As of Q1 of 2023, LinkedIn has over 900 million individual users and 58 million businesses, making it the platform for industry leaders and customers to engage and communicate. What this means is that it’s important for businesses to understand the latest LinkedIn algorithm update and what it means for their brands.
Why did LinkedIn roll out this update?
The reason is simple. LinkedIn wanted to improve the user experience based on feedback claiming that the platform was flooded with unprofessional and irrelevant content.
Here are the main features of this latest round of updates to the LinkedIn algorithm.
Content relevance: The algorithm will recommend content that’s relevant to users, based on their job title, interests, industry, and more.
Engagement: LinkedIn’s algorithm will prioritise content with high engagement statistics, such as shares, comments, and likes. If your content has more engagement, it’s more likely to be recommended and seen by a larger audience.
New content: The new update will favour fresh and original content, so if your business doesn’t post regularly, your posts won’t be visible on the feed. Posting content frequently increases visibility and engagement, giving you much better reach.
Quality: LinkedIn’s algorithm considers the length of the post and multimedia usage when determining the quality of a post. It also takes into account the relevance of the post.
How can the algorithm update impact your business?
As we’ve already said, the update aims to improve the user experience and is optimised to improve lead generation, visibility, and networking opportunities.
Here’s a more detailed look at the benefits of this update.
- Improved reach
While the new update delivers several benefits, many experts are hailing the improved reach and visibility as the best features since it prioritises content that’s relevant to the users.
This means you’ll need to share content that speaks to your audience if you want to enjoy the full benefits. It’s best to create content that’s engaging, informative, and useful; don’t be afraid to share your insights on the latest developments in the industry that like-minded professionals will find useful.
You should also focus on quality over quantity to improve the chances of your content being seen by a wider audience.
- Enhanced targeting
If you want better targeting and engagement, you’re in luck. To decide which posts to recommend on a user’s feed and improve reach, LinkedIn will consider their industry, interests, connections, and more.
So, research what your target audience is looking for and focus on topics that will interest them. This is a surefire way to maximise the impact of LinkedIn’s new algorithm.Â
Another great way to improve targeting and turn users into clients is by engaging with your audience via direct messages, comments, and other communication methods.
- Increased networking and lead generation
With the latest update, you can build your authority on the platform. As more and more LinkedIn users seek professional expertise, you can increase your credibility and secure lead generation.Â
The key is to establish yourself as a trustworthy source by sharing content that shows your knowledge about the latest industry trends and engaging with your target audience.
How can the new LinkedIn algorithm update hurt your business?
While the impact of this update is generally positive, some businesses might get the short end of the stick. Here are some professional drawbacks of this update:
- A drop in reach and visibility
There’s no denying that creating engaging content is important. But with the algorithm prioritising content that’s relevant to its users, your content might get pushed to the back of the queue if it doesn’t meet these criteria.
Many businesses mistakenly believe that flooding their profiles with content will give them a better chance of getting more visibility, but this new algorithm is set to prove them wrong.Â
The bottom line? Focus on quality instead of quantity.
- Increase in competition
If you’re in a highly saturated industry, chances are that your competition is already trying to adapt according to the algorithm. You may run into some problems if they’re better at it than you. Needless to say, this could end up hurting your business.Â
That’s why you need to keep up with the updates, spot emerging trends, and adjust your strategy by closely monitoring what your competitors are doing.
Ready to leverage the LinkedIn algorithm and create a better online presence?
Don’t be confused by the updates or what it could mean for your business. All you need to keep in mind is that the updates introduced by LinkedIn are designed to improve user experience and allow businesses to better market themselves.
One way to make sure that you’re not left behind is to stay on top of the latest trends and updates that can help you build your brand and generate more leads. So if your social media management team isn’t already focusing on these LinkedIn updates and is stuck following the same strategy, you may want to nudge them in the right direction before your competition has a chance to overtake you.