How to use the LinkedIn algorithm to your advantage

Likes, comments and shares?

When I started producing content on LinkedIn, my main goal was to get people to share what I posted. I let go of the number of comments and likes which, unlike on other social networks such as Instagram, do actually matter here.

Then I realized that content creators were not taking advantage of the PDF and guide post formats. So I began sharing 5 posts a week in those formats. Here are some examples.

You may be wondering why I chose to focus on shares rather than likes or comments. Do not get me wrong: those two metrics matter, but sharing has a multiplier effect. I usually explain it like this: comments and likes drive linear growth, while shares reach exponential growth.

The exponential power of the "Share" function

To be more concrete: if I post today and 100 people share it, there would be 100 posts of mine circulating on the network. The LinkedIn algorithm will recognize that I made 101 publications, not just one. The more, the better.

Also, by creating native content -without sending traffic elsewhere- I help the platform keep users consuming content there, which improves my reach on the network. It would be different to write an article on my website, post about it and paste a link: there I would be pulling users off the network and the algorithm would penalize me.

Consistency makes the difference

Another key to working with the network, rather than against it, is posting regularly. Posts have a lifespan: if I publish something that is doing very well and, hours later, publish something else, I automatically kill the first one because the second cannibalizes it.

It is a balance: do not post too often, but do not let too many days go by either. And posting alone is not enough. Quality beats quantity. For a post to go viral it has to be original, relatable, different and innovative.

Tricks to make your content land

A very useful hack is to take a topic that is popular among content creators and give it a twist, adding your own touch, your personal brand.

The other trick is to simplify the complex. If your field is full of technical jargon, it is essential to break it down so your content is easy to understand. That makes the multiplier effect I have been talking about far more likely.

Vincent's Santolo

LinkedIn Top Voices Latam 2020 | CEO of Epic Arts Agency | Speaker | Advertising and Marketing Expert