Seven ways to reach more people on LinkedIn
The currency of networking is generosity
Reid Hoffman was one of the PayPal Mafia. After PayPal’s sale in 2002, Reid pursued an even bigger idea. The concept was for a network where professionals used their real identities to build lasting careers. He invited a small group of trusted friends and former colleagues into his living room to start building. Within a few months, they had incorporated the company and secured a key patent to protect their idea. LinkedIn launched in May 2003. Only 4,500 people signed up in the first month. Reid believed that trust, utility and real connections would win over time. His conviction attracted investors, helped the company grow steadily and by 2011 LinkedIn had gone public. Five years later, Microsoft acquired it for $26 billion. It now has over a billion users. I post on the LinkedIn daily and have 12,500 followers plus 1,400 newsletter subscribers.
How the LinkedIn algorithm works
Nobody (certainly nobody outside of LinkedIn) knows how the algorithm works. At best, this is guess work. - Dan Bowsher
The LinkedIn algorithm is complex and constantly evolving. Even former employees admit they don’t fully know how it works. However, for practical purposes, the algorithm primarily cares about engagement. It measures how users interact with posts using three main factors:
Dwell Time: How long people spend reading a post. Longer posts often perform better as they keep readers engaged.
Clicks: Includes clicks on “Read more,” images, carousels and comments.
Visible Engagement: Likes, comments and shares. Comments, especially longer ones, carry more weight than likes.
The deeper the engagement, the more LinkedIn boosts a post’s visibility. Understanding these principles is the foundation for everything else we do on the platform.
The following LinkedIn engagement optimisation tips are from Josh Spector. Most match my experience and the rest I will try.
1. Clean up your connections
Removing LinkedIn connections strategically can boost engagement and visibility on a saturated B2B platform. - DowSocial
LinkedIn first shows our post to a small sample of our connections. If they engage, our reach expands. If they don’t, the post stagnates. That’s why it’s critical to ensure our connections are relevant to our content.
Remove connections who are unlikely to engage with our posts. Going forward, add people who will find our content valuable and who are likely to interact with it. A smaller, more relevant network can significantly increase engagement and reach.
2. Engage with your own posts
Many users overlook the power of engaging with their own content. After someone else comments on our post, reply thoughtfully to every comment and add our own value-driven comments. Liking our own post (after it has received a few likes) can boost reach by 2–4%, while commenting can increase it by 6–8%. Posts where the author actively engages reach, on average, 11% more people.
3. Use images that encourage interaction
As humans, it’s in our nature to communicate visually. Images process quickly and people are drawn to them. - Donna Moritz
Posts with images consistently perform better. Images take up more screen space, catch attention and provide opportunities for additional clicks. Infographics, detailed visuals or carousels (multi-image posts) work particularly well because they increase dwell time and interaction.
However, quality matters. A poorly designed carousel where users don’t scroll through most slides signals low engagement to LinkedIn and can harm reach. Always ensure visuals are compelling and relevant.
4. Use LinkedIn search to find conversations
LinkedIn Advanced Search is a valuable tool. It boosts your ability to find leads for your business, information about a company, job opportunities or industry insights. - Maria Rutkin
LinkedIn’s search function is a powerful but underused tool. By searching relevant keywords or filtering by job title, location or connection level, we can find posts where our input adds value. Thoughtful comments on these posts help build visibility with new audiences and establish authority in our niche.
5. Include links (the right way)
Contrary to popular belief, LinkedIn doesn’t penalise posts with links, if used correctly. Always include an image so our post is treated as an image post, not a link post. The post should stand on its own even if readers don’t click the link. Avoid using multiple links or including links in every post as that can appear spammy.
6. Make the most of the “Magic Hour”
The secret often lies in the critical first 60 minutes after you hit ‘post.’ Understanding this golden hour can transform your content’s reach and impact. - James Jordan
The first hour after we publish a post is critical. This is when LinkedIn evaluates its initial performance. Be present to reply to comments, like your own post (after a few likes) and add meaningful comments. Posting in the morning on weekdays tends to perform best, but timing should align with when our audience is active.
7. Leverage Direct Messages to strengthen reach
If a user frequently interacts with another account (likes, comments, DMs), the algorithm recognises this relationship and prioritises content from that account in the audience’s feed. - Social Bee
Direct messages (DMs) are a powerful way to build relationships and boost visibility. If w’ve exchanged messages with someone, they’re 85% more likely to see our future posts. Send thoughtful, value-driven messages to people who engage with our content. This strengthens relationships and increases the likelihood of future engagement.
Other resources
The Secret to Creating Value for your Audience interview with Josh Spector
How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market post by Phil Martin
Key Influencer in Five Steps post by Phil Martin
To wrap up, here’s an exercise Josh Spector suggests: “Pick six goals your target audience wants to accomplish. Come up with five things they need to know. Publish one of those 30 lessons every day. Take the 15 that performed best and post them again the next month.” This aligns with optimising LinkedIn dwell time, comments and taking advantage of what works.
Have fun.
Phil…
