LinkedIn Algorithm Explained: 5 Ways to Win in 2026

For marketing professionals and business owners seeking to grow their online presence, LinkedIn’s algorithm has often drawn criticism for content that can feel “cringey” or excessively performative.

 

Previously, LinkedIn’s algorithm was heavily weighted towards maximising reach.

 

As a result, LinkedIn has been rolling out updates that focus on content quality and the calibre of engagement through its 360Brew AI algorithmic system. This marks a transition in how content is delivered to audiences, prioritising substance above mere reach or network size.

 

Previously, you could somewhat game the algorithm to maximise reach, and a “like” was one way to do so.

 

In my experience distributing content for a client, if we posted a case study and the company we’d worked with – who had 100k followers – liked our content, we’d often see a 23–35% increase in organic impressions that month compared to a baseline month. That’s not to say a like from a high-follower profile doesn’t still boost your post impressions, but the effect isn’t what it once was, particularly when it comes to gaining new followers.

 

In addition, many tried to game the algorithm through ‘connectionmaxxing’ and paying for access to closed groups, where entire groups would be notified when someone posted and encouraged them to engage.

 

This created confusion for marketers and business owners alike: seeing “AI slop” content rack up hundreds of likes and comments made it look like that was what audiences actually wanted. That’s part of why LinkedIn is shifting to be more like Instagram and TikTok, where genuinely good content is what performs.

Similar to how ‘watch time’ helps platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok decide whether to distribute content more widely, LinkedIn’s 360 Brew algorithm works much the same way but is based on ‘dwell time’. Dwell time refers to whether the audience actually stops scrolling to read your content.

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This is why hooks are critical to post performance. As Diandra Escobar puts it: “If the words [in your hook] don’t pull people in, nothing else matters – no one will see the rest.”

A good hook should:

Marketers and business owners/founders alike are turning to LinkedIn not only to seek jobs or find potential job candidates, but also to elevate both themselves and the company they work for beyond the company-branded page. They use the platform to highlight expertise and connect on a more personal level. Influencers at both the founder and employee levels are using the space to deliver structured business content, videos, and personal narratives to reach massive, highly engaged audiences. Consumers increasingly trust people before institutions. They seek signals of expertise, cultural relevance, transparency, and human presence before making purchasing decisions.

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When deciding what to post, particularly if you are trying to build a personal brand on LinkedIn, consider the 80/15/5 content distribution rule as a guide:

80% – your 2-3 core professional topics

15% – Related topics

5% – Off-brand or personal topics