Decoding the LinkedIn Algorithm: Alicia Teltz Breaks Down the New System

In a recent LinkedIn post, Alicia Teltz offers a practical translation of LinkedIn’s newly released algorithm blueprint, aiming to demystify the platform’s content curation for users experiencing declining views. Teltz, a recognized voice in content strategy, highlights the significance of this official documentation from the LinkedIn Engineering Team, emphasizing that understanding the algorithm is key to effective content creation on the platform.

Alicia Teltz begins by addressing the common concern of plummeting post views, validating users’ experiences and promising actionable solutions. She points out the source of the research paper, Sudarshan Srinivasa Ramanujam from the LinkedIn Engineering Team, to underscore its credibility.

“The paper explains how LinkedIn decides what posts to show in your feed and therefore what to write if you want your content to be seen by others.”

Understanding LinkedIn’s Curation Process

Teltz breaks down the core mechanics of how LinkedIn curates user feeds, a process she notes happens in milliseconds. According to Alicia Teltz, the algorithm functions by analyzing a user’s profile, their past engagement patterns, and every post on the platform to match individuals with content they are likely to find relevant and engaging.

Key Factors in Feed Curation

As Alicia Teltz explains, the algorithm’s decision-making involves several key inputs:

• Profile and Past Engagement: The system reviews your personal profile and how you’ve interacted with content previously.
• Content Analysis: It processes every post available on LinkedIn.
• Personalized Matching: The goal is to connect you with content you will genuinely care about.

Strategies for Visibility in the New Algorithm

Responding to the algorithm’s intricacies, Teltz outlines several strategies for creators aiming to increase their visibility. A significant takeaway from her analysis is the increased importance of text-based content.

“Double down on TEXT. The new system only uses text to understand your post. Your words matter more than ever.”

Alicia Teltz further elaborates on the concept of topic specialization, stating that the model develops a “topic identity” for each user. She advises creators to focus on 1-3 core topics to help the algorithm more effectively identify their target audience.

Embracing Authenticity and Consistency

Beyond topic focus, Teltz emphasizes the value of authentic communication. The new model, she explains, is sophisticated enough to interpret meaning, tone, nuance, and writing style, comparing it to historical member engagement patterns.

“Write like a human, not a robot. This model captures meaning, tone, nuance and writing style. It interprets context and compares that with what members historically engaged with.”

Consistency is another cornerstone of Teltz’s advice. She argues that each post provides the AI with more data, refining the creator’s identity and improving audience matching over time. This long-term approach, she suggests, is crucial for sustained visibility.

An Opportunity for Smaller Creators

Interestingly, Alicia Teltz highlights that the recent algorithm upgrade appears to benefit smaller creators disproportionately. She notes that individuals with smaller networks saw the most significant gains, suggesting that content quality is now a more dominant factor than network size.

“Small creators: this is YOUR moment. The biggest winners of this upgrade were the people with tiny networks. Quality now beats network size.”

In her summary (TL;DR), Teltz reiterates that the system rewards genuine content that resonates with and engages users, rather than superficial tricks. It identifies creators who communicate authentically and delivers their messages to the audiences most likely to benefit.

To further assist professionals in navigating these changes, Alicia Teltz is hosting a free webinar on Thursday, November 27th, at 4 PM. The session promises to clarify what the new algorithm prioritizes, how to craft posts that overcome reach drops, effective engagement strategies, and actions to avoid for regaining visibility.