LinkedIn Recovery #3
A guide when you have screwed up your hard work
As mentioned on a previous post I have really screwed up LinkedIn . Why probably for a few reasons:
I have added external Links to Substack
I am posting too frequently
LinkedIn doesn’t seem to publicly share exact timelines for algorithmic penalties, but based on what creators and marketers have observed:
Typical recovery time: 2-4 weeks of consistent, compliant behaviour
The key that I am trying to do:
Stop whatever triggered the penalty (spammy posting, excessive tagging, engagement pods, etc.)
Post high-quality, original content regularly (2-3 times per week is often recommended)
Avoid external links for a bit, or use them sparingly in comments instead of posts
From the evidence I have found some people report seeing improvements within a week, while others say it took 1-2 months. It really depends on the severity of what caused the penalty and how consistently you rebuild trust with the algorithm.
I believe the LinkedIn algorithm tends to give you a “fresh start” opportunity - I am hoping it will not hold a grudge forever.
I keep telling myself just stay patient and focus on value-driven content.
What happens when I post too often?
Research is telling me if I post too frequently on LinkedIn, here’s what happens:
The algorithm deprioritises my content - LinkedIn seems to start showing my posts to fewer people, interpreting the high frequency as spammy behaviour. Each post essentially competes with your other recent posts for visibility.
Evidence says Specific effects:
Reach drops significantly - Your posts might only be shown to a small fraction of your network
Engagement decreases - Fewer impressions mean fewer likes/comments, which further signals to the algorithm that your content isn’t valuable
Audience fatigue - Even your engaged followers may start scrolling past your posts or even muting/unfollowing you
What’s “too often”?
More than once per day is generally considered risky
Multiple posts per day is almost certainly going to hurt you
The sweet spot most experts recommend is 2-4 posts per week
My Recovery approach:
Scale back immediately to 2-3 posts per week
Give each post at least 24-48 hours to breathe and gather engagement
Spend more time engaging with others than posting content
I have learned LinkedIn rewards consistency and quality, not volume. The algorithm wants to see that each piece of content you share gets good engagement before it trusts you with more reach on the next post.