LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 660 million users worldwide. As a platform built to connect professionals, LinkedIn aims to provide value to its users by helping them grow their careers. One of the key ways LinkedIn does this is through its social feed called “LinkedIn Feed”. This is where users can share professional updates, articles, and media. The algorithmic ranking of content in the LinkedIn Feed is determined by a metric called “professional pulse”.
What is professional pulse?
Professional pulse refers to the level of meaningful engagement a LinkedIn post receives. Engagement on LinkedIn includes actions like liking, commenting, sharing, and viewing posts. However, not all engagement is considered equal. LinkedIn’s algorithm is designed to prioritize posts that drive substantive interactions. For example, a post that receives thoughtful comments that further the professional discourse is valued more highly than a post that only gets likes.
Some key signals that LinkedIn’s algorithm looks for in determining professional pulse include:
- Comments – The number and quality of comments a post receives
- Shares – The number of shares, especially by someone other than the original poster
- Likes – The number of likes, with increased weight for likes by high-profile professionals
- Clicks – The number of clicks on the post and click-through-rate
- Follow-up comments – Back-and-forth discussion in the comments
- Profile views – Views of the poster’s profile after engaging with the post
- Relationship to viewer – Engagement by 1st-degree connections is weighted more
Why is professional pulse important for LinkedIn?
Professional pulse matters because it helps LinkedIn determine the relevance and value of content on its platform. Posts with higher professional pulse get broader reach and visibility within the LinkedIn Feed algorithm. There are a few key reasons why LinkedIn prioritizes professional pulse:
Promotes meaningful engagement
By using professional pulse signals like comments and shares, LinkedIn rewards posts that spark constructive professional conversations. This helps incentivize posters to share substantive content that gets professionals interacting.
Surfaces quality content
The professional pulse algorithm helps surface and recommend content on LinkedIn that is relevant and valuable to its professional audience. Posts with high professional pulse tend to be higher quality.
Builds thought leadership
Authors of posts with high engagement and professional pulse build their reputation and thought leadership on the platform. Their content reaches and resonates with more professionals.
Provides trust signals
Seeing which posts other professionals in your network have engaged with provides helpful social cues. If connections have liked, commented on, or shared a post, it’s a signal that the content is likely worth your time and trust as well.
Encourages community participation
By prominently featuring content that sparks discussions, LinkedIn incentivizes professionals to meaningfully engage with posts. This facilitates community building.
How can you increase your professional pulse on LinkedIn?
Here are some tips to boost your professional pulse and improve the reach of your LinkedIn posts:
Post Valuable Insights
Share thoughtful perspectives, trends, and insights that your professional connections will find useful and interesting. Offer a unique point of view.
Ask Questions
Pose relevant questions to spark constructive discussions in your posts and comments. This gets others engaging.
Comment Thoughtfully
Contribute meaningful comments on others’ posts that further the discourse. Thoughtful comments are highly valued.
Follow Up and Continue Discussions
Stay engaged by responding to comments and keeping the dialogue going. Ongoing conversations signal professional pulse.
Share at Peak Times
Post during high traffic days and times, like Tuesdays – Thursdays and before 9am or after 5pm. More eyes tend to drive more engagement.
Use Rich Media
Incorporate things like images, videos, slides, and infographics. Visually engaging posts can increase stops, likes, and shares.
Tag Relevant People
Tag people who would be interested in your post. This both broadens reach and can pull them into the conversation.
How can LinkedIn continue improving professional pulse?
While LinkedIn’s professional pulse algorithm is a major step forward, there are still opportunities to enhance it as the platform evolves. Some areas for LinkedIn to focus on include:
Put more weight on 1st degree connections
Increase the influence of engagement by 1st degree connections, since their views may be more relevant and trusted.
Factor in industry authority
Give increased weight to engagement by professionals with standing and influence in their industry.
Consider engagement longevity
Look at ongoing engagement over time, not just initial spikes. Long-tailed professional discussions indicate value.
Incorporate profile relevance
Account for how closely the content aligns with the poster’s professional profile and focus areas.
Expand language processing
Leverage NLP to assess the nuanced quality and sentiment of comments.
Reward reply relationships
Boost content that spurs back-and-forth dialogue between professionals.
Surface emerging influencers
Identify up-and-coming thought leaders based on engagement momentum and trajectory.
Conclusion
Professional pulse reflects the meaningful engagement and value that a LinkedIn post drives for its professional community. By algorithmically surfacing content that spurs substantive interactions, LinkedIn promotes relevant discussions, quality insights, trust signals, and thought leadership. As LinkedIn continues refining its approach, professional pulse will only become more central to realizing the platform’s ultimate vision of creating economic opportunity for every professional worldwide.
