We receive a lot of social media management inquiries—clients requesting services to help manage their accounts, especially on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. The main KPI they have in mind? Month-on-month growth in follower count.
In today’s validation-driven social media landscape, engagement is often seen as the pulse of a brand’s online presence. But what happens when a page with 269,000 followers—like Search Engine Journal—consistently garners just 5–6 likes per post, while a smaller page like ours, with fewer than 1,000 followers, receives 10–12 likes per post? This disparity raises questions about the effectiveness of LinkedIn’s algorithm, the value of followers, and whether brands are investing in the wrong metrics.
Is LinkedIn’s Algorithm Broken?
No, we don’t think it’s broken—but it’s definitely evolving, and it doesn’t favor every brand equally.
In recent years, LinkedIn’s algorithm has shifted to prioritize personal connections, authenticity, and meaningful interactions. While business pages can still gain visibility, the platform tends to amplify content from individual users over branded pages—unless that content is highly engaging or boosted through paid ads.
This means that even a respected page like Search Engine Journal or Harvard Business Review may not reach 1% of its followers organically if the content:
- Lacks immediate relevance to the audience
- Feels overly promotional or corporate
- Doesn’t spark comments or shares early on
- Lacks wit or humor
Harvard Business Review LinkedIn Analysis: 15M Followers
This is the recent post by Harvard Business Review, got 23 liked and 2 reposts (like engagement % is 0.000015%)
Search Engine Journal LinkedIn Analysis: 270k Followers
Their recent post got 7 and 14 likes, 1 comment, 1 repost respectively. Their like engagement rate is 0.0051% (on higher side).
(In our own small experiment, humorous and personal posts significantly outperformed serious or quote-style content.)
Meanwhile, a smaller, niche page like ours (dmcdigital) receives more engagement per post because:
- We post more relatable, conversational content
- We have a tight-knit and actively engaged audience (our team is proactive in liking and sharing content across their personal networks)
- We often get better initial engagement, which triggers broader reach through the algorithm
DMC Digital LinkedIn Analysis: 912 Followers
We don’t post everyday, but on an average our posts gets 13 likes, 2 comments and 2 reposts. Our like engagement rate is 1.42%.
The Vanity of Follower Count
This highlights a hard truth in modern social media: Follower count is a vanity metric. It’s a feel-good number, not necessarily a useful one.
A page can have hundreds of thousands of followers, but if they were gained through:
- Paid ads targeting broad or disengaged audiences
- Contests or one-time events
- Outdated strategies focused on reach, not retention
…then those followers may not engage at all. They’ll scroll past your posts without clicking or even pausing, and eventually, LinkedIn—or any other platform—will stop showing your content to them. So while your follower count may appear impressive, it won’t help you reach your true audience.
On the flip side, a smaller, focused following—built organically on trust and consistent content quality—often delivers far better engagement.
Should Brands Stop Spending to Increase Followers?
Not necessarily—but they do need to rethink why they’re on social media in the first place. Here’s a better way to use that budget and energy:
- Invest in engagement, not just reach. Boost posts that are already performing well. Pay for comments, not just impressions.
- Prioritize personal branding. Encourage employees—especially leaders—to post as individuals. These posts often get more traction than brand-page updates.
- Create for community, not for algorithms. Algorithms change, but loyal audiences stick around. Build content based on what your community values.
- Measure what matters. Shift your focus from vanity metrics like likes and follower count to:
- Comments
- Shares
- Click-throughs
- Quality leads generated
So, Is the System “Broken”?
Maybe. Who can say for sure? But one thing is clear: social media platforms are being optimized for authenticity over authority.
Big names can still win on LinkedIn—but only if they adapt their content to align with how the platform works today. For most brands, that means moving away from chasing numbers and toward building genuine digital relationships with a smaller, more engaged audience.
If your goal is influence and impact, don’t chase numbers. Chase relevance.