Update Beta | The art of digital networking: LinkedIn success in 11 steps – LinkedIn communication – best practices and strategic recommendations

Although social media is essential these days, I'm not particularly active in posting on platforms like LinkedIn. This may seem unusual at first glance, but it is a conscious decision that is closely linked to my corporate philosophy and business model.

My company is based on a closed service offering. I offer specialized services to a clearly defined target group, but my resources - especially time and energy - are limited. Excessive customer growth would inevitably come at the expense of the strategically important areas of research and development (R&D) , which are essential to the satisfaction of my existing customers.

This orientation is related to my personal marketing mix and the Triosmarket model . My service offering is self-contained and I have limited resources for a coordinated number of potential clients. Any additional customer growth would take away the research and development time I need for my existing customer base. So it's a healthy mix that ensures that my corporate culture will continue for many years.

In the case of Xpert.Digital, I focus on sustainability and exclusivity instead of quantity. My focus is on optimally serving my existing customer base and offering them real added value through continuous development of my expertise. This in turn means that I support my customers in their social media activities, in accordance with the digital strategy developed.

This approach is part of a corporate culture that has grown over many years and is characterized by stability, reliability and quality.

Instead of spreading my energy across various social media channels, I focus on building and maintaining my own industry hub that doubles as a blog. This hub serves as a central point of contact for my customers, partners and anyone interested in my industry and expertise. Here I share my knowledge, exchange ideas with other experts and stay up to date on current developments.

This focus on a strong, industry-specific hub is a fundamental part of my corporate strategy. It allows me to reach my target group directly and efficiently without getting lost in the vastness of the social media universe.

Of course, this doesn't mean that I'm closed to digital trends. On the contrary: I follow current developments very closely and actively share my knowledge with my partners and customers. For me, this exchange of knowledge is an important part of successful and sustainable corporate management - a give and take that benefits everyone involved.

Here is a comprehensive guide on how to get the most out of LinkedIn, based on current best practices and strategic recommendations for 2024/2025. The following overview offers not only a detailed analysis, but also innovative insights to sustainably increase interaction rates and reach on LinkedIn.

1. Optimal posting frequency

One of the central strategies for success on LinkedIn is the right posting frequency. The rule of thumb here is 2 to 5 posts per week. This frequency allows you to be present regularly without reducing your reach by posting too often or too infrequently. However, daily posting is not necessary as long as regularity is maintained. On the other hand, if you post too rarely, you will lose touch and risk being forgotten by your target group.

Recommendation

A posting rhythm of three to four posts per week has proven to be optimal. In this way, you remain continuously visible without the risk of being perceived as intrusive by overposting.

2. Best time to post

The timing of a post can significantly influence its reach. Different time windows are suitable for different formats in order to achieve the maximum attention of the target group.

Most optimal time window

Monday to Friday

Between 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. is an ideal time period as many professionals check their LinkedIn feeds during these times.

Monday and Thursday

In general, these two days have proven to be particularly effective as the reach on these days is higher compared to other days of the week.

Not recommend

Tuesday and Sunday** as posting days because the interaction rate is significantly lower on these days.

Tip

At the weekend, the reach on LinkedIn is generally lower, but the interaction rate among the posts that are still published can increase slightly because the competition from other content is reduced.

3. Interaction weighting

LinkedIn rewards interactions to varying degrees. Understanding which interactions are particularly valuable helps to adapt the strategy accordingly.

• Like = 2 points
• Click on “More” (read more) = 3 points
• Share with comment = 6 points
• Save = 6 points
• Share directly = 8 points
• Comment = 15 points

This weighting means that comments have the highest priority and have the greatest impact on a post's reach. LinkedIn considers comments particularly valuable because they reflect a deeper engagement with the content. Direct sharing and saving posts are also very important.

strategy

Actively ask your target group to comment or save the post. This can be achieved by asking specific questions or by inviting an exchange. Direct interaction at the beginning of the post increases the likelihood of these interactions occurring.

4. Handling links

A critical factor for reach is the use of external links. LinkedIn reduces the visibility of posts with external links by up to 50%. Therefore, you should only include links if they are absolutely necessary. However, there are various ways to maximize reach despite links.

Variants of link integration:

Link post with preview

This is the classic method, but it can severely limit the range.

Add link later

This method can help increase the reach a bit.

Link in comment

External links can be posted in the first comment. This reduces the visibility of the link in the post itself, but often increases its reach.

“Link comes via private message”

Another option is to announce that the link will be shared via private message upon request, which encourages interactions and direct communication.

Recommendation

Only use external links if they are absolutely necessary. Otherwise, a targeted request for interaction (“link via private message”) increases the reach.

5. Reach by format

The different content formats on LinkedIn achieve different levels of reach. Here are the formats, ordered by their reach:

• Surveys: 1.5x reach – surveys promote interaction and quick feedback from the target group.
• Document Post (Document Upload): 1.2x reach – Particularly suitable for sharing detailed content and resources.
• Text-image post: 1.1x reach – A combination of text and images is well perceived as visual content better attracts users’ attention.
• Native Video: 1.1x Reach – Videos uploaded directly to LinkedIn achieve higher reach than external video links.
• Text only: 0.8x reach – Text without images or videos has a lower reach, but can still be effective with valuable content.
• External videos: 0.6x reach – Links to external videos significantly limit the reach.
• Other formats: 0.5x reach – Unspecified formats achieve the lowest reach.

Tip

Choose formats depending on the content and goal of the post. Surveys and documents are ideal for interactions and feedback, while pure text contributions can convey targeted information.

6. Hashtags and tags

While hashtags used to have a direct impact on reach, according to current analysis this is no longer the case. However, you should use 2 to 5 hashtags per post to increase visibility in relevant search categories.

Hashtags per post

• Normal post: 2-3 hashtags

However, responding to flags of people and companies still has an important role. The reaction of the tagged people influences how well the post performs.

strategy

Only tag people if you are sure they will respond. Otherwise the marking will have a negative effect on the range.

7. Top 11 Tips for LinkedIn Success

1. Generate engagement in the first 60-120 minutes

The algorithm favors posts that receive a lot of engagement in the early stages.

2. Encourage comment discussions

Comment threads in which replies and counter-comments are posted have a positive effect.

3. Share post only once

Multiple shares of the same content reduce reach.

4. Targeted contact

Contacts that have at least 1.5 times your number of followers increase interaction and reach.

5. Interactive polls and ask questions

Encourages participation and interaction.

6. Interact after posting on other accounts

Increases the visibility of your own profile and shared content.

7. Aim for high content reusability

Content that can be shared multiple times has a longer half-life.

8. Use self-explanatory infographics

Visual content with clear information is engaging.

9. Use portrait format video format (9:16).

This format achieves the best mobile viewability.

10. Keep longer texts precise

Clear and short structures promote readability and increase the interaction rate.

11. Direct look as the most important element in texts and videos

A memorable introduction improves reach.