How the LinkedIn Algorithm Works in 2024 [Data-Backed Facts]

Did you know the average LinkedIn reach has dropped by 22% in 2024? 

With two-thirds of posts underperforming, it’s no wonder creators and companies are asking: What changed, and how can we adapt?

In this guide, we’ll explore how LinkedIn's algorithm works in 2024 based on AuthoredUp’s analysis of over 621,833 posts and exclusive insights from Richard van der Blom’s Algorithm Insights 2024 Research.

Additionally, we will provide you with some useful advanced strategies to drive success on LinkedIn.

Let’s get started!

Understand LinkedIn’s Algorithm 

To actually succeed on LinkedIn, it’s important to understand how the platform’s algorithm chooses what users see in their feeds and why certain content gets prioritized. 

To help you better understand how algorithm reviews are posted, we divided the process into three stages:

1. Initial Classification (0-60 minutes): During this stage, LinkedIn evaluates the post's quality and relevance, checks for spam indicators, and decides on an initial audience size for testing.

2. Engagement Testing (1-2 hours): LinkedIn measures how quickly the test audience engages with the post. Different types of engagement carry different weights, with comments counting twice as much as likes. Dwell time and click patterns are also analyzed.

3. Extended Distribution (2+ hours): LinkedIn expands the post’s reach based on early performance. The algorithm considers the relevance of the poster’s network and the post's performance history for similar content types.

LinkedIn is trying to make its feed more relevant and informative. So most recent algorithm updates were made based on users feedback, and here's what has changed:

• now LinkedIn prioritizes posts to ensure followers see more content from their connections,
• boosts content focused on knowledge and advice.

LinkedIn will prioritize the connections you regularly interact with when showing your content. The platform's algorithm puts the most relevant content in front of the right users to maximize engagement and the user experience.

By understanding these basics, you can better tailor your posts to capture attention and increase your chances of a successful distribution.

You should always keep in mind that LinkedIn actively encourages users to create original, professional, relevant, and interesting content to gain engagement.

What is shown in the LinkedIn feed? 

LinkedIn’s feed blends various content sources, each competing for attention. Here’s the breakdown of what users see according to Richard van der Bloom's analysis:

• Promoted Company Content (28%) - Sponsored posts from companies seeking visibility.
• Top Creator Content (31%) - High-performing content from influencers and well-connected creators.
• Other Creator Content (28%) - Posts from regular users aiming to engage their networks.
• LinkedIn Ads (11%) - Paid advertisements targeting specific audiences.
• Organic Company Content (2%) - Non-sponsored company posts, which face a tougher battle for reach.

This breakdown shows that most of the LinkedIn feed is filled with individual creators’ content, which means there are opportunities for personal profiles to outshine brand pages in organic reach. 

According to research and insights by Richard van der Blom, nearly half of the posts appearing in users’ feeds are driven by commercial purposes.

LinkedIn, with over  67 million companies, provides an immense opportunity for business networking, yet organic content from company pages struggles with low visibility. This challenge underscores the difficulty businesses face in expanding their reach without relying on sponsored posts.

Device Usage Trends on LinkedIn

LinkedIn users prefer mobile devices, with 65% accessing LinkedIn on mobile compared to 35% on desktop. 

Also, our research shown that users spend more time engaging with content on mobile. 

Over 88% of browsing activity happens on mobile devices, making it essential to optimize posts for mobile viewing.

However, 83% of profile editing happens on a desktop. 

Optimizing content with these usage trends in mind can help improve engagement and reach across devices.

💡 Pro tip

To ensure your LinkedIn posts are optimized for both mobile and desktop users, consider using AuthoredUp's Post Preview Generator. This free tool allows you to see how your content will appear across different devices before publishing it on the LinkedIn platform.

Paste the text, add attachments, and make necessary adjustments for optimal readability and engagement. 

By previewing your posts before publishing, you can ensure a consistent and professional appearance, regardless of the platform your audience uses.

Top Content Types for LinkedIn

Based on our research of 621,833 posts from 27,705 personal profiles and 162,185 (~26%) from 10,750 company pages, different content types have different typical reach on LinkedIn.

Each format, from polls to text posts, has its unique impact on visibility, especially as LinkedIn's algorithm increasingly favors certain types over others. 

In 2024, reach consistently declined across all content types, with decreases ranging from 11% to 20%. 

There was a shift in content engagement as audiences increasingly favored more dynamic formats such as video or polls. 

But which content types work best on LinkedIn?

Content type performance varies significantly between personal profiles and company pages.

Here’s what the numbers are saying: 

1) Personal Profiles Performance 

• Polls remain the top-performing format with a 1.46x reach multiplier, though they’ve seen a 20% drop in median reach compared to 2023. This decline indicates that while polls are still effective, their impact has significantly diminished from the previous year (2023’s multiplier was 1.62x).
• Document posts follow with a 1.29x reach multiplier, down from 1.44x in 2023, showing a 20.3% decrease in reach. Despite the decline, they’re still relatively high-performing but less influential.
• Image posts now have a 1.16x multiplier, down from 1.27x last year. They’ve experienced an 18.6% reduction in median reach. The drop may indicate that images are less favored, potentially due to the popularity of video content.
• LinkedIn video content has maintained relative stability, dropping slightly from 1.17x to 1.14x in reach multiplier and losing 130 impressions (13% decline). Video remains a strong performer with minimal losses.
• Text posts are the lowest-performing format, with a multiplier of 0.89x, slightly down from 0.90x in 2023. They saw an 11.6% decline in reach, struggling to compete with richer formats

Comparison of LinkedIn post formats by reach multiplier, highlighting the performance of polls, document posts, image posts, LinkedIn video content, and text posts.

2) Company Pages Performance 

• Polls lead with a 1.45x reach multiplier but have dropped from 1.62x in 2023, echoing the trend on personal profiles of polls being less impactful despite still being a preferred format.
• Documents come in at 1.3x, down from 1.44x last year, mirroring the performance decline on personal pages, although they remain one of the stronger formats for companies.
• LinkedIn video has a 1.28x multiplier, showing a slight edge over personal profiles at 1.14x, suggesting the video may resonate slightly more with company audiences. Since March 2024, LinkedIn has been testing a new TikTok-like short-form video feed on their mobile app.
• Images follow with a 1.17x reach multiplier, relatively close to personal pages but similarly impacted by an overall decline in impressions.
• Text posts perform the worst on company pages, with a dramatic reduction to a 0.27x reach multiplier, showing that text posts are far less engaging on company profiles compared to personal ones. This sharp decline suggests that audiences highly prefer richer content from company pages.

Overall, video and document formats continue to perform relatively well. 

Companies see better video engagement, while individuals benefit slightly more from polls and documents.

How to Optimize Your Content

Even though text posts might not be the top-performing content, text is still the backbone of LinkedIn content. 

A well-written text post can spark meaningful discussions, generate leads, and build your personal or company brand, even without accompanying visuals.

Text is also an important part of each type of content. These are some of the key things to take into consideration when crafting your posts:

Length vs. Engagement

While typical posts perform best with moderation, the top 5% of posts achieve significantly higher engagement by providing longer, more detailed content. 

For optimal performance, best posts usually should follow these length guidelines:

Easy-to-Read Posts Perform Better

The LinkedIn algorithm favors posts that are easy to read, and so do users. 

Aim for a 4th-grade reading level to ensure accessibility and clarity. 

Why does this matter? 

Posts with a reading level above 10th grade experience 36% less reach, showing that simplicity is essential.

Top Posts Favor Structure

The layout of your post impacts its readability and scannability. 

The best-performing posts maintain a consistent structure: 

• Often with 16-20 sentences for optimal performance.
• Use short paragraphs, a maximum of 4 lines. 
• Use white space effectively, creating a cleaner look that enhances the user experience.

Breaking up text into shorter paragraphs helps readers scan through and understand quickly.

Simply put, if your post is a wall of text, readers are more likely to scroll past it. But if you make it skimmable and visually inviting, they’ll be more inclined to engage and respond.

This combination of length, readability, and structure enhances engagement, helping posts stand out in crowded feeds.

Engagement Factors That Boost Reach

1. Power of Comments: Direct vs. Indirect

Engagement through comments can significantly influence your reach.

Our research shows there are 2 types of comments, and they have totally different impact on your visibility:

• Direct comments are replies directly to your post
• Indirect comments are replies to other comments on your post.

Posts with indirect comments can see up to a 2.4x increase in reach than regular posts. 

LinkedIn’s algorithm favors comment discussions because they suggest deeper interaction and community engagement around your content.

2. Follower-to-Connection Ratio

It’s not just about how many connections you have but about who they are. 

According to our findings, maintaining a follower-to-connection ratio of at least 1.5 is key. 

For example, if you have 1,000 connections, aiming for around 1,500 followers can enhance your visibility and networking potential.

Instead of growing your audience just by numbers, focus on building a network of relevant connections. 

This targeted approach ensures that your posts are reaching people who are more likely to engage with your content, which can lead to better visibility overall.

3. First Hour Engagement

According to the data from van der Blom's Algorithm Insights 2024 research, the first 60-120 minutes after posting are crucial. 

Posts that get likes, comments, and shares during this time can see up to a 15% reach increase. 

Engaging with your audience soon after posting can improve visibility, as LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards quick interactions.

By focusing on these engagement factors, you can significantly enhance your post reach and ensure your content resonates with a broader audience.

💡 Pro tip

AuthoredUp's Calendar feature allows you to schedule posts strategically, ensuring they go live at times when you're available to interact with your audience. 

By planning your content calendar effectively, you can maximize engagement during the critical initial hours after posting.

Avoid Common Misconceptions

Not all LinkedIn strategies are created equal, and some popular advice can actually limit your reach.

Don’t believe every tip, not even ours! 🤓😉

Use common logic and only data-backed advice.

Here’s the reality behind three common myths that you may have heard about:

Myth #1: Links in Posts Won’t Hurt Your Reach

Including links directly in your LinkedIn posts may seem like a good way to drive traffic, but LinkedIn doesn’t see it that way. 

Data shows that external links can reduce your reach by 40% on personal profiles and 25–35% on company pages. 

LinkedIn’s algorithm wants to keep users on the platform, so linking out can really limit your post’s visibility. 

Try placing links in the comments instead or saving them for the occasional post when you really need that link.

Myth #2: Hashtags Drive More Reach

While hashtags have been essential on platforms like Instagram and Twitter, LinkedIn’s algorithm in 2024 treats them with far less priority. 

Our research shows that, over the past eight months, hashtags have had "no impact" on reach. 

Although LinkedIn hasn’t officially confirmed this, hashtag pages were disabled in October 2024, and hashtags are no longer clickable on the desktop.

They can help with discoverability in searches but don’t significantly expand your post’s reach. 

Including 3 to 5 hashtags can slightly reduce your visibility.

Going overboard with more than 6 hashtags can seriously sabotage your reach.

If you choose to use them, use a maximum of 3.

Myth #3: There’s a Universal Best Time to Post

Contrary to popular advice, there’s no universally optimal time to post on LinkedIn. 

Instead, your audience’s unique habits should dictate your posting schedule. 

Rather than following general “best times,” analyze when your connections are most active.

Aligning your post schedule with your audience’s peak engagement hours can improve reach more effectively than relying on conventional timing tips.

Advanced Strategies For Success in 2024 

Implementing the right strategies can help you move from merely posting content to building a strong presence.

To maximize LinkedIn reach, follow these data-driven tactics to success:

Mobile Optimization

With 88% of LinkedIn browsing happening on mobile, optimizing content for mobile users is a must. 

LinkedIn users are more likely to interact with content that’s easy to view and navigate on smaller screens. 

Using vertical content can increase performance by 15%.

Here is how to do it:

• Format posts vertically - Use portrait-oriented images and videos with an aspect ratio of 9:16 or 1080x1920 pixels for optimal mobile feed display.
• Keep text concise - Short, direct sentences work best for mobile readers.
• Adjust formatting to mobile - Preview your posts on a mobile device and add different formatting styles (bold, italic, bullet points) to ensure they’re easy to read.
• Use mobile-friendly visuals - Large, bold fonts and clear images improve readability and attract attention on smaller screens.

Content Mix Strategy

A varied and consistent posting schedule helps build a stronger presence on LinkedIn. 

The ideal posting frequency is 3-5 times per week, which balances visibility without overwhelming your audience or triggering LinkedIn’s content limits. 

Variety is key—mixing up content types (such as polls, articles, videos, and images) keeps followers engaged and caters to different preferences. 

Avoid posting more than once in 24 hours, as frequent posting can reduce reach due to LinkedIn’s preference for moderation.

Steps for an effective content mix strategy:

• Set a weekly posting goal -  Plan for 3-5 posts per week.
• Create a content calendar -  Schedule a mix of post types, such as polls for engagement, videos for visibility, and articles for in-depth value.
• Analyze performance regularly - Track which types of posts perform best and adjust your content mix accordingly.
• Avoid over-posting - Give each post room to breathe; ideally, don’t post more than once a day.

Network Quality

An engaged, relevant network is crucial for building reach on LinkedIn. 

Rather than prioritizing quantity, focus on connecting with people in your industry who are likely to engage with your content. 

LinkedIn’s algorithm favors active connections, so taking care of your network helps maximize visibility.

Therefore, what you should truly focus on is:

• Prioritizing relevant connections -  Focus on people in your industry or niche who align with your interests and goals.
• Engaging with connections - Like, comment, and share relevant content from your network to build stronger relationships.
• Removing inactive connections - Regularly clear out connections which are no longer active or relevant to your industry to maintain network quality.
• Connecting with industry peers - Seek out and connect with thought leaders, peers, and professionals in your field to expand reach within relevant circles.

By fine-tuning these advanced strategies, you’ll not only improve your reach but also create a LinkedIn presence that consistently drives valuable connections and meaningful engagement.

💡Pro tip

With access to comprehensive performance insights like impressions, engagement rates, and audience demographics, AuthoredUp’s Detailed Analytics empowers you to make data-driven decisions.

By incorporating AuthoredUp's features into your LinkedIn strategy, you can streamline content creation, optimize for various devices, and leverage analytics to drive meaningful engagement.

Key Metrics to Track

To determine whether your LinkedIn strategy is driving results, you need to go beyond mere reach and look deeper.

Your numbers can indicate what is working and what is stunting your growth.

What metrics to track?

To get a better picture, you should always make sure that you know your:

• Engagement rate 
• Reach
• Profile views
• Comment quality
• Follower growth

Compare your metrics to industry-specific benchmarks. 

Richard von van der Blom’s research shows a clear trend: the more time you spend engaging with others, the more LinkedIn will expand your reach.

3 Bonus Tips to Increase Your Metrics

Try out these tips to create a strong presence by beating the platform algorithm:

• After publishing, engage with at least 5 other posts to increase your visibility and signal to LinkedIn.
• Avoid a high percentage of your own comments (unless responding to others), as this could result in a reach penalty. Instead, invite your connections to share their opinion or experience.
• Use Instant Repost to extend your reach for an additional 5-10% each over two days.

To Wrap Up

‍

Getting your LinkedIn content noticed in 2024 can be challenging—but with AuthoredUp, you can put data-driven insights into action and ensure every post is well-optimized.

Here's how AuthoredUp can help you do it faster and more efficiently:

• Editor - Craft compelling posts with AuthoredUp's intuitive editor, which allows you to format text with bold, italics, bullet points, and emojis. Utilize built-in readability scores to ensure your content is clear and engaging.
• Preview Feature -Craft user-friendly content by previewing how posts will look on mobile or desktop to capture LinkedIn’s wider audience.
• Content Drafting and Management - Save and organize your ideas with the drafts feature, enabling you to prepare posts for future publication. Access and edit your drafts seamlessly, ensuring your content is polished before it goes live. 
• Calendar - Plan and schedule your posts directly within LinkedIn using AuthoredUp's integrated calendar. Visualize your content strategy and manage your posting schedule to maintain consistent engagement. 
• Detailed Analytics - Monitor your content's performance with precise analytics, including insights into impressions, engagement rates, and your best content types. Use this data to refine your strategy and enhance future posts. ‍
• Reusable Snippets and Templates - Streamline your content creation by saving frequently used text, hashtags, or calls-to-action as snippets. Access a library of over 200 hook templates and 150 ending templates to craft posts that capture attention and encourage interaction.

Get the insights you need to thrive in LinkedIn’s dynamic landscape.

Try AuthoredUp for data-backed content optimization!

FAQ

What is the golden hour of the LinkedIn algorithm?

The "golden hour" on LinkedIn refers to the critical first 60 minutes after you publish a post. During this period, the platform's algorithm assesses initial engagement—such as likes, comments, and shares—to determine the post's potential reach. High engagement in this timeframe increases the likelihood of your content being shown to a broader audience.

What works on LinkedIn in 2024?

In 2024, content that offers valuable insights and professional advice and fosters meaningful conversations performs best on LinkedIn. The algorithm favors posts that encourage engagement and are relevant to your network. Additionally, maintaining an active presence by regularly interacting with others' content can boost your visibility.

Does LinkedIn optimization work in 2024?

Yes, optimizing your LinkedIn presence will remain effective in 2024. By understanding and adapting to the latest algorithm changes—such as focusing on high-quality, relevant content and engaging with your network—you can enhance your reach and engagement on the platform. 

What are the LinkedIn algorithm changes for 2024?

LinkedIn's 2024 algorithm updates prioritize knowledge-sharing content that offers value and professional insights. The algorithm now favors posts from direct connections, aiming to strengthen personal relationships, and focuses on delivering more relevant content based on user interests and past engagement.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or a definitive guide to LinkedIn’s policies and practices. The insights are based on independent research by AuthoredUp and Just Connecting, which are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to LinkedIn™ Corporation. All analyses and opinions herein represent AuthoredUp’s understanding of the subject matter as of the publication date. LinkedIn’s policies and procedures may change, so users are encouraged to consult LinkedIn’s official resources or seek legal counsel for specific guidance. AuthoredUp makes no warranties or representations regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information and assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

‍