The leading platform for professional networking, LinkedIn functions as the ideal space for brands to build awareness and relationships with industry leaders and potential customers. Boost your B2B social media marketing efforts by following these tips for making the LinkedIn algorithm work for you.
Understanding LinkedIn’s Algorithm
First and foremost, marketers must understand how LinkedIn categorizes content, the primary factor in determining distribution to users. Much like how an email divides content into distinct categories, LinkedIn’s algorithm operates similarly. When posting, the algorithm categorizes content using a set of three; spam, low quality, and straightforward.
Initial engagements are vital as they ensure content receives a “clear” label. These engagements must happen within the first 60 minutes, and the platform prioritizes quality over quantity. For example, LinkedIn ranks comments higher than likes – therefore, posts that generate comments will be delivered to more individuals to keep the conversation flowing.
Source: Brandwatch
Prioritize Posting Consistency
Another critical component to working with LinkedIn’s algorithm is consistency. For best results, brands should maintain the cadence in which content is posted, as changes can negatively affect algorithmic ranking. The ideal posting frequency for LinkedIn is two to five times per week, which rounds out to about 20 times per month. On balance, avoid publishing more than once per weekday.
LinkedIn Algorithm Deprioritizes Outbound Links
Like the other social mediums, LinkedIn wants content to be hosted natively on the channel; therefore, it deprioritizes posts containing outbound links. For example, LinkedIn posts with no outbound links generate 600% more impressions than posts with links. In addition, while posts without links average fewer social shares, they garner almost 4x more reactions and 18x more comments.
Hashtags Increase Visibility
A goal of B2B social content is to reach as many potential prospects as possible. So, one of the ways to increase visibility is to incorporate a combination of 3-4 high-traffic hashtags with 2-3 industry-specific niche hashtags. However, there is a balance to using hashtags as too few lower impressions, whereas too many will place the content (and brand) in a spam filter.
Optimize Posting Time
Another way to set up content for success on LinkedIn is to optimize posting time. To do this, focus on posting the best-performing content and social stories during high-traffic user timeframes. For example, B2B should focus on releasing content on weekdays in the early morning, around lunchtime, and during commuting hours.
Engagement Driving Content
LinkedIn Polls are among the top algorithm-driving content options available to users and brands. As previously mentioned, LinkedIn prefers native content, so it ranks these interactive posts higher than a piece of content with an outbound link. LinkedIn Polls allow brands to speak directly to followers and the target audience, gather industry insights and even feedback on products and services. Consider the audience’s interests and keep the question and responses simple when developing a LinkedIn poll to generate responses.
Overdrive LinkedIn Poll
Increase Exposure with Text-Only Posts
LinkedIn’s algorithm gives higher priority to traditional, informational text-only posts. When crafting copy, be purposeful with incorporating keywords and the overall length. For instance, limit copy to no more than 150 characters and integrate meaningful keywords to improve rank on search results and help establish the post’s focus. Conversely, the ranking will not improve if keywords are overused and could potentially degrade the quality of content with poor syntax.
Pro tip: Speaking of text, videos should have closed captioning to reap similar benefits. According to a study by Verizon Media and Publicis Media, 80% of consumers say they are more likely to watch a video to completion if captions were available.
Additional LinkedIn Content Considerations
Best Practices for Third-Party Content
When looking for the right balance and mix of content on LinkedIn, the 3-2-1 formula is helpful. This model calls for a weekly breakdown of three pieces of industry-related content, two pieces of “proud” content (positivity for your employees or community), and one piece promoting your brand or solutions.
Activating Executive Team as Thought Leaders
One method for establishing the brand as a source of industry insight is to showcase staff expertise. Consider tapping into the executive staff to write on or speak to key trends or insights.
Overdrive LinkedIn Thought Leadership Example
LinkedIn Newsletter Subscription
Consider testing outbound email marketing to a LinkedIn Newsletter subscription to boost exposure and engagements. By following this strategy, Tim Denning of Better Marketing shared that their LinkedIn Newsletter got 66,700 subscribers in 24 hours on the platform.
Conclusion
There are multiple ways for crafting content that works in favor of LinkedIn’s algorithm. Follow the above tips to effectively boost marketing efforts and connections with customers on LinkedIn.
Looking to enhance your social media marketing strategy? Contact Overdrive Interactive today to get started.
