How AI Recommends LinkedIn Posts

LinkedIn's AI recommendation system shapes what 900 million users see in their feeds. Here's how it works and how to make it work for you:

• Personalization: The AI analyzes your profile, connections, and activity to serve relevant content.
• Content matching: It pairs users with posts they're likely to engage with.
• Engagement focus: Comments and shares matter more than likes.
• Quality over virality: The system favors professional, insightful content over viral posts.

To boost your LinkedIn visibility:

1. Post high-quality, engaging content
2. Use visuals (images, videos)
3. Start conversations with questions
4. Respond quickly to comments
5. Post during peak times (weekdays, 8 AM - 2 PM)
6. Use 3-5 relevant hashtags

Track your success with metrics like engagement rate (aim for 2-3.5%) and impressions.

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How LinkedIn's AI Recommends Content

LinkedIn's AI recommendation system is the brains behind what you see in your feed. It's not just throwing random posts at you. Instead, it's a smart system that tries to show each of LinkedIn's 950 million members stuff they'll actually care about.

The AI System's Building Blocks

The system has three main parts:

1. User Profiling

The AI builds a digital picture of you based on what you do on LinkedIn. It looks at who you connect with, what you click on, and your job info. This helps it guess what you might like.

2. Content Analysis

The AI looks at every post, article, and update on LinkedIn. It checks things like what the post is about, how it's written, and how many people are engaging with it.

3. Matching Algorithm

This is where it all comes together. The AI takes what it knows about you and matches it with content it thinks you'll like. It's like a really smart matchmaker for professional content.

The system is always learning. Every time you use LinkedIn, it gets a little bit smarter about what you want to see.

Your Actions Shape What You See

Everything you do on LinkedIn tells the AI something:

• When you like or comment on a post, you're basically saying "Show me more like this!"
• If you spend a long time reading a post, the AI notices and might show you similar stuff.
• The AI pays attention to whose posts you interact with most. Those people's updates are more likely to pop up in your feed.
• When you look at someone's profile, the AI might think you're interested in their job or industry.

LinkedIn's system is all about showing you stuff that's relevant to your work life. As Christina Newberry, a writer and editor, says:

"The LinkedIn algorithm is specifically designed to prevent content from going viral."

This means you're more likely to see things that matter to your job, not just whatever's trending.

The AI also cares about quality. A good conversation in the comments is worth more than a bunch of likes. In fact, the 2024 update to the system puts more focus on posts that get people talking.

Want to use this to your advantage? Try posting things that get people to respond. Ask interesting questions or share insights that make people want to add their own thoughts. The more real conversations your posts start, the more people are likely to see them.

What Makes Posts Get Recommended

LinkedIn's AI recommendation system is complex, but understanding its key parts can help you create content that's more likely to be seen and shared. Let's look at the main factors that determine how LinkedIn ranks and shows content.

Content Score and User Response

The core of LinkedIn's recommendation system is the content score. This score combines several factors:

1. Relevance

How well does your post match your audience's interests?

2. Quality

Is your content well-written, informative, and engaging?

3. Engagement

How much interaction does your post generate?

LinkedIn's algorithm cares a lot about meaningful engagement. Comments and shares are more important than likes. Why? They show that your content is starting conversations and providing value.

"When a piece of content makes a reader or viewer feel a certain way, they are more likely to share it on social media." - Stefanie Marrone, Marketing Consultant

This quote highlights a key point: emotional connection drives engagement. Posts that tell stories, share personal experiences, or offer unique insights often do better than dry, self-promotional content.

Here's how different types of engagement affect your content score:

Engagement Type	Impact on Content Score
Likes	Low
Comments	Medium
Shares	High
Dwell Time	Medium

Dwell time is often overlooked. If users spend more time reading your post, LinkedIn's AI sees this as a sign of quality content.

How Connections Affect Recommendations

Your network plays a big role in how your content is shared. LinkedIn's algorithm favors content from:

1. People you're directly connected to
2. Connections of your connections
3. People who follow you but aren't connected

The algorithm also looks at the quality of your network. If you're connected to key players in your industry, your content is more likely to reach a wider audience.

Here's something interesting: LinkedIn's AI doesn't just look at your direct connections. It also considers "lookalike" audiences – users with profiles similar to your connections. This means your content can reach people outside your immediate network if the AI thinks it's relevant.

To use this to your advantage:

• Interact with your network's content regularly. This makes them more likely to engage with yours.
• Focus on connecting with relevant professionals in your industry.
• Ask questions or start discussions in your posts to boost engagement.

LinkedIn's algorithm is designed to promote professional content over personal posts. Dan Roth, Editor-in-Chief of LinkedIn, explains:

"If it's personal then this will be shown to network only. While the content having 'teachings, Lessons or advice' will shown to other people as well because they need them."

This shift towards educational content is backed by recent stats. LinkedIn saw a 42% year-over-year increase in content shared from 2021 to 2023, with a 27% increase in content viewed. This trend shows the platform's focus on professional development and knowledge sharing.

To boost your post's visibility:

1. Share insights, advice, or lessons learned that are relevant to your professional niche.
2. Use visuals. Posts with images get 2X higher engagement, while videos are shared 20X more than other content types.
3. Test different posting times to find when your audience is most active.
4. Respond to comments, especially in the first 30-60 minutes after posting, to increase engagement and visibility.

Making Posts More Visible to AI

Want your LinkedIn posts to catch the AI's eye? Here's how to do it:

Content Quality Tips

High-quality, engaging content is your ticket to AI visibility. Try these:

1. Grab attention fast

Your first line is make-or-break. Hook your audience right away.

2. Go visual

Images double your comments. Videos? Triple the engagement. Use them.

3. Keep it snappy

Short paragraphs, bullet points, and 12-word sentences max. Make it easy to read.

4. Start conversations

Ask questions. Get opinions. The AI loves posts that spark real talk.

5. Hashtag smart

Use 3-5 targeted hashtags. They're your content's signposts.

6. Tag wisely

Mention others, but only when it makes sense. Don't overdo it.

"LinkedIn states that: 'the model also takes into account timely feedback to content creators.'" - Cheer Up Marketing

This means: respond to comments fast, especially in the first hour. It shows the AI your post is hot.

Best Times and Formats to Post

Timing and format can make or break your post's visibility:

When to Post:

Weekdays beat weekends. Best times:

• Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 10 AM to noon
• Thursdays: 10 AM
• Fridays: 8 AM to 1 PM

But check your own analytics. Your audience might be different.

What to Post:

1. Text + Image

Aim for 900-1,200 characters. Going over 1,500? Your reach might drop.

2. Text-Only

Sweet spot: 1,800-2,100 characters. Under 1,000? Might not reach as far.

3. Documents

Keep it under 500 characters off-slide. On-slide? 25-50 words each. About 12 slides total.

4. Videos

1-2 minutes is the sweet spot. But 15-second clips can boost views. Go vertical, high-quality, with subtitles.

5. Polls

Under 500 characters. Three solid options. Make them count.

Post 2-3 times a week. It keeps you visible without being annoying.