Why can I only post to connections on LinkedIn?

There are a few reasons why you may only be able to post updates to your connections on LinkedIn rather than publicly:

Your Account Settings

The most common reason is that your account settings are configured to only share posts with your connections. On LinkedIn, you can control who sees your posts under the “Share settings” in your account preferences. The options are:

• Public – anyone on or off LinkedIn can see your posts
• Connections only – only your 1st-degree connections can see your posts

If you have your settings on “Connections only”, then only people who are directly connected to you will see your posts in their feed. Anyone not connected to you will not see your posts.

LinkedIn’s Algorithm

Another potential factor is LinkedIn’s algorithm which controls the visibility and reach of posts. LinkedIn aims to show users the most relevant and engaging content in their feeds. So even if you share a post publicly, LinkedIn’s algorithm may limit how far it reaches based on things like:

• How likely the post is to generate comments and likes
• Your number of connections and overall engagement on the platform
• How relevant the post is to your audience

If the algorithm determines your post isn’t very relevant or engaging, it may limit the reach to just your direct connections. So you may have to build your network and create more engaging content to increase your organic reach.

Post Visibility Settings

When you create a post, there are also visibility settings that allow you to target who can see that specific post. The options are:

• Public
• Connections only
• Selected group (target by group membership)

If you have a particular post set to “Connections only”, then only your direct connections will see it regardless of your overall share settings.

Your Company Page Settings

If you are posting from a Company Page that you manage rather than your personal profile, there may also be restrictions in place. Company Pages have their own sharing settings that control the default visibility of posts.

As a page admin, you can change this under “Settings & Admin” by adjusting the “Share settings” for posts on your page. Again, the options are typically:

• Public
• Connections only

So if your Company Page settings limit sharing to connections only, your page posts will be restricted even if your personal profile is public.

Being Restricted or Blocked

In some cases, specific connections may have also restricted you or your Company Page which limits your ability to share with them. There are a few ways this can happen:

• They blocked you – This prevents you from connecting with them or sharing any content
• They muted you – This removes your posts from their feed but keeps the connection
• They unfollowed you – They stay connected but don’t see your posts in their feed

So if a connection has muted you or unfollowed you, your posts won’t show up for them even if you are connected. The size of your potential audience to post to is reduced in these cases.

Having a Free Account

LinkedIn does put some restrictions in place for free accounts vs paid Premium accounts. One key limitation is a smaller network size for free members:

• Free members can have up to 500+ connections
• Premium members can have up to 30,000 connections

So if you are trying to reach over 500 people, you may be capped based on the size limits for a free account. Upgrading to premium allows for a larger network to post to.

Being New to LinkedIn

If you just created your LinkedIn account, you may also face some initial restrictions even for public posts as LinkedIn learns more about you and fights spam/abuse. New accounts are limited in areas like:

• Number of connection requests you can send each week
• Frequency of InMail messages
• Ability to follow Company Pages

This “ramp-up” period for new accounts may restrict how many people you can reach with your posts as you build out your network. The limits relax over time as you engage on the platform.

Conclusion

In summary, LinkedIn gives you controls to share posts just to your connections or publicly depending on your preferences. But even public posts may face algorithmic or account-based restrictions limiting their reach. The main reasons your posts may be limited to connections only include:

• Your account settings are configured for “Connections only”
• LinkedIn’s algorithm is limiting the post’s visibility
• You chose “Connections only” for the specific post
• Your Company Page settings limit the audience
• Specific connections restricted you
• You are on a free account with limited network size
• You are a new user facing initial restrictions

Checking your account, page, and post settings can help ensure you are sharing to the maximum audience possible. But algorithmic factors may still limit public reach until you grow your audience and increase engagement over time.

Tips to Increase Your LinkedIn Post Visibility

If you want to reach more people beyond just your direct connections on LinkedIn, here are some tips:

• Double check your account and page share settings are set to “Public”
• Avoid restricting specific posts to just “Connections”
• Grow your network by connecting with more relevant profiles
• Engage regularly by liking, commenting, and posting to build influence
• Post content optimized for engagement and sharing
• Use relevant hashtags so your content is discoverable
• Ask connections to like, comment, and share your posts
• Analyze your posts’ performance to see what content resonates
• Consider promoted posts and sponsored content campaigns
• Upgrade to a Premium account to unlock more features

With time and effort, you can increase your reach, views, and engagement on LinkedIn organically. But investing in paid promotion can also be worthwhile if you want to maximize visibility beyond just your direct connections.

Summary Tables

This table compares the maximum number of connections for free vs premium LinkedIn accounts.

This table summarizes the different visibility settings and audiences on LinkedIn for posts.

Key Takeaways

• LinkedIn allows you to share posts publicly or just with connections
• But even public posts may only reach connections due to algorithms
• Double check your account, page, and post settings to share broadly
• Grow your network and create engaging content to extend reach
• Paid promotion can also increase visibility beyond your connections