LinkedIn recently removed the number of search appearances from its platform, leaving many users wondering why this change was made and what it means for their LinkedIn presence. In this article, we’ll explore the history of LinkedIn search appearances, reasons why LinkedIn may have chosen to remove this metric, and what users can do going forward to maintain their search visibility on the platform.
What were LinkedIn search appearances?
Up until 2022, when viewing your LinkedIn profile, you could see a metric called “Search Appearances” under your profile photo and name. This number indicated how many times you or your profile showed up in LinkedIn search results.
For example, if someone searched for “marketing manager” on LinkedIn and your profile was displayed in the results, that would count as 1 search appearance. The number of search appearances was intended to give users an idea of how visible their profile was in LinkedIn search.
Why did LinkedIn remove search appearances?
In April 2022, LinkedIn began rolling out the removal of search appearances from its platform. There are a few possible reasons why LinkedIn may have made this change:
- To simplify the user experience – The search appearance metric may have been confusing or seen as unimportant to some users.
- To reduce social competition – Search appearances could pit users against each other in a “numbers game” around who had the most search visibility.
- To encourage authentic engagement – With no search appearance number to boost, users may focus more on making genuine connections.
While LinkedIn has not explicitly stated a reason for the change, removing search appearances does help steer the platform away from being perceived as a social competition and more as a professional networking site.
What does this mean for your LinkedIn visibility?
The removal of search appearances doesn’t mean your profile is no longer visible in LinkedIn search results. User profiles will still appear in results as relevant. However, without the search appearance number, it’s harder to gauge how prominently your profile ranks in LinkedIn search.
Some things you can do to continue improving your LinkedIn search visibility include:
- Optimizing your profile with relevant keywords
- Staying active by regularly posting content and engaging with your network
- Building connections, especially with those in your industry
- Joining relevant LinkedIn groups and participating in conversations
While the search appearance number is gone, actively maintaining a robust, optimized LinkedIn presence can still help you get discovered by your target audience.
How often LinkedIn search results update
LinkedIn search results are not static – they update frequently based on a number of factors. Here is an overview of how often different parts of LinkedIn search refresh:
- Member search index – Refreshes multiple times per day to include profile changes, new connections, and content.
- Job postings – Indexed within 24 hours of being posted.
- Companies – Page changes indexed within 24 hours.
- Groups – Indexed within an hour of a new discussion post.
- Content – Posts and articles included in search results within a few hours.
So while LinkedIn search doesn’t update in real time, most changes you make to your profile or publish on the platform will be reflected in search results within a 24 hour period.
LinkedIn’s search algorithm
LinkedIn uses a complex, customized search algorithm to determine search results and rankings. While LinkedIn does not publicly share details of its algorithm, here are some factors that are known or believed to influence search on the platform:
- Keyword usage and relevance – How closely content matches search keywords.
- Profile completeness – More complete profiles rank better.
- Connections and engagement – Profiles with more quality connections tend to rank higher.
- Activity and content – Regularly publishing content and interacting can boost ranking.
- Group participation – Being an active member in topical groups improves visibility.
- Industry and location – Working for reputable companies in target geographic areas can increase visibility in relevant searches.
So while search appearances are no longer displayed, many of the same factors that increased that metric still impact your LinkedIn search ranking today. Focus on those elements to optimize your profile.
Why you ranked well for certain searches
There are a few possible reasons why your LinkedIn profile may have previously ranked well for certain keyword searches:
- Relevant keywords – Your profile contained keywords related to that search term in key sections like your title, headline, skills, etc.
- Industry terms – Working for companies in the industry associated with that keyword helped boost your relevance.
- Connections – Having more connections at companies tied to that keyword increased your visibility.
- Engagement – Interacting with content and people relevant to the search supported your ranking.
- Location – Searches may have been geo-targeted, and your location matched the search intent.
Figuring out why you ranked well for a given term can help uncover what factors matter most in LinkedIn search. Focus on bolstering those elements of your profile that had the biggest impact on past performance.
How to check your current LinkedIn search ranking
With search appearances gone, there is no perfect way to check your current LinkedIn search ranking. But here are a few tactics you can try to assess your search visibility:
- Search for relevant terms, and note where your profile appears in the results.
- Try searches from different locations and devices to simulate various search scenarios.
- Ask connections to search for you and report back on where you rank.
- Use Google site search operators to research ranking for keywords site:linkedin.com/in/YourProfileURL
- Try LinkedIn Search Appearance checker tools – although not official, they may provide some indication.
Performing manual searches and checks is time-consuming but necessary to get a sense of your current search reach and visibility on LinkedIn without the appearance metric.
Tips to increase your LinkedIn search ranking
Here are some tips to improve your LinkedIn search ranking and visibility now that search appearances are gone:
- Optimize profile with relevant keywords, especially in your headline and summary.
- Highlight key skills, certifications, education, and experience.
- Publish and engage with content like posts, articles, and videos.
- Comment on discussions in topically relevant LinkedIn Groups.
- Build out your connections with those in your industry and locations.
- Engage meaningfully with your network by liking and commenting.
- Claim your profile URL and include it on other sites to improve authority.
The same search optimization best practices still apply, even without the search appearance metric to track. Focus on consistently creating quality, engaging content and connections.
Should you pay for LinkedIn Premium to increase search visibility?
LinkedIn Premium provides some additional search features, but may not directly improve your search visibility. Here are the key benefits for search:
- See who viewed your profile and search results you appeared in.
- Identify and easily message recruiters who searched for you.
- Filter LinkedIn searches by location and industry.
- See more search results beyond the limited number showed to free users.
While nice, these features don’t inherently make your profile rank higher in results. The best way to increase search ranking is still through content, connections, engagement, and optimization.
Cost of LinkedIn Premium plans
Here are the current monthly costs for LinkedIn Premium subscription plans:
- Premium Career – $29.99/month
- Premium Business – $59.99/month
- Sales Navigator Professional – $64.99/month
- Sales Navigator Team – $79.99/month per user
- Recruiter Lite – $119.95/month
- Recruiter – $159.95/month
Premium accounts also offer discounted annual subscription options. Overall, the cost is moderate but may be hard to justify solely for minor search visibility improvements.
Free alternatives to improve search visibility
Instead of a paid Premium account, focus time and effort on these free tactics to increase your LinkedIn search presence:
- Fully optimize your profile with keywords and compelling content.
- Proactively connect with those in your target industry and location.
- Engage consistently by liking, commenting, and posting content.
- Join relevant industry groups and partake in discussions.
- Encourage connections to engage with your profile and content.
- Monitor search performance manually with test searches.
While a bit more hands-on, dedicated time invested in these free methods can yield solid search visibility improvements without a Premium paid account.
Should you pay an SEO company to increase your search visibility?
Hiring an SEO company can be beneficial but is not mandatory to boost your LinkedIn search presence. Here are some pros and cons of paying for professional LinkedIn SEO services:
Potential benefits
- Expertise creating optimized, compelling profiles.
- Efficiency having a company handle content creation and networking outreach.
- Ability to distribute profile and content at greater scale.
- Ongoing monitoring of search performance and adjustments.
Potential downsides
- Cost of fees which range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per month.
- Less authenticity if a company is ghostwriting content for you.
- Overreliance on outsourcing your brand instead of managing it directly.
- Spam risk if tactics violate LinkedIn terms of service.
Weigh the benefits and costs closely when evaluating SEO companies. Ensure you vet their reputation and portfolio thoroughly as well.
Questions to ask any potential SEO company
If considering an SEO firm, ask these key questions during your vetting process:
- What ongoing LinkedIn optimizations and activities will you handle?
- How will you ensure content quality and authenticity?
- What past results have you achieved working with other LinkedIn users?
- Will you provide regular search performance reporting?
- How do you ensure your practices align with LinkedIn terms?
- What are your fees, payment structure, and contract terms?
Thoroughly evaluating an SEO provider can help determine if the investment will yield sufficient return for your brand.
Conclusion
The removal of LinkedIn search appearances has required users to shift how they evaluate their search visibility on the platform. While the metric provided helpful data, core search optimization best practices still apply. Focusing on content, connections, profile strength, and engagement can maintain and even improve your LinkedIn search reach.