Why Your LinkedIn Posts Get Low Engagement – And How to Fix It

Have you ever wondered why your LinkedIn posts get low engagement? LinkedIn is one of the most powerful platforms for business professionals, industry leaders, and content creators. But if you’ve ever posted something you thought was great, only to get little to no engagement, you’re not alone.

It’s not just about the quality of your content. It’s about how LinkedIn decides who sees it and how long it stays visible.

In this blog, we’ll break down why engagement on LinkedIn is difficult, how the platform’s multiple algorithms work, and the strategies you can use to improve your visibility.

Why LinkedIn Posts Get Low Engagement

Unlike other platforms which use a single ranking system, LinkedIn uses multiple algorithms to determine who sees your post.

Every time you hit ‘post’, LinkedIn assesses your content based on:

 – Relevance to your network – is your content interesting to the people you’re connected with?
 – Engagement in the first 60 minutes – if your post doesn’t get quick likes and comments, it won’t be widely distributed.
 – Conversation over reactions – comments (especially thoughtful ones) carry more weight than simple likes.
 – Time spent on the platform – LinkedIn prioritises posts which keep users engaged rather than sending them elsewhere.

If your content isn’t structured in a way that appeals to these ranking factors, it’s likely to get buried before it even has a chance to reach the right people.

The Rules LinkedIn Uses to Rank Your Posts

To increase engagement, you need to play by LinkedIn’s rules. Here are the key ones to know:

1. The First Hour Determines Your Post’s Fate

LinkedIn tests your post within the first 60 minutes. If it gets early engagement, it will get shown to more people.

Tip: Ask a question or tag relevant connections in the first few minutes to spark interaction.

Mistake: Posting and leaving – if you don’t reply to comments, your post loses traction.

2. Comments Are More Valuable Than Likes

A post with 50 comments and 10 likes will perform better than a post with 100 likes and no comments.

Tip: End your posts with a question that encourages conversation.

Mistake: Posting content which is too general – people engage with specific and relatable discussions.

3. LinkedIn Wants Users to Stay on the Platform 

External links (like blog posts, YouTube videos, or news articles) reduce your reach because LinkedIn doesn’t want users leaving the platform.

Tip: If you need to share a link, put it in the first comment, not in the post.

Mistake: Linking out without providing context or value – always explain why people should click.

4. Not All Post Types Are Treated Equally

Different content formats have different visibility levels:

Text-Only Posts – these often perform best as they keep users engaged.
Carousels & Documents – these encourage high engagement since people scroll through multiple slides.
Native Videos – these are good, but only if they spark discussion in the comments.
External Links – these often get deprioritised, unless they get high early engagement.

Mistake: Relying too much on one format – mix it up to see what works best for your audience.

5. Posting Too Often Can Hurt Your Reach

Unlike platforms like Twitter or Instagram, LinkedIn does not reward high-frequency posting.

Tip: One quality post per day is enough. Let it breathe for at least 18-24 hours before posting again.

Mistake: Posting multiple times a day – your posts compete against each other for visibility.

6. Your Network Affects Your Reach

If your connections don’t find your content relevant, LinkedIn assumes it’s not valuable and shows it to fewer people.

Tip: Engage with people in your industry so LinkedIn understands your audience.

Mistake: Having a network which doesn’t align with your content – engagement will always be low.

Are Paid Posts Favoured Over Organic Content?

I love training and I am always keeping up to date on what’s going on on social media platforms and there are whisperings in the background that LinkedIN may eventually be prioritising paid content over organic content. While LinkedIn has not officially announced plans to prioritise paid posts over organic content, organic reach has become more difficult.

Here’s what is known right now:

 – Paid posts allow targeting, helping brands reach the right audience.
 – Organic content can still perform well, but it requires strong engagement strategies.
 – LinkedIn prioritises valuable, conversation-driven content, whether paid or not.

So, what’s your best strategy? Personally, I’ll be sticking to organic for now.

How to Improve Your LinkedIn Engagement

Now that you know how the algorithm works, here’s how to increase your post visibility:

 – Write strong opening lines – your first two lines should grab attention.
 – Encourage meaningful comments – ask a direct question at the end.
 – Respond to engagement quickly – replying boosts your post’s visibility.
 – Use 3-5 relevant hashtags – too many can make your post look spammy.
 – Mix content formats – try text-only, carousels, and native videos.
 – Post at the right time – experiment to find when your audience is most active.

LinkedIn Rewards Those Who Play Smart

The LinkedIn algorithm isn’t working against you – it just has specific rules. If you understand and follow them, your content will gain more visibility, more engagement, and better reach.

Do you want more people to see your LinkedIn posts? Start by focusing on quality conversations, strategic posting, and audience relevance. If you would like to engage with MGMPR to become your social media manager, or indeed to guide your marketing teams, please do get in touch by emailing eleanor@mgmpr.co.uk

What’s your biggest challenge with LinkedIn engagement? If you’re seeing this on socials, drop a comment below – I’d love to hear your thoughts! And why not connect with me here on LinkedIN.