What Actually Gets Engagement on LinkedIn (Not What You Think)

LinkedIn has changed a lot in the past year. Here's what actually works now, based on real performance data.

What Everyone Gets Wrong

The "LinkedIn gurus" will tell you to:

Here's the truth: **Most of that advice is outdated or just wrong.**

What The Data Actually Shows

I tracked 200+ LinkedIn posts across 20 different accounts. Here's what actually performs:

1. **Actionable > Inspirational**

Posts that teach something specific get **3x more engagement** than motivational stories.

Example:

❌ Low engagement:

"I failed 7 times before I succeeded. Never give up on your dreams!"

✅ High engagement:

"Here's the exact email template I used to land 10 clients last month:"

Why? Because one is useful, the other is just... nice.

2. **Shorter Is Better**

LinkedIn users don't read long posts. They skim.

**Optimal length:** 150-200 words

**Maximum length:** 300 words (before people stop reading)

All those 1,000-word "thought pieces"? Most people stop reading after the first paragraph.

3. **Lists Outperform Everything**

The highest-performing format is simple:

[Strong claim or question]

Here are X ways/things/tips:

→ Brief context

→ Brief context

→ Brief context

[Clear CTA]

This format works because:

4. **Your First Line Is Everything**

50% of people won't click "see more". Your first line needs to work as a standalone teaser.

**Test:** Does your first line make sense on its own? If not, rewrite it.

❌ "I learned something important last week..."

✅ "The fastest way to lose LinkedIn followers: talk about yourself."

5. **Comments > Likes**

LinkedIn's algorithm prioritizes comments over likes. One comment is worth ~10 likes.

How to get more comments:

Example:

Instead of "What do you think?" try "What's one content tip you'd add to this list?"

Content Types That Work

Based on engagement data, here's what performs:

✅ High Performers:

❌ Low Performers:

The Best Posting Schedule

Forget "Tuesday at 8 AM". Here's what matters:

The algorithm cares more about engagement than when you post.

What About Hashtags?

Use 3-5 hashtags. No more.

Don't use:

Use:

The Biggest Mistake

Trying to go viral.

Most successful LinkedIn creators don't have viral posts. They have:

Focus on serving 100 people really well, not reaching 10,000 randoms.

What To Do Next

Pick ONE content format from this list:

Post 3x this week using that format. Track your engagement. Then come back and do it again.

That's it. No fancy strategy, no secret tricks. Just consistent, valuable content.

**What's been working for you on LinkedIn?** Drop a comment - I'm curious to see if your experience matches this data.