LinkedIn Algorithm Makes Creators Reach Fewer People. Is The Microsoft Company Forcing Users to Pay for Visibility?

• LinkedIn’s 2025 algorithm update has slashed organic reach for many creators by as much as 50%, sparking widespread concern.
• The platform now prioritizes content from recognized experts and meaningful conversations, penalizing posts designed purely for virality.
• This major shift has led to growing suspicion that LinkedIn is subtly pushing users toward paid promotion to regain lost visibility.
• To adapt, experts advise creators to double down on high-quality, niche-specific content and focus on building genuine community engagement.

The LinkedIn Algorithm Shift in 2025

If you’re a creator on LinkedIn, you’ve probably felt it. That creeping feeling that your posts just aren’t hitting the same numbers they used to. Well, you’re not imagining it. According to a widely cited study by Richard Van Der Blom, a leading expert on the platform, the latest LinkedIn algorithm changes have been brutal. “Reach is down 50% year-over-year for most creators,” he stated, confirming the fears of many.

This isn’t just a random fluctuation. It’s a deliberate pivot by the Microsoft-owned company. A recent analysis from Hootsuite suggests the platform is now laser-focused on prioritizing expertise and meaningful engagement. The days of gaming the system with viral hacks or clickbait seem to be numbered, a change that impacts who sees your content and how far it travels. This move raises broader questions about whether social media feeds are losing their human touch in the push for curated quality.

A New Focus on Expertise, Not Virality

LinkedIn is making it clear. It wants to reward genuine thought leaders, not just loud voices. The new feed algorithm actively boosts content from recognized experts while dialing back the visibility of sales-heavy posts, engagement bait, and anything that feels overly polished for viral appeal.

“LinkedIn now emphasizes expertise more than ever,” says Amanda Wood, Senior Manager of Social Marketing at Hootsuite. “Posts with original insights … are now more likely to reach larger audiences.” In other words, the platform is trying to filter out the noise and elevate substantive contributions.

This sentiment is echoed by the team at Cleverly, who note that conversational, story-driven content and “real discussions” are now getting the algorithmic thumbs-up. The goal appears to be fostering a more authentic and valuable user experience, even if it means short-term pain for creators accustomed to broader reach.

The Introduction of the Consumption Rate

So, how does LinkedIn decide what’s valuable? One of the biggest technical shifts is the introduction of a new “consumption rate” metric, paired with a four-stage content distribution process. This system is designed to look beyond simple likes and comments.

Richard Van Der Blom explains it simply: “LinkedIn now measures how much of your content people actually view” before pushing it to a wider audience. This change fundamentally diminishes the effectiveness of surface-level engagement hacks. If users click “see more” and then immediately scroll away, the algorithm takes note and throttles the post’s reach. It’s a move to reward content that truly holds a reader’s attention.

Recommended Tech

With these algorithm changes, tracking your content’s real performance is more critical than ever. The TechBull recommends using a tool like Databox to create custom dashboards. It can help you monitor LinkedIn analytics and see what’s actually resonating with your audience, so you can adapt your strategy instead of just guessing.

Creator Frustration and Pay-to-Play Suspicions

While LinkedIn’s intentions may be to improve feed quality, the fallout has left many creators frustrated. The dramatic drop in organic reach has fueled suspicions that the platform is creating a pay-to-play environment, where paid promotions are becoming essential for any meaningful visibility.

This feeling was captured perfectly by LinkedIn consultant Melanie Goodman, who observed on her Substack in May 2025, “Many users express that their typical post impressions have dropped dramatically what feels like overnight.”

Even consistent creators are feeling the squeeze. An industry report from Botdog highlights that while only a small fraction (7.1%) of LinkedIn’s users post regularly, even these dedicated, niche-focused creators are struggling to maintain their previous audience levels. This struggle is particularly acute as other platforms, like Google, are also undergoing massive shifts, forcing creators to rethink their entire digital strategy from SEO to social authority.

LinkedIn’s Official Response

For its part, LinkedIn maintains that the changes are all about user experience. The company says the updates are designed to make the feed more relevant and less spammy, and there has been no official statement linking the drop in organic reach to a push for paid services.

LinkedIn spokesperson Suzi Owens put it this way: “We continuously update our algorithms to provide users with the most relevant content. Pay-to-play is not part of our organic ranking changes.”

However, critics remain skeptical. As B2B marketers quoted by Cleverly argue, “a sharper drop in reach inevitably creates more demand for paid visibility, whether intentional or not.” The effect, if not the intent, feels like a gentle nudge toward the ‘Promote’ button.

What LinkedIn Creators and Businesses Should Do Now

So, how do you navigate this new terrain? Experts across the board are advising a return to fundamentals. To adapt, creators should double down on quality, niche authority, and native content.

Amanda Wood of Hootsuite advises creators to “Focus on creating high-value, evergreen posts that generate real conversation, and prioritize relationship-building over vanity numbers.” It’s about building a community, not just an audience.

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For businesses juggling content creation across multiple platforms, workflow automation can be a lifesaver. We at The TechBull suggest exploring Make.com. It can help streamline your content workflows, from scheduling posts to managing responses, freeing you up to focus on creating the high-quality content the algorithm now demands.

Richard Van Der Blom echoes this, saying, “Consistent expertise-driven engagement—rather than just viral tactics—is now the key to sustaining reach.”

The Bigger Picture for Social Networks

This shift on LinkedIn isn’t happening in a vacuum. It follows a familiar pattern seen on other major platforms like Facebook and Instagram, where pay-to-play has become the unwritten rule for businesses and creators serious about growth. Many users feel they now have to constantly battle algorithms, a sentiment reflected in discussions about whether Facebook’s tools are enough to fix user feeds.

As digital strategist Katrina Becker wrote in Cleverly, the trend is industry-wide. “No major platform is immune—expect organic visibility to be treated as a privilege for the few, not the baseline for all.” For now, the message to creators is clear: adapt or get left behind.