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

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

My company is based on a closed service offering. I offer specialized services for 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 research and development (R&D) areas , which are essential to the satisfaction of my existing customers.

This approach is linked to my personal marketing mix and the Triosmarket model . My service offering is self-contained, and I have limited resources for a carefully selected number of potential clients. Any additional client acquisition would take away the time I need for research and development for my existing client base. It's therefore a healthy mix that ensures the long-term sustainability of my company culture.

In the case of Xpert.Digital, I therefore focus on sustainability and exclusivity rather than quantity. My focus is on optimally serving my existing client base and offering them genuine added value through the continuous development of my expertise. This, in turn, means that I do indeed support my clients in their social media activities, in accordance with the developed digital strategy.

This approach is part of a long-established corporate culture 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, which also functions as a blog. This hub serves as a central point of contact for my clients, 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 business strategy. It allows me to reach my target audience directly and efficiently without getting lost in the vastness of the social media universe.

Of course, this doesn't mean I'm closed to digital trends. Quite the opposite: I follow current developments very closely and actively share my knowledge with my partners and customers. I consider this knowledge exchange an important component of successful and sustainable business management—a give-and-take that benefits everyone involved.

Here is a comprehensive guide on how to best utilize 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 engagement rates and reach on LinkedIn.

1. Optimal posting frequency

One of the key strategies for success on LinkedIn is the right posting frequency. A good rule of thumb is 2 to 5 posts per week. This frequency allows you to maintain a consistent presence without reducing your reach by posting too often or too infrequently. Daily posting isn't necessary, as long as you maintain consistency. Conversely, those who post too infrequently risk falling behind and being forgotten by their target audience.

Recommendation

A posting frequency of three to four posts per week has proven optimal. This way, you remain consistently visible without the risk of being perceived as pushy through overposting.

2. Best time to post

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

Optimal time windows

Monday to Friday

Between 8:00 and 10:30 am is an ideal time, as many professionals check their LinkedIn feeds during this time.

Monday and Thursday

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

Not recommended

Tuesday and Sunday are the posting days, as the interaction rate is significantly lower on these days.

Tip

On weekends, LinkedIn's reach is generally lower, but the interaction rate among posts that are still published can increase slightly because competition from other content is reduced.

3. Interaction weighting

LinkedIn rewards interactions to varying degrees. Understanding which interactions are particularly valuable helps in adjusting your strategy accordingly.

• Like = 2 points
• Clicking on "More" (read more) = 3 points
• Share with comment = 6 points
• Saving = 6 points
• Share directly = 8 points
• Comment = 15 points

This weighting means that comments have the highest priority and most strongly influence a post's reach. LinkedIn considers comments particularly valuable because they reflect a deeper engagement with the content. Direct sharing and saving of posts are also highly significant.

strategy

Actively encourage your target audience to comment on or save the post. This can be achieved through targeted questions or by inviting them to engage in a discussion. Direct interaction at the beginning of the post increases the likelihood of these interactions occurring.

4. Dealing with 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, links should only be included when absolutely necessary. However, there are several ways to maximize reach despite using links.

Link integration options:

Link post with preview

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

Insert link later

This method can help to increase the range a little.

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 will be sent via private message"

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

Recommendation

Only use external links if they are absolutely necessary. Otherwise, a targeted call to action ("link via private message") will increase reach.

5. Reach by format

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

• Surveys: 1.5x reach – Surveys encourage interaction and quick feedback from the target audience.
• 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 image is well perceived because visual content attracts users’ attention better.
• Native video: 1.1x reach – Videos uploaded directly to LinkedIn achieve greater reach than external video links.
• Text only: 0.8x reach – Text without images or videos has a lower reach, but can still be effective if it contains valuable content.
• External videos: 0.6x reach – Links to external videos significantly limit reach.
• Other formats: 0.5x reach – Unspecified formats achieve the lowest reach.

Tip

Choose formats depending on the content and purpose of the post. Surveys and documents are ideal for interactions and feedback, while text-only posts can convey targeted information.

6. Hashtags and tags

While hashtags used to have a direct impact on reach, current analysis indicates this is no longer the case. Nevertheless, using 2 to 5 hashtags per post is recommended to increase visibility in relevant search categories.

Hashtags per post

• Normal post: 2-3 hashtags

However, the response to tags from people and companies still plays an important role. The response of the tagged individuals influences how well the post performs.

strategy

Only tag people if you are sure they will respond. Otherwise, tagging will negatively impact your reach.

7. The 11 best tips for LinkedIn success

1. Generate interactions in the first 60–120 minutes

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

2. Promote comment discussions

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

3. Share post only once

Sharing the same content multiple times reduces its reach.

4. Targeted contact

Contacts with at least 1.5 times the number of followers you have increase interaction and reach.

5. Conduct interactive surveys and ask questions

Promotes participation and interaction.

6. Interact with other accounts after posting.

Increases the visibility of your own profile and shared content.

7. Aim for high reusability of content

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

8. Use self-explanatory infographics

Visual content with clear information is appealing.

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

This format achieves the best mobile display quality.

10. Keep longer texts concise

Clear and concise structures improve readability and increase the interaction rate.

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

A memorable opening improves reach.