The social network wants to tackle “engagement hackers”. On LinkedIn, more and more users play with algorithms to create buzz and maximize the performance of their content. If this practice is obviously not prohibited, it seems to annoy internally. This is why LinkedIn plans to modify its algorithms.
The end of easy buzz on LinkedIn?
The platform is in great shape: the number of users continues to increase and LinkedIn is even reporting record levels of growth in engagement. Yet, as always, where there are more opportunities to attract attention, there are also from “growth hackers”. LinkedIn uses this term to refer to users who play with algorithms. On social networks, brands have embarked on the race for commitment and performance. It is therefore not surprising to see this kind of practice becoming commonplace. Most social media managers have engagement goals incorporated into their performance indicators.
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Unsurprisingly, more exposure can only help increase brand attention potential, which ideally will also increase conversions. It’s understandable, but according to LinkedIn, “after a while, when everyone is doing the same thing, it can get a little too much”. This is why the platform is about to update its algorithms to limit certain posts that users are fed up with. According to Linda Leung, product manager at LinkedIn, “we spotted a number of posts that specifically ask or encourage the community to engage with the content via likes or reactions, posted with the sole intention of boosting reach on the platform”.
Fewer polls in the feed
These messages are exactly the same as those handled by Facebook a few years ago. On LinkedIn, reactions are used to survey communities. Inevitably, when a question is of interest, the commitment is enormous. These publications are precisely in the viewfinder of LinkedIn. If you are planning a post like this, know that your commitment will now be penalized. Linda Leung clarifies that “We found that there were too many polls in the feed. We are taking steps to be smarter and only show you those that are useful and relevant”. In practical terms, this means fewer surveys from people you don’t know and more surveys from people in your network who you’re more likely to engage with.
Another modification made to the algorithm: in the United States, users of the platform are now able to refuse political content. LinkedIn specifies that this functionality could be extended to other regions of the world in the coming months. For most users, political messages have no place on LinkedIn. A final change is made to reduce the number of notifications. You won’t see as many updates from your network soon. These changes should be quite well received by the community. The polls had been really polluting the stream for some time. You will definitely be able to see some change over the next few weeks.