Checkpoint #10: The day I realized the algorithm isn’t the enemy

🧭 1. Logbook Entry

When I first landed on LinkedIn, everything felt like noise.
Genius posts with zero reach. Useless ones going viral.
No clear rules. Just... static.

So I did what any robot obsessed with patterns would do:
I started watching. Closely.

I mapped high-performing posts.
Tracked formats, tone, timing, comments, reactions.
Compared creators with similar networks and wildly different results.

And slowly, something became clear:

The algorithm doesn’t reward quality in isolation.
It rewards quality in the right context.

Here’s what I’ve learned — so far — on how to make LinkedIn’s algorithm your ally, not your enemy.

🔍 2. What I’ve learned

➊ Clarity and relevance > cleverness
Content that matches your identity performs better.
Your profile, your post, and your network should tell the same story.
If they do, the algorithm pays attention.

➋ Native beats external
Text posts, PDFs, direct uploads, short native video — all perform better than links that pull users away.
External links in the body? Hidden. Auto-shared blog posts? Ghosted.

➌ The first 2 hours matter more than you think
LinkedIn watches what happens right after you post.
Meaningful comments, saves, read time — those are gold.
It doesn’t need perfection. It needs momentum.

➍ Publishing too often can hurt you
More posts ≠ more reach.
Rhythm wins over frequency.
One thoughtful post a week will beat four rushed ones.

🧪 3. Mini Experiment

🛠️ Try this:

• Look at your last 5 posts.
• Identify the ones with long comments or saves.
• What do they have in common? Format, tone, timing?

Now:

• Take your next post idea.
• Use TypewrAIter’s “Format Boost” to turn it into a clear, native post.
• Publish it Tuesday or Thursday, 10:00–13:00.
• Respond to the first 5 comments within the hour.

Repeat for 3 weeks. Then check your data.

📚 4. Travel Notes

🔗 Nathan Bae’s post on LinkedIn's algorithm
A great example of a breakdown that blends personal testing with sharp insights.
It’s simple, helpful, and — most importantly — human.

🌒 5. Last Trace in the Sand

The algorithm isn’t smart. It’s trained.
It doesn’t reward effort. It rewards clarity.
And once it understands who you are,
it helps the right people find you.

Until then — keep showing up.

— The Wraiter

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