If you logged into LinkedIn lately and felt like you were shouting into a void, you aren't alone. Honestly, it’s been a weird summer for creators. Usually, a dip in views is just "seasonal" or people being on vacation. But this time? It was the LinkedIn algorithm update July 2025.
LinkedIn essentially decided to stop being a "news" feed.
They’ve moved toward becoming a professional knowledge base. This shift has left a lot of people scratching their heads because the old "hacks" just aren't working. If you’re still trying to go viral with a "Monday Motivation" quote or a selfie at your desk with a generic caption, your reach probably just fell off a cliff.
The Death of the "Golden Hour"
For years, we were told the first 60 minutes of a post were everything. You had to get your coworkers to like it immediately or it was dead. Well, that's basically gone now.
LinkedIn is now prioritizing relevance over recency.
You might notice posts from three weeks ago showing up at the very top of your feed. Why? Because the algorithm thinks that specific piece of advice is more valuable to your career than a "fresh" post from ten minutes ago about someone's lunch. According to data from industry experts like Richard van der Blom, organic reach for the average post has plummeted by nearly 50% since the start of the year.
But here’s the kicker: the "best" posts—the ones with actual substance—are living much longer. A high-quality post can now gain steam for 20 days or more.
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LinkedIn Algorithm Update July 2025: The Big Shifts
If I had to boil the July update down to one word, it would be Expertise.
LinkedIn’s AI is now sophisticated enough to scan your profile and compare it to what you’re writing. If you’re a software engineer suddenly giving advice on real estate investing, the algorithm is going to treat you like a hobbyist. It wants to see "topical authority." It wants you to stay in your lane.
1. Dwell Time is the Only Metric That Matters
Forget likes. Honestly, they’re a vanity metric now. LinkedIn is measuring how many seconds—or minutes—someone spends looking at your post. This is why document carousels and long-form text are winning.
If someone clicks "See more" and spends 45 seconds reading your 1,300-character post, LinkedIn considers that a massive win. A quick "like" from someone scrolling past? That barely moves the needle.
2. The Crackdown on "Engagement Bait"
You know those posts: "Comment 'YES' if you agree!" or "I have a secret PDF, comment below to get it!" The July 2025 update is actively penalizing these. LinkedIn wants "meaningful conversations." They are now tracking the depth of comment threads. A post with 10 comments where people are actually debating a point is worth 100x more than a post with 50 comments that just say "Great share!" or "Agreed."
3. Native Content is King (Again)
LinkedIn hates it when you leave. If you post a link to your YouTube video or your blog, expect a 60-70% reach penalty. They want you to use their tools. Native video, LinkedIn Newsletters, and those PDF carousels are the only way to get broad distribution now.
4. The "Small Network" Boost
Interestingly, the update actually helps people with smaller, tighter networks. LinkedIn found that users were getting tired of seeing the same 10 "celebrity influencers" every day. They are now boosting content from your 1st-degree connections more aggressively to make the feed feel more "human" and less like a broadcast.
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Why "AI Slop" is Currently Failing
Let’s be real. The feed is drowning in ChatGPT-written posts. You can spot them a mile away: they always start with "In today's fast-paced world..." and end with a numbered list of five generic points.
LinkedIn knows this too.
Recent reports suggest that AI-generated content—or content that sounds like a bot wrote it—is seeing significantly lower engagement and reach. The algorithm is looking for personal anecdotes. It wants to see the word "I." It wants to see a specific story about a mistake you made at work or a weird interaction you had with a client.
Specifics are the new SEO.
If you write "I helped a client save money," you’ll get zero traction. If you write "I saved a SaaS company in Austin $14,200 on their AWS bill by deleting three unused staging environments," you’ll fly.
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What Actually Works Now: A Survival Guide
You don't need to post every day. In fact, the July 2025 update actually rewards posting less frequently. Posting twice a day now signals "spam" to the algorithm.
- Stick to 2-3 posts per week. Give your posts room to breathe. Since the "shelf life" of a post is now longer, you don't need to crowd your own feed.
- Write for the "See More" click. Your first two lines (the hook) are the most important part of the post. They need to be provocative or curiosity-inducing enough to make someone click that tiny blue link.
- Use 3-5 Hashtags. Any more than that and you look like a bot. Any less and you're missing out on the "For You" feed categorization.
- Video is back, but it's different. Horizontal video is actually performing better on desktop than vertical "TikTok-style" clips on LinkedIn lately. Keep them under 90 seconds and always include captions. Most people watch on mute during meetings anyway.
- The "15-Word Rule" for Comments. When you reply to people, make it a real sentence. Short replies like "Thanks!" don't trigger the algorithm's "conversation" signal.
The Verdict on the LinkedIn Algorithm Update July 2025
It’s a harder platform than it was two years ago. The "easy" growth days are over. But for people who actually know their stuff and are willing to write like a human, it’s actually a better environment. The noise is being filtered out.
If your views are down, stop looking at the graph and start looking at your inbox. Are you getting DMs? Are people asking you questions? Those are the metrics that lead to revenue, and that’s what the algorithm is trying to steer us toward.
Your Next Steps
- Audit your recent posts: Look for your "Dwell Time" winners. Which posts had the most "See More" clicks? Double down on that format.
- Clean up your comments: Go back to your last three posts and reply to every comment with a question. This can "reactivate" an old post and push it back into the feed.
- Update your "About" section: Ensure your profile keywords match the topics you’re actually posting about so the algorithm can verify your expertise.