The Dreaded Algorithm: Let's Pop the Bubble

If I do my job right, by the end of this article, you'll never worry about the LinkedIn algorithm again.

No, this isn't an all-you-need-to-know-to-hack-the-LinkedIn-algorithm sort of an article.

Instead, it's a why-does-it-really-matter sort of an article.

Algorithm 101

If you're on LinkedIn because, you know, you think it will be good for business, then you want to have a pretty slick profile, a dapper photo, and a captivating headline.

You also want to be posting regularly on LinkedIn, and getting that much-bandied-about term, engagement.

Well, so do I.

So, you may have a few "rules" that you have heard about the algorithm. I don't say these actually are rules that LinkedIn's algorithm uses, but you may have heard them anyway. And these may be causing you grief, because, let's face it, Algorithm Angst is a Thing.

What "rules" are you following?

Here are a few of the "rules" that people speak about:

• never post an external link in the body of your post, as it drives traffic away from LinkedIn, and the algorithm will punish you
• tag people. (Maybe tag them by the dozen, but do it in a comment that says something like: "Amazing change makers in my network: @person1 @person2 etc.")
• Respond to every comment, and especially do this within the first hour of your post going up on LinkedIn
• Use hashtags in your posts
• Use emojis, short paragraphs, videos, text messages, have a captivating opening line with lots of emotion, etc.

There's a lot of hearsay and - let's face it - folklore about the algorithm. And clearly some people are pleasing the algorithm, while others are alienating that beast. Those who are alientating have largely disappeared. I've noticed fairly dramatic changes in what shows up in my feed, especially over the last three months.

People who I'm connected to (1st degree connections) and who post every day never show up in my feed. We have dozens of connections in common, and many of those connections are liking or commenting on their posts. But I still don't see their posts in my feed.

Is it worth worrying about the algorithm?

I would love to say the algorithm follows these rules, or that you are totally wrong about them. But I have no clue.

Let's assume that your efforts to satiate the algorithm work? What's the pay off? You don't know?

Alright. Let's say your attempt to placate the algorithm doesn't work? What's it costing you?

You don't know?

Are you trying to please the algorithm overlords, without even knowing whether it's working or not?

If your efforts to accommodate what you should be doing are based on science, or even some reliable word of mouth, then it must mean that it's worth the investment of time, study and maybe money to show up in the feed. So, how would you measure that?

We should have some way of measuring our impact on the algorithm, because (presumably) it's going to affect key decisions. If it's not, if your knowledge of the algorithm doesn't have a firm foundation, then what is that going to do to your decisions?

"We should care about a measurement because it informs key decisions."

That quote comes from Douglas W. Hubbard - How to Measure Anything - Finding the Value of "Intangibles" in Business

Think about it. How many views do you need to run your business? How many comments? How many new connections/conversations/sales conversions?

Not sure? Then how will you know that your efforts with the algorithm have paid off?

The Algorithm Bypass

What if LinkedIn's algorithm actually rewarded people who:

• showed up
• posted interesting content
• engaged with people in a natural way
• spoke about topics that people were grateful for you to talk about
• didn't pitch too early before developing a relationship

Does the algorithm do that? I don't know. But I hope it does. If it doesn't, I don't really care all that much. I don't want to game it, or tag 200 people in the hope that enough of them will respond to my post.

I wrote an article on LinkedIn last week "You're not in business to feed your family" and I was very happy with the results.

To date, it has had 321 views. Not that many, right?

But of those 321 views, I've had 113 reactions. In other words, 35% of people who bothered to click to the article, also made the extra effort to respond (generally with a like).

How does that help my business or build relationships? That's a story for another time. But the point is that I at least have some measure of success or failure.

Is it accurate? Good question. Is it important? An even better question. But I find that knowing there's some kind of measure and some kind of result, is far better than making the effort with no real idea of whether it's working or why.

If you're going to worry about the LinkedIn algorithm, then my advice is to have some measure of what "success" would mean for you, (and what "failure" looks like, for that matter). If you can't know that, then time to focus on something else that you can control or measure.

Otherwise, you may fall into the bureaucrat's trap:

There's no reason for it. It's just our policy.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.