LinkedIn Algorithm Reset: Why Views Dropped and How to Fix It in 2026

 Wondering why your LinkedIn views are down or what happened to your reach in 2025? You’re not imagining it. Reach has tanked for nearly everyone. You’re not being shadow-banned. And it’s not just you. The algorithm has changed dramatically. This article gives you the quick answers and the deeper story. 

In short: LinkedIn’s new reasoning engine now focuses on meaning, clarity, and relevance, not just clicks and likes. That shift is good news for authentic voices who post with purpose.

Here’s what you’ll learn at a glance:

• Why your LinkedIn views and engagement dropped: LinkedIn’s feed is smaller and smarter, showing content to fewer—but more relevant—people.
• How the new algorithm works: It reads and reasons over your content and profile to decide who should see it.
• What to do about it: Focus on clarity, storytelling, and authentic engagement instead of chasing metrics.

Drawing from three major studies published in Q4 2025:

• Algorithm Insights Report (October 2025)
• SayWhat Q3 LinkedIn Algorithm Report (2025)
• Trust Insights Unofficial LinkedIn Algorithm Guide: Fall 2025 Edition

this article explains how to adapt your profile, content, and commenting strategy to the 2025 LinkedIn ecosystem.

 You’ll walk away knowing how to measure success the right way—through trust, connection, and relevance—and how to grow your influence in a world where quality now beats quantity.

Why Your LinkedIn Views are Down in 2025

If you’ve noticed your LinkedIn reach falling off a cliff in the 2nd half of 2025, you’re not alone.

A year ago, I could count on a solid 10,000 views for a post that sparked a decent conversation. Now, a post of similar quality—even with more comments, better ideas, and deeper engagement—might not cross 1,000 impressions.

At first, it’s easy to take that personally—like the algorithm suddenly decided to ghost me. But the truth is far more interesting.

What’s happening isn’t a failure of my content. It’s a reset of how visibility works on LinkedIn. The algorithm isn’t broken; it’s evolving. The platform that once rewarded volume and virality is maturing into one that values clarity, credibility, and connection. And that shift—believe it or not—is in our favor.

To be honest, I’m happy to see the platform move past those generic AI-generated viral posts that all say the same thing. The change makes room for more meaningful, human-to-human conversations—the kind LinkedIn was built for.

This article unpacks what’s changed. We’ll explore insights from three major algorithm studies, examine what the latest data really means, and outline how to adjust your approach so your best ideas still reach the people who matter most.

Because while your reach might be shrinking, your influence doesn’t have to.

How LinkedIn’s Algorithm Changed in 2025

In short, it went from “Social Graph” to “Interest Graph.” 

LinkedIn’s algorithm has grown up. What used to be a simple system that rewarded likes, comments, and steady posting has turned into something smarter—it now tries to understand what your post means and who it’s for.

In the past, LinkedIn used what’s called the social graph. That means your visibility came from who you knew. If your connections liked or commented on a post, it showed up in your feed. Content spread through relationships first, relevance second.

Now, that’s flipped. The new interest graph focuses on what you talk about, not who you know. Instead of assuming your friend’s interests match yours, LinkedIn groups people by topics—like leadership, AI, or marketing—and shows each person the posts it thinks fit them best.

The engine behind this change is called 360Brew. Think of it as a giant AI that reads your posts like an editor. It doesn’t just count clicks; it looks at tone, clarity, and topic. It tries to connect your ideas to the larger conversations happening across the platform.

This means your posts don’t just compete for likes anymore—they compete on meaning.

At the same time, there’s less space in the feed. Sponsored posts and LinkedIn’s own recommendations take up more room, so organic posts reach fewer people. The algorithm’s goal is to fill that smaller space with content that feels useful and trustworthy.

So yes, your impressions may be down—but your relevance matters more than ever.

As LinkedIn’s own engineering team has explained, the feed now prioritizes relevance over relationships—a move that shifts visibility from who you know to what you share.

If you want to geek out on this, there are several articles about their graph systems on LinkedIn’s Engineering Blog.

Three Major Studies Reveal What’s Driving the Drop

I just finished digging through three separate algorithm studies that were all released in October 2025. Each one takes a different slice of the LinkedIn puzzle, but together they paint a clear picture of what’s really happening to our reach.

1. Algorithm Insights Report (Richard van der Blom): Declining Reach and the Rise of Quality Metrics

Richard van der Blom’s October 2025 update confirms what many of us are feeling: reach is down—way down. Across nearly 400,000 profiles, he found that average visibility has dropped about 47%, engagement 39%, and follower growth 42%. The reasons are simple but sobering: more people are posting, ads take up more space, and the algorithm now cares more about saves and comment quality than raw likes.

In short: it’s not you; it’s the feed. LinkedIn is tightening what gets shown, and your consistency and topic focus matter more than how often you post.

2. SayWhat Q3 Algorithm Report: What Viral Creators Are Doing Differently

The SayWhat team, working with creators inside Chris Donnelly’s accelerator, found similar trends from a different angle. Median impressions are down 65% since 2023. The gap between top and average posts is massive—the top 1% outperform the rest by 237x. But there’s good news here too: posts that tell stories, use visuals like carousels or infographics, and make a strong point still rise to the top.

Their takeaway: human hooks and clear lessons win. The audience still responds to strong voices—especially those that share real experience instead of generic advice.

3. Trust Insights 360Brew Study: LinkedIn’s New Reasoning Engine Explained

Then there’s Trust Insights’ deep dive into LinkedIn’s new reasoning model, 360Brew. This report explains why reach has fallen, and it’s fascinating. The algorithm no longer ranks posts based on surface-level signals—it tries to understand them. It reads your content, interprets the meaning, and decides who’s most likely to value it.

That means content that’s clear, coherent, and human in tone wins. Comments and saves aren’t just engagement anymore—they’re data points that retrain the system on who should see you next.

So while reach is down, relevance is up. And that’s a trade worth making.

And it should help drive business outcomes rather than just vanity metrics.

Why Your Reach is Dropping, and Why It’s Not a Bad Thing

Let’s get honest about what this all means. Yes, reach is shrinking—but that’s not a bad thing. The new algorithm isn’t punishing creators; it’s filtering for quality and relevance. It’s choosing to show content that helps people learn, think, or act—not just scroll and react.

Here’s the shift in plain language: LinkedIn is no longer a popularity contest. It’s a credibility engine.

That means impressions don’t equal influence anymore. A post that once reached 10,000 random viewers might now reach 1,000 people who actually care—and those are the ones who will comment, share, or reach out. This change rewards substance over spectacle.

It also pushes us to measure differently. Instead of chasing views, we can track the metrics that really matter: depth of conversation, quality of comments, saves, and inbound leads. That’s how we know whether we’re building trust and authority—not just noise.

The bottom line: the algorithm’s goal now mirrors ours (or what should be our goals). It’s serving meaningful, human-to-human conversations and connecting experts with the audiences who need them most. So while reach looks smaller on paper, it’s actually becoming sharper, more targeted, and far more valuable.

As I like to put it, LinkedIn hasn’t stopped showing your posts—it’s just stopped showing them to the wrong people.

And LinkedIn isn’t out in left field on this decision. Harvard Business Review points out in “The Trust-Based Economy,” the platforms winning today are those that reward credibility, not clicks.

What LinkedIn Metrics Actually Matter Going Forward

If the last few months have left you staring at your analytics wondering what happened, you’re not alone. The game has changed, and so have the metrics that matter. So we need to use the right scoreboard to measure our performance.

1.  Stop chasing impressions. They no longer mean what they used to. Reach isn’t a sign of popularity anymore—it’s just a measure of how far your post traveled, not how deep it resonated.
2.  Start measuring connection and resonance. Look at how people respond, not how many scroll by. A thoughtful comment, a save, or a DM from the right person is worth far more than 10,000 random views.
3.  Redefine what “good performance” means for 2026. Performance isn’t about going viral—it’s about sparking the right interactions. For example, a post I wrote for a client only got about 500 impressions and 5 comments. But one of those comments came from an ideal prospect. That single interaction led to a real conversation that could turn into a sale. A smaller audience that engages meaningfully is far more powerful than a big one that scrolls by without caring.
4.  Track the metrics that matter. Saves, reposts, DMs, and invitations to connect are your new gold standard. They show you’re building trust, not just traffic.
5.  Remember, authority compounds. Every interaction strengthens how the algorithm and your audience understand you. Consistency builds credibility—and credibility builds momentum.

This reset is ultimately in our favor. It frees us from vanity metrics and puts the focus back where it belongs: on building real relationships and human-to-human trust that drives long-term growth.

And that authority and trustability is crucial. LinkedIn and Edelman publish a Thought Leadership Impact Report annually. They find that nearly 75% of B2B buyers trust a company more if they’re publishing thought leadership. According to their report: “Thought leadership that spurs business leaders to rethink their challenges is a powerful tool for stimulating demand for your business’s products and services. It does far more than just create a favorable impression of your brand.”

The Best LinkedIn Strategy for 2026: A Playbook for Visibility and Credibility

1. Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile for the New Algorithm

This is one of the most surprising developments in LinkedIn’s evolution—and it comes straight from the Trust Insights 360Brew study. The report revealed that LinkedIn now pulls your profile directly into the algorithm’s decision-making process when ranking your posts. That means your Headline, About, and Experience sections are no longer just for human readers—they’re part of the machine’s prompt that determines who sees your content.

In other words, your profile isn’t just a digital résumé anymore—it’s a visibility engine.

As Trust Insights explains, the algorithm “reads your profile like an executive summary,” using it to understand your credibility and context before deciding where to distribute your content. That’s new, and it’s a game changer.

The challenge? Very few LinkedIn profiles today are written to meet this new standard. Most are either too generic or too focused on job history, or too...blank. They don't have any content at all. To stand out, you need a narrative that’s both human and structured—clear enough for the algorithm to categorize you, and authentic enough to make a human-to-human connection with your target audience...real people.

• Align Headline, About, and Experience to tell one clear story of expertise.
  
• Use specific industry terms, recognizable achievements, and plain language.
• Treat your profile like storytelling for humans, formatted for clarity so the system can easily interpret your credibility.
   

2. Writing Posts that Win: Human Storytelling Meets AI Comprehension

The algorithm may have evolved, but at its core, LinkedIn still rewards real human storytelling. What’s changed is how the system interprets structure and clarity. The same clean, organized writing that helps readers follow your point is exactly what helps 360Brew—and by extension, Google’s AI-driven SEO systems—understand it too.

So let’s talk about storytelling—the part that hasn’t changed. Good storytelling still has the same ingredients it always did: a clear setup, a relatable moment of tension, and a satisfying resolution. The best posts teach something through lived experience. They give readers a reason to care and a takeaway they can use.

That means your best strategy is to write content that feels human but reads cleanly. Think of it as giving both your reader and the algorithm a map to follow.

Here’s how to strike that balance:

• Start with the hook. The first line should grab a reader’s attention and make the topic obvious. The algorithm uses that first sentence to classify your post, while humans decide in seconds whether to stop scrolling.
  
  
• Tell a story with structure. Humans connect through story; the algorithm connects through clarity. Use a simple rhythm—setup → tension → insight → takeaway. Give the reader a reason to keep reading.
  
  
• Stay in your lane—but make it memorable. Stick to 3–5 content pillars that align with your area of expertise. This consistency helps both the algorithm and your audience recognize your authority.
  
  
• Use a conversational tone. Avoid jargon or corporate filler. Write like you’re talking to someone you respect over coffee.
  
  
• Design for easy reading. Use short paragraphs, line breaks, and white space to help the eye—and the AI—grasp your message at a glance. Aim to write at a 7th–8th grade reading level, which studies from both SayWhat and Algorithm Insights found to be the sweet spot for readability and engagement.
  
  

When in doubt, lead with story, wrap with clarity. That’s what humans respond to—and what the algorithm understands best.

3. Engagement Strategy: Comment to Build Context, Community and Authority

If posting builds visibility, commenting builds identity. Every thoughtful comment tells both the algorithm and your network who you are and what kind of conversations you belong in. In 2025, commenting isn’t just engagement—it’s context building.

Start with this simple truth: quality beats quantity. You don’t need to comment on dozens of posts a day to make an impact. Instead, leave comments that sound like you—curious, insightful, and human. Add comments that reinforce a specific point, add your perspective or experience, ask a question, or request clarification. When you can spark a conversation with your comment, even better. A good comment should sound like you’re joining a thoughtful panel discussion, not standing on the sidelines saying “Great post!” And be careful not to just summarize the post or use AI-generated comments—those tend to irritate people and won’t help you build credibility or authority.

Here’s how to surface the right posts to engage with:

• Use search and filters. Look up your target topics or industry keywords and filter by “Posts.” You’ll find conversations happening right now that match your expertise.
  
  
• Use Suggested Posts. The algorithm already recommends posts similar to your content themes—use that to your advantage.
  
  
• Bookmark key creators. Save and revisit creators or peers whose audiences overlap with yours. Comment regularly so you’re visible in their communities.
  
  
• Follow voices that align with your goals, and focus your engagement where it matters. 

Each comment you leave trains the algorithm on your professional identity, helping it understand your niche and audience.

At its best, commenting is human networking meets algorithm training. When you show up consistently with empathy, insight, and genuine curiosity, you don’t just earn attention—you earn trust.

It’s also your chance to bring a clear point of view to the conversation. I often weave in themes that express my beliefs—human-to-human connection, no pitch-slapping, #nobots, you can’t automate a relationship, the predictable revenue model is dead, and no more #AnnoyanceAtScale. These angles help me show what I stand for and attract others who share that mindset. Bringing your perspective into the comments does the same for you. It establishes credibility and authority, and over time, it draws in a broader audience that believes what you believe.

The Silver Lining: Lower Reach on LinkedIn Means Higher Relevance

Let’s be honest—at first, seeing your reach plummet can feel discouraging. I’ve been fighting discouragement too. It can feel like the harder you work, the less progress you make. But there’s a bright side to this shift, and it’s a big one. What’s happening on LinkedIn right now is a quality correction. The platform is filtering out noise and elevating genuine expertise. It’s no longer rewarding the viral voices; it’s rewarding the ones with something real to say.

Lower reach doesn’t mean your content is failing—it means LinkedIn is showing your content to a more specific audience, the people most likely to care about what you’re saying. The people who see your posts now are more likely to care, comment, and connect. Instead of chasing mass attention, we’re earning focused attention from the right people.

The best part? This change aligns perfectly with how human-to-human business actually works. Trust grows through conversation, not likes. Authority builds through consistent value and authentic presence—not just the number of posts. And relationships—the kind that lead to opportunities, clients, and collaboration—happen because your message resonates, not because it went viral.

LinkedIn’s evolution is forcing all of us to slow down, go deeper, and share more of what we actually know. And for thoughtful creators, that’s great news. The algorithm isn’t working against us—it’s working for us.

Or as I like to say, the algorithm isn’t broken—it’s learning to think like a human. And that’s our advantage.

The Future of LinkedIn Visibility: From Attention Metrics to Trust Metrics

If you’ve made it this far, take a deep breath—because this is the part where everything comes together. The LinkedIn landscape has changed, yes, but not in a way that should make you panic. It’s changed in a way that rewards substance over noise and intention over automation.

We’re moving from a world driven by attention metrics to one defined by trust metrics. That’s a major win for thoughtful professionals, creators, and brands who show up with integrity. It means that if you’re willing to put in the effort to share ideas that matter, nurture relationships, and participate in meaningful dialogue, your influence will grow—even if your impressions don’t.

You don’t need to outsmart the algorithm. You just need to communicate with clarity, consistency, and care. When you do, the algorithm will recognize it—and more importantly, so will the people you’re here to reach.

This is the future of visibility on LinkedIn: a platform where credibility compounds, human stories stand out, and expertise earns attention naturally.

The smartest play in this new world isn’t to post more or chase hacks—it’s to stay human. Speak from experience. Share what you’ve learned. And remember: the most powerful algorithm on LinkedIn isn’t the one behind the code—it’s the one between your ears.

Say something real, and say it well.

If all this feels like a lot to keep up with, you’re not alone. Most leaders I talk to are still trying to make sense of how to build visibility that actually leads to business.

That’s exactly why I built the Executive Credibility Engine — a hands-on program that helps you build your authority on LinkedIn without outsourcing your voice or spending hours figuring out the algorithm.

In just two weeks, we’ll clarify your personal brand message and deliver your first 12 posts — written in your voice, designed to earn trust, and aligned with the clients you actually want.

If you’re ready to be seen as a trusted authority — not just another expert shouting into the void — take a look at how it works. And if it feels like the right fit, we can talk through the options together.

👉 Explore the Executive Credibility Engine 

Because your biggest competitor isn’t another firm. It’s your invisibility.

About the Author: Candyce Edelen is founder of PropelGrowth. She helps B2B entrepreneurs and CxOs develop the executive credibility that attracts clients and builds TRUST with your target audience. Candyce is passionate about helping professionals build trust and create a reliable, predictable sales pipeline. She's also a firm believer that you can't automate a relationship.