LinkedIn Algorithm Explained: What Boosts Reach?

# LinkedIn Algorithm Explained (2026): What Boosts Reach? The LinkedIn algorithm aims to promote professional, insightful, and conversational content. Here are the key factors that determine your reach. ## 1. The "Golden Hour" The first 60-90 minutes after you post are critical. The algorithm shows your post to a small part of your network. If it gets good engagement (likes, and especially comments) quickly, it gets pushed to a wider audience. **Strategy:** Reply to every comment within the first hour to boost this initial signal. ## 2. Dwell Time How long people spend looking at your post matters. - **Carousels (PDFs):** These are the #1 format for increasing dwell time. People have to click through each slide. - **Longer Text Posts:** A "See more..." click is a strong positive signal. Write longer posts (but with a strong hook) to encourage this. ## 3. Comments are King Comments are the most powerful form of engagement on LinkedIn. - **Comment-to-Like Ratio:** A post with 20 comments and 50 likes will get more reach than a post with 5 comments and 100 likes. - **Conversation Starters:** End your posts with a question to encourage comments. ## 4. Niche Relevance The algorithm categorizes you based on your profile keywords and the content you post. Staying focused on a specific niche helps LinkedIn show your content to the right people. ## What Hurts Your Reach? - **External Links in Posts:** LinkedIn wants to keep users on the platform. Posting a direct link in the body of your post can reduce its reach. **Strategy:** Put the link in the first comment instead. - **Editing in the First Hour:** Editing a post shortly after publishing seems to reset its initial velocity. Proofread carefully before you hit "Post."