87% of LinkedIn posts die in the first hour.

Most creators blame the algorithm.
But the truth?
The algorithm is predictable—if you know what it actually rewards.

👉 Richard van der Blom analyzed 1.8M posts across 180+ B2B companies.
Here’s what he discovered (and it flips most LinkedIn “best practices” on their head):

5 data-backed insights:

1. Hashtags hurt more than they help.

• Posts with 3–5 hashtags get 29% less reach than posts with none.

• Why? LinkedIn now treats hashtags as spam signals.

2. The first 5 minutes decide everything.

• Comments within 5 minutes boost reach by 4.2x.

• Wait 30 minutes? Too late. Wait 2 hours? Your post is already dead.

3. External links are reach killers—unless you cheat the system.

• One external link = 68% less reach.

• Three or more links? The algo thinks it’s a resource post and boosts you.

4. Video length makes or breaks engagement.

• Under 30 seconds: 89% completion rate.

• Over 60 seconds: 31%.

• Your “profound” 3-minute video? Most people stop watching by :45.

5. Small networks win.

• Profiles with 500–999 connections see 2.3x higher engagement than those with 10,000+.

• Why? LinkedIn rewards engagement density, not vanity metrics.

The uncomfortable truth?

Most “LinkedIn experts” are still teaching 2019 playbooks.
But the platform has evolved.
The algo has changed.
Your tactics haven’t.

The smart ones?
They’re already playing by these new rules—and quietly dominating their feed.

👉 Stop following outdated advice.
👉 Start following the data.

Which of these stats surprised you most?

(All insights from Richard van der Blom’s 2025 LinkedIn Research Report.)

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