Why nobody sees your posts 🙅🏻‍♂️

Stop guessing. Use these 5 rules to reach more people 👇🏻

In the previous article, we discussed what to write. But writing is only half the battle. If you don’t understand how LinkedIn distributes content, you risk writing excellent posts that nobody sees.

Many people think going viral is just luck. It isn’t. The LinkedIn feed is a logical system. It takes your content, evaluates specific signals, and decides how many people should see it.

We don’t need to guess. Thanks to the LinkedIn Engineering Blog and data analysis from experts like Richard van der Blom, we know the variables that matter.

Here is a practical guide to debugging your reach and getting your content seen.

1. Dwell Time (The “Stop Scroll” Metric)

The Logic: Engineers from LinkedIn have confirmed that “Dwell Time” is a key ranking signal. The algorithm measures exactly how much time a user spends looking at your post on their screen. If people scroll past your post in 0.5 seconds, the algorithm assumes it’s not interesting and stops showing it.

The Mistake: Writing short, dense blocks of text that look like a wall. It’s too easy to scroll past.

The Fix: Structure your post to keep the user reading longer.

• The Hook: Your first sentence determines if someone clicks “See more.” Don’t write an intro; write a headline.

• Formatting: Use bullet points and white space. It makes the post easier to scan, but keeps the user on the screen longer.

• Carousels (PDFs): These perform well because they force the user to interact (click “Next”), artificially inflating Dwell Time.

2. Interaction Weight (Comments > Likes)

The Logic: Not all interactions are equal. The algorithm assigns a different “weight” to every action.

• Like: Low value (easy to do).

• Comment: High value (requires effort). Some studies suggest that one comment is worth as much as 4 to 7 likes in terms of viral potential.

The Mistake: Treating your post like a broadcast. You publish information, but you don’t invite conversation.

The Fix: Optimize for comments.

• End with a question: Don’t ask “Thoughts?”. Ask a specific question. Instead of “Java is great,” ask “Do you still use Java for new projects, or have you moved to Kotlin?”

• Reply to everyone: When you reply to a comment, you double the interaction count on that thread and bring the user back to your post.

3. The “Golden Hour”

The Logic: When you hit “Post,” LinkedIn runs a test. It shows the content to a small sample of your connections. It then measures how fast they engage in the first 60 minutes. If the engagement is high, the “test” passes, and the post is pushed to a wider audience.

The Mistake: Posting and immediately closing the app.

The Fix: Don’t post and ghost. Stick around for 15 minutes after publishing. Reply to the first comments immediately to signal high velocity.

4. The “External Link” Problem

The Logic: LinkedIn wants to keep users on LinkedIn. Historically, posts containing external links (to YouTube, Blogs, etc.) received a “reach penalty.”

The Mistake: Posting a link with zero context.

The Fix:

• The “Zero-Click” Approach: Summarize the value inside the post so the user learns something without clicking. Put the link at the end or in the comments.

• Visual Anchor: If you must link, include a native image or video. The algorithm values the media asset, often offsetting the link penalty.

5. Consistency

The Logic: The algorithm builds a creator profile. If you post 5 times in one week and then disappear for a month, the system flags you as inconsistent (unreliable).

The Fix: It is better to post once a week, every single week, than to post daily for a sprint and then quit. Pick a sustainable pace.

6. Hidden Triggers (The “Affinity” Signals) 🕵️‍♂️

The Logic: Beyond the content itself, the algorithm looks for “Affinity” (how close you are to someone). There are specific actions that trigger a boost in visibility.

• The “New Connection” Honeymoon: Have you noticed that as soon as you connect with someone, their post appears at the top of your feed? The algorithm assumes a new connection implies high interest. It gives you a 24-48 hour window where your content is prioritized for each other.

  • The Strategy: If you accept a batch of connection requests, try to post something shortly after. You have a guaranteed “fresh” audience ready to see it.
    Or even the opposite 👀, add more people when you know your post will be published!

• The “Profile View” Echo: If you visit someone’s profile (even without connecting), the algorithm registers this as interest. You will likely see their content in your feed shortly after.

  • The Strategy: Before reaching out to a recruiter or a potential client, visit their profile and engage with their recent posts. You are “warming up” the algorithm so that when you finally send a request or a post, they are more likely to see it.

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The Checklist

Before you publish, check these 4 things:

1. Is it scannable? (Did you use bullet points?)

2. Is there a question? (Did you invite comments?)

3. Is the timing right? (Do you have 15 minutes to reply?)

4. Are you capitalizing on new connections? (Are you engaging with your new network?)

Stop fighting the algorithm. Start working with it.