7 Unexpected LinkedIn Algorithm Insights
Actionable tips to master LinkedIn's algorithm and level up your content strategy
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7 Unexpected LinkedIn Algorithm Insights
Navigating the LinkedIn algorithm can often feel like cracking a black box.
A huge thank you to Samantha McKenna for dropping a wealth of knowledge in a recent private session with GTMfund portfolio companies and their executive teams. Sam's insights were helpful and at times, surprising. Below are seven surprising tips on cracking the code to LinkedIn’s algorithm that stood out most - let’s get into it.
Post directly on LinkedIn, not through third-party tools
Don’t use third-party auto-sharing tools for LinkedIn. For example, Hootsuite or Sprout Social. These tools can reduce the visibility of your posts because LinkedIn's algorithm favors content that is posted directly on the platform. Using tools might save you time, but they’ll cost you engagement.
Avoid reposting with comments, just repost
When resharing a post on LinkedIn, avoid using the "Repost with comments" option. Instead, just hit "Repost" to share the content. Reposting with comments can cause LinkedIn’s algorithm to throttle your post, limiting its visibility. I shared this on LinkedIn and people’s responses echoed my own personal surprise to this learning.
Don’t edit the post in the first hour
Don’t do it. As painful as it is to stare at a post for an hour with typos in it, hang tight. In an hour, you can go back to edit with no penalty.
Limit hashtags to 5 or fewer
Use no more than five relevant hashtags in your LinkedIn posts. Using more than five signals to LinkedIn that you’re not sure who your audience is, which can reduce your post’s visibility.
Be careful with tagging multiple people
When tagging people in your posts, avoid tagging too many. If you tag multiple people, and they don’t engage with the post within the first hour, LinkedIn may throttle its visibility. Focus on tagging only those who are likely to engage quickly.
Ensure your videos have captions
If you’re posting video content, make sure it includes captions. Most people watch videos with the sound off, so captions help convey your message even when the video is muted.
Don’t worry too much about spelling. At GTMnow, I used to obsess over every tiny spelling error, leading to endless revisions for a single video clip. Then, devised a system around preventing grammatical errors. A quick tip to speed up caption fixes: use all caps to avoid capitalization errors altogether.
Create vertical videos for LinkedIn’s video tab
If you want your videos to appear in LinkedIn’s video tab (which is similar to TikTok’s vertical video format), make sure they are shot vertically. This increases the chances of your video being featured. Stick to vertical, rather than square or horizontal.
Learn more about how LinkedIn is experimenting with a TikTok-like video feed here.
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Mark Ghermezian co-founded Braze (BRZE) and led the company as it’s founding CEO, pioneering a new category. He is also the Founder and General Partner at m]x[v Capital, and Co-Founder and CEO of Gynger and Tildei, two companies that he incubated through the venture firm. He is a serial entrepreneur and successful investor with 20+ years of experience in founding, building, and investing in early-stage SaaS startups.
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🚀 Startup to watch
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GTM Summit: October 14 - 16 (Austin, TX)
The LinkedIn insights were so helpful for those attending the internal portfolio company session live that we wanted to open it up to everyone else and share - check it out for more tips and subscribe to the GTMnow YouTube if you want more content like this directly.
This has been a bit of a takeover edition as the algorithm insights were too interesting to keep behind closed doors, which worked out well as Scott is traveling this week. T’is the travel season - see many of you IRL over the next couple of months!
🤝 Sophie
Love it and appreciate your support.
Really useful, thank you!