LinkedIn, in 2024 it's all about comments

What is new and happening? Like always, I keep my eye on Richard van der Blom, and with pride and credit, I steal his insights. 

For 2024, it's all about the ‘comment' and not about the ‘like’. If you think about it, that really makes sense. A ‘like’ is like a polite nudge of approval. A ‘comment’ is engagement and interaction. And LinkedIn is all about connecting people. (Source, page 69, 70)

A ‘comment’ has 15x the importance of a 'like'

Check out these eye-opening stats (Algorithm Insights 2024 Report, source)
1. Comments pump up your post's reach by a whopping 15 times more than a mere like.
2. They're 5 times more effective than sharing someone else's post with your own thoughts.
3. And they outshine a simple instant repost by 2.5 times.

It's good to know that a comment of 15 words or more is valued higher than a shorter comment. Looks like the LinkedIn algorithm favors in-depth insights and points of view. 

How to get a comment? 

There are several ways, I'm not sure what works best. You can be very polarizing in your statement and provoke a counter opinion, you can ask a question (just don't be lame), or you can write something that incorrect that people have to correct you. Or maybe the best way is to share your insights and vision and ask for other people's opinions. I don't know. 

What I do know is that simply putting up a recap of what you've written doesn't work. Yes, speaking from experience. I quite destroyed my algorithm reach and going to improve my caption skills. 

How to write a comment and also boost your own reach

Your well-written comment can help the original poster get more reach with his or her valuable insights. Nice side effect: LinkedIn will give you some more reach, too. 

A great comment is longer than one or two words and shows you actually read the post from the beginning to the end. Share your thoughts, add remarks, or make people and poster wonder. 

No sh*t, be a Sherlock. A ‘great post’ or ‘I agree’ comment will not do. 15+ Word comments are favored by the algorithm. 

And please, please stay away from AI. Keep it personal; write your own comments; it’s not that difficult.

In this December update with secrets to the LinkedIn algorithm, I once again steal-with-pride the content from Richard van der Blom. He posts great stuff, too good not to share. Check out his original post for more of his insights and recommendations. 

I edited his original overview and created my lists below.

Top 3 Do’s in writing a comment

1. Actually read the entire post and comment on the content, not just the headline. 
2. Give a compliment or an insight; don’t stick to the obvious ‘great post.’ Or ask a question that makes the original poster think. Make an effort with your comment and show that you read it and that you care. A comment should be minimal, about a sentence long. In Richard’s words, be a Sherlock or play detective. 
3. Have fun; keep it light yet professional. 

Top 3 Don’ts in writing a comment

1. Refrain from copy-paste others or sticking to your one-word comments. Or be too extensive in your comment. As Richard states, ‘It’s a comment, not your autobiography.’ 
2. Don't share your own links or elevator pitches and promote yourself or your business. It's not about you. 
3. AI. We notice. Giving a comment is about connecting. Keep it personal. And if you can't make the effort by writing your own comment, better don't do it at all. 

Don’t forget to comment first and like or love the post second. LinkedIn values your very first interaction, and commenting still ranks higher.  

Monthly updates and insights with LinkedIn's algorithm secrets 

Check out my monthly update on the LinkedIn algorithm.  A few topics in previous updates: Why video is not the best content format for your LinkedIn post, the most recent changes in the algorithm (2023), my lessons learned in 2023 with 100+ newsletter posts, and how to favor or annoy the LinkedIn algorithm in 2023.

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Disclaimer

The content on this page is part of my February 2024 LinkedIn algorithm update. As this is one of my best-read pages and ranks very high in SEO, I decided to give it its dedicated page to keep it available for you.