Your LinkedIn score is an important metric that measures your professional brand and presence on the LinkedIn platform. A higher score signals that you are more active and engaged on LinkedIn, which can lead to more profile views, connection requests, and job opportunities. So how exactly is your LinkedIn score calculated? Here’s what you need to know.
What is the LinkedIn Score?
The LinkedIn score is a measure of your engagement and activity on the platform. It takes into account various actions you can take on LinkedIn, assigns points to each type of activity, and adds up all the points to generate your overall score.
The score is displayed prominently on your profile underneath your name and headline. It gives visitors an immediate sense of how active and credible you are as a professional on LinkedIn. The higher your score, the more it signals that you’re knowledgeable and committed to networking on the platform.
What Factors Determine Your LinkedIn Score?
LinkedIn uses a secret algorithm to calculate your score. They do not disclose the exact formula. However, LinkedIn has provided some guidance on the main factors that influence your score:
- Profile completeness – how robust your profile is, including adding a profile photo, summary, work experience, education, skills, etc.
- Connections – the number and quality of your 1st-degree connections on LinkedIn.
- Engagement with content – how often you like, comment on, and share updates, articles, and posts.
- Content sharing – how frequently you publish your own updates, articles, images, etc.
- Profile views and searches – how often your profile appears in search results and is viewed by others.
Essentially, the more active you are on LinkedIn in building your network and participating in discussions, the higher your score will be. It rewards regular engagement that makes you more visible and influential on the platform.
How is the LinkedIn Score Calculated?
While the exact scoring formula is private, LinkedIn has provided the following breakdown of how different activities roughly translate into points:
| LinkedIn Activity | Points |
|---|---|
| Add a profile photo | 50 points |
| Add 5 skills to your profile | 20 points |
| Make your profile 100% complete | 100 points |
| Get 10 new 1st-degree connections | 50 points |
| Join 5 LinkedIn groups | 15 points |
| Like 5 posts or articles | 10 points |
| Comment on a post | 20 points |
| Share an article, image, or update | 20 points |
| Publish a post that gets 100 views | 100 points |
As you can see, profile completeness actions like adding a photo and filling out all sections tend to have the highest point values. Building connections, engaging regularly with content, and sharing your own updates are other ways to boost your score. Points are higher when your engagement creates more visibility (like publishing a popular post).
What is a Good LinkedIn Score?
The average LinkedIn score is around 30. Here is a breakdown of what different score ranges generally signify:
- 0-9: Inactive account. The profile is either incomplete or hardly used.
- 10-29: Average activity. The profile has basic information but lacks engagement.
- 30-79: Moderately active. The profile is complete and engages sometimes.
- 80-199: Very active. Frequently engages with content and has a strong network.
- 200-500: Highly active and influential. The profile has maximum visibility and regularly publishes popular content.
Based on these ranges, a good LinkedIn score to aim for is at least 80. This shows you have an established presence on LinkedIn with plenty of engagement. A score above 200 puts you in the top tier of power profiles who influence the LinkedIn community.
How to Improve Your LinkedIn Score
Here are some tips to boost your LinkedIn score and improve your presence:
Complete Your Profile
Fill out every section of your profile to the max. Include a professional headshot, customized LinkedIn URL, summary statement, work history, education, skills, accomplishments, certifications, volunteer work, and any other details that communicate your personal brand and credibility.
Network Strategically
Connect with colleagues, classmates, clients, industry leaders, and relevant contacts. Focus on quality over quantity – ask for recommendations and engage meaningfully with your network. Join active LinkedIn Groups in your field.
Be Active Daily
Set aside 10-15 minutes a day to engage on LinkedIn. Like and comment on posts to boost visibility. Share relevant articles, images, and insights. Publish your own updates, news, and advice to build your following.
Get Recommendations
Ask managers, colleagues, and clients for recommendations. Testimonials that highlight your skills and work add credibility. Aim for at least 3 recommendations.
Appear in Search Results
Optimize your profile with relevant keywords so you appear in LinkedIn search results for your industry and skill set. This increases your discoverability.
Use LinkedIn Features
Take advantage of tools like LinkedIn articles, newsletters, LinkedIn Learning courses, and live videos. Leverage all that LinkedIn offers to showcase your expertise.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn score is a benchmark of your professional brand and network on the world’s largest career platform. The higher your score, the more visible and influential your presence. Scores above 80 indicate an active engaged profile while over 200 means you’re an industry leader on LinkedIn.
Focus first on 100% profile completeness. Then be strategic in building your connections and posting compelling updates consistently. Aim to engage daily through likes, comments, and sharing insightful content. With an optimized profile and regular visibility, you can continue boosting your score and presence over time.
