it’s a cat-and-mouse game, just like the famous MAD comic Spy vs. Spy: Users try to place their messages on LinkedIn as effectively as possible to reach their stakeholders, using all their knowledge of how the algorithm works – until they game the system. The task of LinkedIn’s designers is to prevent extreme asymmetries and thus maintain the value for users. This dialectic is already familiar from the journalistic media: The provision of media by economic interests is the precondition for its (commercial) success – at the same time, manipulation destroys its value. This game will go on forever.” 

(Text created with ChatGPT4 and DeepL Write; picture generated with Midjourney)