LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social media platforms, with over 810 million members worldwide as of 2022. With its focus on career networking and business opportunities, LinkedIn provides a unique space for brands to connect with professionals and promote their products and services. One of the key metrics brands care about on LinkedIn is engagement rate – specifically, how much engagement their LinkedIn content generates relative to their number of followers. But what constitutes a “good” or industry benchmark LinkedIn engagement rate that brands should aim for? In this article, we’ll break down the average LinkedIn engagement rates across industries, factors that impact engagement, and tips for improving your LinkedIn engagement.
What is LinkedIn engagement rate?
LinkedIn engagement rate refers to the amount of engagement a piece of content or account gets on LinkedIn relative to the size of its follower base. It is calculated by dividing total engagements by total followers and expressing that as a percentage.
Total engagements on LinkedIn primarily include:
– Likes
– Comments
– Clicks
– Shares
So for example, if a LinkedIn Page has 10,000 followers and a recent post got 100 likes, 50 comments, and 30 shares, its engagement rate would be:
(100 likes + 50 comments + 30 shares) / 10,000 followers = 1.8%
A higher engagement rate indicates that a larger portion of a Page’s followers are engaging with its content. This signals that the content is resonating well and that the overall Page strategy is effective.
LinkedIn Industry Benchmarks for 2023
LinkedIn engagement rates vary widely across different industries. According to 2023 benchmarks, here are average engagement rates for some top industries:
| Industry | Average Engagement Rate |
|---|---|
| Higher Education | 4.36% |
| Nonprofits | 2.41% |
| Computer Software | 1.63% |
| Management Consulting | 1.11% |
| Financial Services | 0.99% |
| Health Care | 0.53% |
As you can see, engagement rates vary greatly depending on the industry. Higher education and nonprofits tend to have the highest engagement, likely because their content triggers more likes, comments, and shares from their invested audiences.
On the other hand, industries like financial services and healthcare have lower engagement rates. Their content may be more informational or technical, less invigorating for casual browsing audiences.
Factors impacting LinkedIn engagement rates
There are a few key factors that impact LinkedIn engagement rates across industries:
– Audience demographics – Certain audiences like students, alumni, and activists are more inclined to engage with content on LinkedIn. Other demographics less so.
– Post content – Interactive posts like polls and questions tend to garner higher engagement. Posts with rich media like images and video also perform better.
– Post frequency – Accounts that post frequently and consistently see higher engagement rates over time.
– Call-to-action – Stronger calls to like, comment, share, or click-through can lift engagement rates.
– Engagement tactics – Tactics like reacting to comments, sharing user posts, and running contests boost engagement.
How to Calculate Your LinkedIn Engagement Rate
To calculate your own LinkedIn engagement rate, here are the key steps:
1. Navigate to your LinkedIn Page analytics under “See Company/Showcase Page Analytics”.
2. Record the number of followers you currently have.
3. Set the date range for the last month to get a current snapshot.
4. Record the total likes, comments, shares, and clicks your posts received over that period.
5. Add up all engagements and divide by your follower count.
6. Express the result as a percentage to get your LinkedIn engagement rate.
You’ll want to calculate this monthly to get a sense of how your engagement rate changes over time. If you’re not sure how your rate stacks up, compare it to the industry benchmarks above.
Tips for Improving Your LinkedIn Engagement Rate
Here are some best practices to boost your LinkedIn engagement rate:
Post More Consistently
Posting daily or multiple times per week will put your brand top of mind and lead to more engagement over time. Study top brands in your industry and aim to match their posting frequency.
Provide Value With Your Posts
Focus on posts that provide tangible value for your target audience like insights, how-to’s, data, and thought leadership. Valuable posts spark more interest and engagement.
Use Rich Media
Incorporate visual content like images, infographics, and video into your posts. Visuals make your posts stand out and tend to generate more engagement.
Interact with Your Followers
Reply to any comments you receive and engage directly with followers who share or react to your posts. This builds relationships and loyalty.
Run Contests and Polls
Contests, polls, quizzes and other interactive content types entice people to like, comment, share, and click-through. Sprinkle these types of posts into your mix.
Partner With Influencers
Work with relevant LinkedIn influencers in your space to create co-branded content or get sponsored recommendations. Their existing audiences will engage with the content and grow your reach.
Analyze and Refine
Check your analytics to see which types of posts and content perform best. Double down on those styles and continue refining your strategy.
Conclusion
LinkedIn engagement rates provide a benchmark for how well your brand’s content resonates with your target audience on LinkedIn. While rates vary widely across industries, the best Pages generate engagement rates over 1% consistently.
Boosting your LinkedIn engagement takes effort. But using valuable and interactive content, engaging directly with your audience, and leveraging influencers and contests will put your strategy on the right track. Referencing the benchmarks for your industry will help you gauge your progress.
With a thoughtful LinkedIn marketing approach, your brand can build fruitful engagement and connections with professionals and businesses in your space.