Cracking the LinkedIn code, well sort of

I’ve been looking at my LinkedIn numbers recently. Partly because I’m a bit of a geek with this stuff. Partly because LinkedIn is becoming a more important part of how I build BAZBALLERS CONSULTING LTD. And partly because I wanted to understand whether the time I’m putting into it is “actually” doing anything useful and I thought other people might be interested in this given the perils of building your profile online.

The answer so far seems to be yes. But as always, the devil is in the detail:

From August to December 2025, my numbers looked like this:

• Impressions: 91,814
• Engagements: 2,064
• Members reached: 24,829
• Saves: 11
• Premium custom button engagement: 38
• Visit links: 1 (all that effort to get just one person to my website!)

Then from January to May 2026:

• Impressions: 150,255 (+64%)
• Engagements: 2,912 (+41%)
• Members reached: 45,899 (85%) - this is key one!
• Saves: 27 (+245%) - (articles driving this...)
• Premium custom button engagement: 67 (+76%)
• Visits: 26 (basically one person a week!)

Now, before anyone thinks I’ve suddenly become so sort of LinkedIn guru (I am so not!), let’s be clear - I have not cracked the algorithm. And I still post often post something I think is quite interesting that then disappears into the LinkedIn wilderness.

The change has not come from posting at the perfect time, using the perfect hashtags, or getting a selfie stick. It has come from being more intentional.

The old LinkedIn advice feels a bit tired

There is so much advice flying around about LinkedIn: Post at 8am, Use three hashtag, Post every day, Comment first, Use a selfie…it can become a full-time job just trying to understand how to use the platform.

But the advice I’m seeing more and more now is different. LinkedIn seems to be moving towards relevance, expertise and usefulness. Not just who you know. Not just how often you post. Not just whether you can trigger a quick reaction (although I think that still helps – especially if people beyond your normal “cheerleaders” engage)

More about whether the content is useful to the people LinkedIn thinks should see it – i.e. the topics that it has labelled you with and people who have similar interests. That makes sense to me. And it fits with what I’ve seen in my own numbers.

My reach has grown faster than my engagement. That suggests my content is travelling beyond the people who already know me.

My saves have gone up, which is probably a better signal than likes. And more people are clicking through, which matters because I’m not doing this just for vanity metrics. I’m doing it because I want LinkedIn to help create conversations, opportunities and trust around the work I do. It tends to be the posts that generate better "engagements" like likes etc are from people I already know which is not unimportant (and staying top of mind is helpful) but getting to new people is key to overall business growth.

So what have I actually changed?

Nothing dramatic. No growth hacks. No secret system. Just a few things done more deliberately.

1. I’ve got clearer on who I’m talking to (The “Who”)

This has probably been the biggest shift. I used to think quite broadly about LinkedIn.

Sport. Marketing. Sponsorship. Leadership. Building a Business. All areas I care about. But that is still quite broad. Now I try to think more clearly about the audiences that link directly to my business.

For me, that means:

• Right-holders
• Brands
• Start-ups and growth business
• People working in and aroud sport, sponsorship, partnerships and commercial growth.

That has sharpened things. I’m not just posting because I’ve had a thought. I’m trying to ask:

• Would this be useful to a rights-holder?
• Would this help a brand think differently about sport?
• Would this be relevant to a founder trying to grow something?
• Would this reflect the kind of work I want Bazballers to be known for?

That doesn’t mean every post needs to be a sales pitch. Actually, it means the opposite but there should be a thread. People should be able to join the dots between what I’m saying and what I do.

2. I’m posting weekly, but not chasing daily noise

I’ve committed to posting at least weekly. I’ve chunked it up (James Clear would be proud) with my Sunday morning run. So yes I am sat here in my running shoes right now! My run sometimes help me to crystallise what I am going to post too.

But the real shift is not the weekly rhythm. It is making sure that across a month I have probably said something useful to each of my main audiences.

• Something for rights-holders.
• Something for brands.
• Something for start-ups or growth businesses.
• Something a bit more personal or reflective.

That has helped me avoid just defaulting to whatever topic is easiest that week. And it means I’m not trying to “win LinkedIn” every day. I’m trying to build a body of thinking over time.

3. I’m using articles for the bigger thoughts (like this one!)

I still like a short post. Sometimes a quick observation is all that’s needed. But I’m increasingly interested in articles having started these with my “The Scoop” monthly posts in March and continued since then. I like that the let you go a bit deeper and give people a chance to hear your thinking and your tov too. They have more of a shelf life so I think it’s a better ROI.

People will want to engage with me based on my judgement and experience and helping people make better commercial decisions. They need to understand how you got there.

I have also started using those articles as part of my outreach work - offering something of potential value is a better way (I think) to start a new relationship. The jury is still out on it and I'm having to leave my ego at the door to make the "cold call" but I do think it has more chance than just a basic introduction.

4. I’m building in regular reflection

This article is part of that. I want to do more reflective pieces each quarter.

• What am I learning? What am I seeing in the market?
• What is changing in sport, sponsorship, partnerships and business development?
• What am I finding hard?
• What am I doing differently?

I think these pieces matter because they show the person behind the work. And in consulting, advisory and partnerships, that is important.

5. I’m spending more time on other people’s posts

This one is easy to underestimate. LinkedIn is not just a place to publish. It is a place to join conversations. I’ve been trying to comment more on other people’s posts, but properly with something that adds value or creates connections to other things I have seen. If you only ever publish, you can become a bit broadcast-only. If you spend time in other people’s conversations, you get a much better sense of what people are really thinking about.

What I think is working

The biggest lesson for me is this: LinkedIn seems to reward clarity.

• Clarity of audience.
• Clarity of expertise.
• Clarity of point of view.
• Clarity of usefulness.

That is quite different from just posting more. And it is very different from trying to game the platform. For me, the best results seem to be coming when I’m on the front foot with a clear thought that links back to the work I do.

Just being useful, visible and relevant.

A few things I’m taking forward

Know who you are trying to reach: For me, that is rights-holders, brands and start-ups. For someone else, it will be different. But the sharper you are on the audience, the easier it is to create something useful.

Build around your business: Your content does not need to be a pitch, but it should help people understand what you know, how you think and where you can help.

Don’t confuse consistency with value: Posting regularly is helpful. Posting regularly with nothing to say is not.

Use longer-form content when the idea deserves it: Some thoughts need more space. Articles can be a useful way to build authority and give your ideas a longer life.

Comment like a human: The good stuff often happens in the comments. But only if you actually add something.

Stop obsessing over the old rules: Hashtags, perfect posting times and rigid posting formulas may still have some role, but they are not the main thing. The main thing is whether the right people find the content useful.

Next: I am going to start a newsletter so look out for that and subscribe!

Russell James

Founder of Bazballers. Formerly Marketing Director at The FA, Sales and Marketing Director at the ECB, and ten years at P&G.

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