In a world where virality often triumphs, LinkedIn is charting a new course. With its latest algorithm tweaks, LinkedIn aims to prioritize quality over popularity. But what does this shift mean for you, the user, in your professional journey on this platform? The curtain is about to rise on a bold new era of networking, as we reveal the insights from LinkedIn's Editor-in-Chief, Dan Roth, and Product Management Director, Alice Xiong. Brace yourself, because LinkedIn, as you know it, is about to change.
The Problem LinkedIn is Trying to Solve
Due to an increase in user activity, LinkedIn has observed a rise in content which is more personal and less professional, including attempts to game the algorithm for likes and followers. This has led to users complaining about the relevance of content they see on their feed. LinkedIn's algorithm change aims to make the feed more informative and less focused on engaging and viral content.
LinkedIn's Solution
LinkedIn's solution to the content relevance problem lies in restructuring its algorithm. The overarching goal is to transform the platform's feed into a more useful and relevant resource for its users, one that aligns more closely with their professional needs and interests. LinkedIn aims to achieve this by discouraging non-professional content and gaming the system, deprioritizing virality, and focusing on connections, expert content, and meaningful interactions.
By tweaking the algorithm in this way, LinkedIn is attempting to ensure that its feed doesn't just retain users, but also provides them with significant value. The key is to promote content that aids in professional growth, supports learning, and sparks authentic, meaningful conversations among its users. The new approach, therefore, marks a shift from mere engagement towards delivering more substantial, relevant, and enriching content.
How LinkedIn's Algorithm Changes Affect Users
With the recent algorithm overhaul, LinkedIn has engineered a significant shift in its content landscape, influencing how users interact and share information. The key alterations include:
Downplaying Non-professional Content: LinkedIn has shifted its focus from rewarding engaging and viral content to valuing informative, professional content. This change is in response to a rise in Facebook-style content during the pandemic, which had led to an influx of irrelevant content.
Deprioritizing Virality: Previously, LinkedIn's algorithm amplified viral content. With the new changes, such content is likely to hurt user visibility and engagement rather than helping it, as it may reach feeds where it is irrelevant, thereby not garnering much engagement.
Prioritizing First-degree Connections: LinkedIn users now see more updates from their direct connections, as the company believes the most valuable content comes from people users already know. This means the quality of a user's network has become even more crucial.
Highlighting Expert Content: The platform is now placing more emphasis on expert insights, identifying user interests based on their profile info and activity. Comments, especially more in-depth ones, have become a critical factor in improving a post's reach.
How LinkedIn Identifies 'Knowledge and Advice'
Delving into the specifics, LinkedIn's system has been reconfigured to prioritize 'knowledge and advice' through a series of assessments:
Identifying Knowledge and Advice: LinkedIn's system evaluates every post to determine its relevance, placing an emphasis on content that provides knowledge or advice. The system also considers the author's authority in the subject.
Encouraging Meaningful Comments: LinkedIn rewards posts that receive "meaningful comments" rather than just quick and empty comments. The system also evaluates who the commenters are, treating comments from a specific group (like professionals in a certain field) as a positive signal.
Appreciating Posts with a Perspective: Posts that are categorized as containing opinions and/or advice, particularly from the writer's perspective and insights, are rewarded more than those providing generic information.
LinkedIn's Vision of Success
LinkedIn's algorithm overhaul introduces a new definition of success. Instead of prioritizing virality and broad reach, LinkedIn now encourages content that fosters meaningful conversations and resonates with the target audience.
This shift underscores the importance of relevance and substance over volume and widespread appeal. In this context, success hinges on the value provided to the audience and the depth of conversations it incites. This novel approach challenges users to create impactful content that truly resonates with their audience, fostering meaningful, relevant dialogues. It's not about reaching everyone; it's about reaching the right ones.