There are more than 830 million members on LinkedIn. They are not only looking for a new job, but they are looking for truly useful information while building their network. That’s why the engineering team at LinkedIn is making changes to improve the search experience.
Improving search results seems to be becoming a priority for different channels. In fact, it hasn’t yet been a week since I talked about how Google updated its algorithm in order to prioritize quality content on SERPs.
And LinkedIn is making moves in this direction as well. And, just like Google, quality content on the professional platform goes far beyond answering queries in a post. We have to think about how to give the audience what they really want.
Post search and user engagement on LinkedIn increased by 35% in 2020. People are looking for high-quality content and productive conversations.
So, what are the changes on LinkedIn? How’s it going to affect us — Marketing professionals and brands that create content on the platform?
I’ll dive into that. Follow me!
The Before and After of Post Search on LinkedIn
Until this week, the search journey on LinkedIn started at the search bar, where it mixed a series of results — but the old system left behind a lot of important articles and LinkedIn posts.
Now the results are simpler. Prioritizing content and articles, taking into consideration aspects of relevance and diversity. Let’s take a look:
The update is already bringing positive results. According to the LinkedIn blog post, the initiative has led to an increase in user satisfaction, reflected by a 20% increase in positive feedback rate.
To give users the best experience, LinkedIn is considering the following criteria:
- Query relevance.
- Quality.
- Personalization and user intent understanding.
- Post engagement.
- Post freshness, especially for trending topics.
So, How Does One Engage On LinkedIn From Now On?
As I said at the beginning, LinkedIn is much more than a place to look for a job — and it’s time for brands and companies to finally understand this.
People are trying to make genuine professional connections and be up-to-date with their market.
I’ll take myself as an example here. I’m a Content Strategist here at Rock Content, and I love using the professional social platform to discover the next trends in Marketing or reading opinions from experts. That’s one of the best ways of using LinkedIn for me.
So, to build your brand presence on this platform, it’s going to be even more important to publish relevant content for your audience.
Here are some practices to help you succeed with these new changes:
Answer Your Public’s Needs
Before planning your next post, check what your audience is already chatting and/or thinking about.
Let me remind you that, earlier this year, LinkedIn already changed its algorithm to prioritize quality content. So, everything points to the fact that LinkedIn focuses on a more relevant and helpful experience for its users.
In a scenario where everybody is making content and everybody wants to be seen, showing your expertise is going to be key to building a reliable brand on LinkedIn.
Be On Trend, Give Your Opinion
Something that stands out on LinkedIn from other social media is its level of expertise and relevance. While on TikTok or Instagram you can spend hours watching videos of puppies, on LinkedIn you want to know what is the latest trend in your business sector.
So, don’t be afraid to give your takes on the changes or trends in your niche. This will also invite other persons to comment and increase your reach on social media.
Also, don’t forget to experiment with multiple formats, until you find the best type of content for your profile.
The days of posting content on social media focusing on yourself / your company are gone. It’s time to listen first, talk later. And let your audience guide the conversation, be part of it. Be useful, and relevant.
As I said earlier, LinkedIn is not the only one that is prioritizing quality content. TikTok searches and Google’s new Helpful Content Update are a reflection of how important it is to satisfy your audience’s queries.
The next time you are going to post on LinkedIn, don’t forget to make it relevant and helpful. Your audience (and the algorithm) will thank you.
And, if you want to continue to be updated with Marketing and Social Media Trends, I strongly suggest that you subscribe to The Beat, Rock Content’s interactive newsletter. There, you’ll find all the trends that matter in the Digital Marketing landscape. See you there!
