Cracking the LinkedIn algorithm is essential if you’re to maximize your potential on the social media platform and achieve your aims.

Like any social media site, the LinkedIn algorithm is there to cipher through billions of data points and bring interesting content to the fore. It shapes how we all use LinkedIn – from what we read to what we post.

The LinkedIn algorithm determines content visibility in user feeds by evaluating engagement signals, user interactions, and the professional relevance of posts.

Whether you are a marketing professional, social media manager, small business owner, or enterprise strategist, gaining insights into this sophisticated system can boost engagement and help generate leads without sacrificing quality.

In this guide, we will explore what the LinkedIn algorithm is, how it works in 2025, and the strategies you can use to ensure your quality content gets noticed.

We’ll also look at ways to achieve high engagement and reach and show you how a tool like Brandwatch can elevate your LinkedIn game.

In this guide:

Before we go any further, it’s important to note LinkedIn doesn’t share details of its algorithm. So, this is how we think the LinkedIn algorithm works and what seems to work best in 2025.

What is the LinkedIn algorithm?

The LinkedIn algorithm is the engine driving the content you see in your feed. Every big social media site has an algorithm in order to sort posts effectively and deliver relatable content to users.

The primary function of LinkedIn’s algorithm is to filter and curate the vast amount of information available on the platform. From here, it can determine what are the relevant posts that should reach you.

Plenty of factors are included in the LinkedIn algorithm. While we can’t be certain of what the site prioritizes, here’s a rough breakdown of the core factors:

Source quality: LinkedIn assesses the credibility and relevance of the profile that posted the content.

Content relevance: LinkedIn looks at how closely the topic of the post aligns with your interests and recent activity. If you start posting about networking events in Dubai, for example, then don’t be surprised to see similar posts appear in your feed.

Engagement history: The level of interaction from your first-degree connections, such as likes, shares, and comments, is really important. The algorithm influences users' feeds by prioritizing meaningful interactions and valuable insights over low-quality posts.

Sorting your LinkedIn feedNow, it’s important to note that you, the user, have a level of control over your LinkedIn feed. The LinkedIn algorithm calculates a user's interests by analyzing their previous actions on the platform, leading to a personalized content feed. You can choose to sort your feed by “Top” content, which is more personalized, or the “Recent” options. Both types of content are relevant to you.

Click on the “Sort by” button below the first post on your feed to make the change.

Why LinkedIn has an algorithm

LinkedIn needs to operate an algorithm of sorts to give users a more specialized and nourishing experience on the platform. Sites like Twitter (now X), Facebook, and Myspace operated without sophisticated algorithms in the early years, with users fed a simple timeline of posts. This affected the user experience, and, like so many other social media platforms, including LinkedIn, they changed their algorithms over time to align with user preferences.

The LinkedIn algorithm creates a less cluttered feed that strips out irrelevant updates and is more focused on content that adds value.

For brands, understanding these dynamics is crucial. Aligning your strategy with how the algorithm operates not only increases your post visibility but also ensures that you create content that resonates with your network.

How the LinkedIn algorithm works in 2025

The mechanics behind the LinkedIn algorithm in 2025 have evolved significantly, and we are now at a stage where the platform is hyper-attuned to user preferences.

The system now integrates deeper behavioral signals and real-time data analytics to optimize what appears in your feed. It’s all about giving value to the user.

Key components of the algorithm

No one but LinkedIn’s in-house team knows the full specifics of the site’s algorithm. However, there are four key components that tend to affect the reach and impact of posts. These are:

Engagement metrics:

The algorithm measures interactions such as likes, shares, comments, and reactions. It seems as though there is a greater emphasis on meaningful comments and genuine discussions. AI generated comments, for example, garner far less interaction than human-written ones.

So, when a post receives thoughtful comments rather than just a series of quick likes, it signals higher relevance. The algorithm is, therefore, more likely to promote the post to other users. There’s an assumption that the system also evaluates whether the engagement is coming from users who consistently interact with similar topics.

Content quality:

Quality content is a critical ranking factor for all social media sites, not just LinkedIn. Posts that incorporate clear, well-researched information, relevant keywords, and formats like video content tend to perform better. The algorithm appears to reward posts that are crafted with an emphasis on providing valuable insights while avoiding spammy or overly generic content.

Personal touches are important, which is why brands may choose employee advocacy tactics when posting company updates on the platform. After all, the algorithm filters out low-quality content and prioritizes high-quality content – which is more likely to come from employees who are briefed on how to advocate for your brand – to enhance user experience.

External and outbound links:

Proper integration of external links enhances post credibility and is assumed to help crack the algorithm. When a post includes outbound links that are relevant and add value, the algorithm seemingly interprets this as an endorsement of reliable information.

In 2025, algorithms are still improving their quality and reliability filters, but the technology is certainly advancing. It is equally important that such links do not overwhelm the primary content, which needs to remain engaging and informative.

Connection strength:

LinkedIn is all about networks, and the strength of your connection to other users, coupled with your post’s content, directly impacts its success. Your connections are broken down into first-, second-, and third-degree links.

First-degree connections are those you both follow. Second-degree are those linked to someone you follow. Third-degree are those outside your network entirely. The algorithm factors in how often your first-degree connections interact with your posts and the engagement from both your immediate and extended networks. The strength and quality of these connections help determine the overall reach of a post in user feeds.

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Ranking signals and engagement metrics

The aim of any social media algorithm is to promote content that should resonate with users based on their preferences. There are ranking signals within the LinkedIn algorithm that help the software determine how posts are prioritized in user feeds. Ranking signals are a blend of qualitative and quantitative metrics.

Major ranking signals to be aware of include:

Engagement quality:

Metrics such as the number of likes, comments, and shares will always be important on LinkedIn. However, it seems the algorithm particularly values meaningful engagement. These are posts that generate thoughtful comments and foster genuine discussions. You’re more likely to encounter a post from a third-degree connection if that post is genuinely sparking conversion.

Connection metrics:

The interactions between your first-degree connections help boost your content’s visibility. Engagement from both your immediate and extended networks cumulatively impacts how widely your LinkedIn posts are distributed. It is believed the algorithm prioritizes engagement from relevant users, such as industry professionals, to enhance content visibility. The algorithm will expand the reach of content that is doing well among primary and secondary contacts so tertiary profiles see it on their feeds, too.

Content format and keyword integration:

Native content – such as posts specifically optimized for LinkedIn, including video posts and interactive formats – seems to rank best. We’ll discuss optimization techniques later in this guide. The effective incorporation of relevant keywords further supports higher rankings by ensuring your post captures the right audience.

Strategies for creating high-performing LinkedIn posts

Now we know more about the algorithm, it’s time to focus on how you can maximize the potential of each of your posts. If you’re planning to launch a marketing campaign on LinkedIn or use the platform for brand awareness, then you need to create a strategy first.

It all starts with a bit of background research and understanding how to align your content with your audience. Remember, the LinkedIn algorithm likes posts that generate good engagement, so you need to create content that attracts your primary followers and is worthy of being shared.

Here are three stages to work through in order to nail an effective LinkedIn strategy.

1. Understand your audience

An essential first step is to know your target audience deeply. Use analytics tools like Audience to understand the interests, preferences, and types of content that spark interaction among your audience base. You might find your LinkedIn audience is a very different demographic from your customer base or your audience on another social media platform.

This knowledge helps you craft posts that are relevant but positioned to perform well according to the algorithm.

Use data to profile your LinkedIn audience and identify common interests and needs. Then, tailor your messaging to suit your audience. Make sure you stay on top of trends and be mindful of what your audience will view as valuable and, importantly, shareable.

2. Optimize your content format

Your research data will reveal your most effective LinkedIn content types. You might be really comfortable writing text-based posts but discover video formats generate far more engagement and are regularly promoted by the algorithm. Perhaps it's time to make some changes.

Once you understand which formats work best, allocate some time and resources to perfecting them. This might mean hiring a copywriter to create well-constructed written posts or a photographer to shoot amazing visuals of your product.

Make sure you use relevant keywords that align with your LinkedIn profile and network in order to boost the searchability of your posts.

3. Maintain consistency

LinkedIn is a great social media platform for consistent posts. Providing informative guides, thought leaders, interviews with your brand’s bosses, and other business-related content often goes down well.

Consistency in posting is key to all this. A regular posting schedule signals to the algorithm that your account is active and reliable, which can improve your post visibility over time. Meanwhile, primary connections who prefer to view their feed in “Recent” mode are more likely to see your posts during work hours.

To maintain consistency, use a LinkedIn content calendar like Publish to schedule your posts based on analytics data gleaned from the site.

How insights help LinkedIn algorithm optimization and content

Unearthing LinkedIn data doesn’t just help you know when to schedule a post. Data-driven insights are crucial for fine-tuning your strategy, ensuring every stage of the content journey is optimized to align with the algorithm. Use data correctly, and your profile will remain competitive and effective.

What insights are available?

There are scores of LinkedIn insights available if you use the right tool. Brandwatch’s Social Media Management software is the perfect place to start. You can mine LinkedIn and find data on engagement rates, shares, likes, comments, impressions, reach, and read/watch time.

You can then run sentiment analysis on your data to truly understand what your audience thinks about your posts, products, services, industry, and overall brand.

By regularly reviewing your posts’ performance, it’s possible to make changes as you go and realign your relevant content with your ideal audience.

Creative content tactics and optimization

Your insights inform your strategy, which acts as your guide for creating content that aligns with your audience while being optimized for the algorithm.

So, armed with your data, you can begin to develop the right content.

This doesn’t just mean creating new posts. Your “content” is everything from your profile to the comments you leave on other posts.

Ways to align with your audience and attract the algorithm’s eye include:

Optimize your profile:

Brands need a fully optimized LinkedIn profile that explains what the company does and what its aims are. Connect with employees to build a network and make use of the design elements to ensure your profile looks professional. After all, your LinkedIn page is the shop front of your brand.

Share success stories and case studies:

Narratives that detail real-world challenges and achievements resonate deeply with audiences on LinkedIn, especially in the world of work. LinkedIn is the only big social media platform that has been built for users to share their workplace and business experiences.

Discuss industry trends and insights:This is a particularly important aspect of LinkedIn optimization, as the algorithm is always seeking profiles that present themselves as industry leaders. By offering new perspectives on current trends, you can generate credibility and spark discussions. This is equally effective whether you’re posting from a brand account or a personal account.

Encourage interactive content:Incorporate polls, surveys, and open-ended questions to not only boost engagement but also gather valuable feedback.This option isn’t only open to brands. Individuals can set themselves apart as industry leaders by triggering conversations via interactive content.

Employee advocacy:

A brand doesn’t have to do all the legwork itself. Often, the most effective LinkedIn strategy for nailing the algorithm is to allow employees to post about their own work successes. From promotions and achievements to attending conferences and offering fresh insights, your employees act as positive representatives of your brand. So, why not let them advocate for you and analyze their posts to see what insights you can obtain?

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Knowing how the LinkedIn algorithm works is one thing – making sure you avoid mistakes when trying to optimize your content for the algorithm is another! Even the best strategies can encounter challenges, so it’s important to recognize where things might go wrong before you get started.

Perhaps the biggest error people make when trying to crack the LinkedIn algorithm is producing overly generic content. In trying to appeal to as many people as possible, you actually end up appealing to no one. Repetitive or unfocused posts can even trigger spam filters and reduce visibility.

Inconsistent posting is also an issue because the algorithm tends to reward interactive users. One or two posts a month probably isn’t going to be enough. To get the most from LinkedIn, you need to post regularly and engage with other people through likes, shares, and comments.

Of course, being consistent in your branding and messaging is just as important as posting at regular intervals. You need to ensure your LinkedIn profile matches your other visual assets, such as the graphics you use on your website and, perhaps, the branding of your products. If you fail to do this, you’ll look really unprofessional, which could severely harm your brand reputation.

Neglecting data is another big issue and one you might fall foul of, especially if you feel you don’t have much time to spend on the platform. That’s where a tool like Brandwatch comes in use because you can quickly assess your LinkedIn data and make smart decisions, rather than spending days figuring out what to post next.

Time to master the LinkedIn algorithm

Understanding how the LinkedIn algorithm works in 2025 goes beyond technical details. It’s all about crafting a comprehensive strategy that combines creativity, data-driven insights, and consistency to maximize your chances of getting noticed.

The algorithm is always changing, and there’s no way of knowing for sure what’s coming next. However, if you focus on delivering engaging, high-quality content and aligning it with a well-planned LinkedIn strategy, then you stand a great chance of achieving your aims.

For marketing professionals, social media managers, and enterprises alike, mastering the LinkedIn algorithm is critical to staying competitive. By continuously refining your approach based on real-time feedback and analytics, every post becomes an opportunity to showcase your expertise and connect with your target audience.

If you are ready to elevate your LinkedIn game, consider integrating advanced tools into your workflow. Discover how Brandwatch can unlock valuable insights, refine your strategy, and ultimately drive better engagement and lead generation.