LinkedIn Benchmarks 2026: 5 Experts Reveal What’s Actually Working (and What to Drop Now)
- Apr 8
- 10 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Engagement is up 8% year-over-year. Video views crashed 36%. Native documents now outperform every other format. Here’s what five LinkedIn experts say you need to know, and do, heading into Q2 2026.
By Dorien Morin-van Dam | April 2026
Reading time: 10 minutes
5 Key Takeaways:
Native documents (carousels/PDFs) are the #1 LinkedIn format in 2026 with a 7% engagement rate, up 14% year-over-year.
Video views dropped 36% across all page sizes. Repurpose clips instead of producing new video.
LinkedIn's average engagement rate is 5.20%: use it to benchmark your own page performance.
Follower growth is slowing sharply for large pages (just 6.4%). Track post saves and new followers per post instead.
Strategic commenting beats constant commenting, target your ICP, not the feed.
If you’re still running the same LinkedIn playbook you had in 2024, the data says you’re already behind. The 2026 LinkedIn Benchmarks report from SocialInsider, based on 1.3 million posts across 16,645 business pages spanning two full years, tells a nuanced story: engagement is rising, but the formats and behaviors driving it have shifted dramatically.
To find what's changed from last year's 2025 LinkedIn Benchmarks report, and to make sense of the numbers, I brought together four LinkedIn experts for a live Strategy Talks panel. What followed was one of the most honest, data-backed conversations about LinkedIn strategy I’ve ever hosted. Here’s what we uncovered.
The 2026 LInkedIn Benchmarks DATA for B2B
Thank you to the wonderful team at Socialinsider who put together this report for B2B marketers.
Meet the LinkedIn Experts
This conversation featured five practitioners who live and breathe LinkedIn strategy every day:
Content Strategist | LinkedIn Live Host | Strategy Talks |
Social Media Manager at Socialinsider | Writer, Glitch in the Metrics Newsletter |
LinkedIn Author (5 Books) | 16+ Years of LinkedIn Strategy |
LinkedIn Ads & B2B Agency Owner | Peterborough, UK |
LinkedIn Trainer, Consultant & Speaker | LinkedIn as a Networking Tool |
Overall Engagement Is Up, But Not Equally Across Formats
The headline number from Socialinsider’s 2026 report: LinkedIn’s average engagement rate has reached 5.20%, an 8% increase year-over-year. That sounds like great news across the board, and in some ways it is. But the expert panel was quick to add context.
Miruna Vocheci, who runs social media at Socialinsider, made an important point right out of the gate:
“Don’t take data personally. Some things might upset you from a professional perspective, but the key is to take benchmarks strategically — not emotionally.” — Miruna Vocheci, Social Media Manager, Socialinsider |
Melonie Dodaro echoed this, noting that industry-specific benchmarks matter as much as platform-wide averages:
“The energy sector’s engagement rate is only 3%. So the 5.2% average doesn’t mean much unless you’re comparing yourself to your own industry.” — Melonie Dodaro, LinkedIn Strategist & Author |
2026 LinkedIn Engagement Rate by Format
Content Format | Avg Eng Rate 2024 | Avg Eng Rate 2025 | Trend |
Native Document (Carousel/PDF) | 6.10% | 7.00% | ↑ +14% |
Multi-Image Post | 6.60% | 6.45% | ↓ Slight dip |
Video | 5.60% | 6.00% | ↑ +7% |
Image | 4.85% | 5.30% | ↑ +9% |
Text Post | 4.00% | 4.50% | ↑ +12% |
Poll | 4.40% | 4.20% | ↓ Slight dip |
Link Post | 3.30% | 3.25% | → Flat |
Source: SocialInsider LinkedIn Benchmarks 2026 — Analysis of 1.3M posts, 16,645 business pages, Jan 2024–Dec 2025
Dorien shared a real-world example: turning event photos into a Canva-designed carousel slideshow for a client generated over 100 clicks, meaning 100 people swiped through every single image.
Why Native Documents Work: The Expert Breakdown
LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards dwell time — each swipe signals value
Downloadable formats (checklists, frameworks, reports) give users something tangible
Document ads are a powerful paid option: gate your content after slide 2–3 to capture leads
Kristian Downer: document ads allow you to capture LinkedIn URLs as part of lead gen
They don’t require users to turn on sound — frictionless consumption
“If you’re going to invest in content creation, invest equally in content distribution. Even £300/$500 a month in LinkedIn ads, hyper-targeted to the right people, can have massive impact.” — Kristian Downer, LinkedIn Ads Agency Owner |
Video Views Are Down 36%: What the Experts Say
Perhaps the most surprising data point in the 2026 Socialinsider report: video views have declined 36% year-over-year across every page size. This doesn’t mean video is dead — but it does mean the video strategy most brands are running is no longer working.
Average LinkedIn Video Views by Page Size
Page Followers | Avg Views 2024 | Avg Views 2025 | Change |
1–5K followers | 190 | 155 | −18% |
5–10K followers | 400 | 245 | −39% |
10–50K followers | 1,000 | 585 | −42% |
50–100K followers | 765 | 360 | −53% |
100K–1M followers | 2,430 | 1,380 | −43% |
Source: SocialInsider LinkedIn Benchmarks 2026
“LinkedIn counts a video view after just 3 seconds on screen — which can happen just by scrolling. That inflates the numbers. I don’t think LinkedIn is a video-first platform, and the data is starting to agree.” — Melonie Dodaro, LinkedIn Strategist & Author |
Kristian Downer added an ads perspective:
“Video is great for retargeting — if someone watches a significant portion, they’re invested. But getting people there in the first place is much harder on LinkedIn than on other platforms.” — Kristian Downer, LinkedIn Ads Agency Owner |
Miruna shared that at Socialinsider, two video types outperformed everything else: lighthearted/funny content, and repurposed clips from live sessions. Everything else underperformed.
What to Do Instead of Abandoning Video Entirely
Repurpose horizontal clips from webinars or live sessions (not vertical TikTok-style content)
Short, horizontal clips with a specific insight tend to drive more engagement than broad reach
Add captions as most LinkedIn users scroll on mute
Use video for retargeting ads once you’ve built a warm audience
Don’t force video if it’s not natural for you or your team: consistency beats format trends
“Do the kind of content you’re actually going to get done. If video would take you four weeks, do what lets you share your thoughts now. LinkedIn rewards consistency, not a perfect format.” — Beth Granger, LinkedIn Trainer, Consultant & Speaker |
Multi-Image Posts: The Best Format for Likes
While native documents top the engagement charts, multi-image posts (photo albums uploaded together) are the clear winner when the goal is generating likes. The data shows this holds true across all follower counts.
Average Likes per Post by Format and Page Size
Page Size | Native Doc | Multi-Image | Video | Image | Text |
1–5K followers | 16 | 30 | 23 | 27 | 9 |
5–10K followers | 20 | 50 | 35 | 40 | 12 |
10–50K followers | 30 | 65 | 57 | 65 | 15 |
50–100K followers | 45 | 145 | 85 | 100 | 25 |
100K–1M followers | 30 | 180 | 155 | 185 | 45 |
Source: SocialInsider LinkedIn Benchmarks 2026
“Multi-image posts drive curiosity. You have to swipe to see the next photo. That’s the same mechanic as carousels — and it’s why people engage. It’s complimentary to your document strategy, not a replacement.” — Miruna Vocheci, Social Media Manager, Socialinsider |
Polls: The Reach Play for Large Pages Only
Polls are one of the most misunderstood formats on LinkedIn. The SocialInsider data shows they perform best for pages over 50K followers in terms of impressions — for pages under that threshold, polls are more useful as an audience research tool than a reach strategy.
“For smaller accounts, polls are a way to learn — to spark interaction and understand your audience, not to chase massive reach. I use them to tease upcoming research and get feedback from our community.” — Miruna Vocheci, Social Media Manager, Socialinsider |
When to Use Polls on LinkedIn:
Large pages (50K+ followers): use polls for impressions and broad reach
Small/mid pages: use polls to gather audience feedback or preview upcoming content
Personal profiles: you can see who voted — a hidden prospecting tool
Company pages: vote data is anonymous, but aggregate numbers are still useful
Avoid niche poll topics that most of your audience can’t answer
Audience Growth Is Slowing, But Follower Count Isn’t the Real KPI
LinkedIn follower growth slowed across all page sizes in 2025, with the sharpest drop among the largest accounts. Pages with 100K–1M followers saw growth fall to just 6.4%, down from 21.6% the prior year.
Average LinkedIn Follower Growth Rate by Page Size
Page Size | Growth Rate 2024 | Growth Rate 2025 | Change |
1–5K followers | 40.75% | 24.50% | ↓ |
5–10K followers | 35.20% | 31.00% | ↓ |
10–50K followers | 22.80% | 21.30% | ↓ |
50–100K followers | 27.60% | 16.25% | ↓ |
100K–1M followers | 21.60% | 6.40% | ↓↓ |
Source: SocialInsider LinkedIn Benchmarks 2026
But here’s the nuance the panel added: follower count is increasingly a vanity metric. What matters more is the quality of the audience and the actions they take.
“People don’t follow you instantly anymore. It’s a longer journey. They need to see that you consistently deliver value before they’re willing to put you in their feed. My goal shifted from growing followers to making people want to follow me.” — Miruna Vocheci, Social Media Manager, Socialinsider |
“I’m now paying close attention to one specific metric: how many new followers did each individual post generate? That tells you which content is actually earning trust, not just impressions.” — Melonie Dodaro, LinkedIn Strategist & Author |
What to Track Instead of (or in addition to) Follower Count:
New followers per post (now available in LinkedIn analytics)
Post saves — the strongest signal that content is genuinely valuable
DMs from people who found you through your content
Engagement from people in your ICP (ideal customer profile)
Conference/in-person “I see you everywhere” recognition (Kristian’s favorite KPI)
“The metric I love most: when clients go to conferences and people say, ‘We see you everywhere.’ That intangible visibility is what makes everything else — outreach, DMs, sales conversations — so much easier.” — Kristian Downer, LinkedIn Ads Agency Owner |
The Strategic Commenting Approach That’s Winning in 2026
One of the most tactically rich parts of the conversation wasn’t about posting at all — it was about commenting. The panel challenged the common advice to “comment on popular posts” and replaced it with something more nuanced.
“My strategy is to find posts from people I admire that aren’t getting much engagement, and leave a genuinely insightful comment. Not ‘great post.’ Something real. That person is far more likely to notice you and start a relationship than if you’re one of a hundred comments on a viral post.” — Kristian Downer, LinkedIn Ads Agency Owner |
“We have an Excel file with our clients, our ICPs, and people I find interesting on LinkedIn. I spend 30 minutes a day going through it, commenting on five accounts from each group. It turns the brand into something that feels human.” — Miruna Vocheci, Social Media Manager, Socialinsider |
Beth Granger added a practical tip that cuts through social media overwhelm:
“Ignore the feed. LinkedIn shows you what it wants to show you. Instead, bookmark 5 clients, 5 prospects, 5 referral partners — and go to their content directly. That’s strategic engagement, not reactive scrolling.” — Beth Granger, LinkedIn Trainer, Consultant & Speaker |
The Outbound Comment System That Works:
Build a list: 5 clients + 5 ICPs + 5 referral partners + 5 industry peers
Set a 30-minute daily or weekly timer to go through the list
Comment with substance — add a data point, a counterpoint, or a specific observation
Target posts that aren’t already flooded with comments (more visibility, more reciprocity)
For busy teams: create a Slack channel with suggested posts to comment on each week
Connecting Organic and Paid LinkedIn Strategy
A recurring theme in the panel was the underutilized connection between organic content performance and paid LinkedIn ads strategy.
“If a post doesn’t perform well organically, do not put money behind it. Full stop.” — Melonie Dodaro, LinkedIn Strategist & Author |
Kristian Downer expanded on how his agency uses organic signals to inform paid campaigns:
“Engagement from targeted ads — likes, comments, from the right people — we treat as soft leads. We tell the sales team: these people know who you are. When you reach out, it’s not cold. It’s warm. That changes everything.” — Kristian Downer, LinkedIn Ads Agency Owner |
How to Connect Organic and Paid:
Test content organically first — find what resonates before spending
Use thought leader ads to amplify your best personal posts to a targeted audience
Monitor which organic posts generate new followers — those are your paid candidates
Document ads can gate content after slide 2–3 to capture leads and LinkedIn URLs
Use retargeting: people who watch video are warmer leads than cold audiences
Rapid Fire: Expert Picks for 2026
One format every brand should post more of in 2026:
Miruna Vocheci: Carousels (native documents)
Melonie Dodaro: Infographics
Kristian Downer: Thought leader ads for your best organic posts
Beth Granger: LinkedIn Newsletters
Dorien Morin-van Dam: Horizontal video (test it!)
One thing that’s overrated on LinkedIn right now:
Melonie Dodaro: Video (for most brands and personalities)
Kristian Downer: LinkedIn Premium Company Pages
Beth Granger: Using AI to create all your content
Miruna Vocheci: Commenting on popular/viral pages just for visibility
Best LinkedIn advice you ignored and wish you hadn’t:
Melonie Dodaro: Starting a LinkedIn Newsletter earlier, early movers got massively amplified
Kristian Downer: Jumping on new LinkedIn features when they launch, not months later
Miruna Vocheci: Building a personal brand alongside the company brand
Dorien Morin-van Dam: Using LinkedIn Live early: I had access and didn’t use it, and lost it
Your LinkedIn Action Plan for Q2 2026
Based on the Socialinsider data and this expert panel, here’s what LinkedIn marketers should do this quarter:
Shift your content mix toward native documents (carousels/PDFs) — the #1 performing format at 7% engagement
Pause heavy video production unless you have a clear strategy; repurpose existing clips instead
Use multi-image posts (photo albums) when your primary goal is generating likes and impressions
Build a structured outbound commenting system focused on your ICP, not the feed
Track new followers per post as a content quality signal, not just total follower count
Align organic and paid: don’t boost what hasn’t proven itself organically
For large pages: test polls for reach. For smaller pages: use polls for audience research
Watch what LinkedIn is actively promoting — and test new features early, not late
“Every time you build something as a brand or as a person — look at the data, be strategic, but always add a little bit of empathy in everything you do.” — Miruna Vocheci, Social Media Manager, Socialinsider |
“As an individual, ask yourself: if I were in a room full of people, would I say this or do this? If yes, it belongs on LinkedIn. If not — reconsider.” — Beth Granger, LinkedIn Trainer, Consultant & Speaker |
“Offer value in everything you do. Every post should have a clear goal and objective. Not every post needs to be thought leadership — even pure engagement goals serve a purpose.” — Melonie Dodaro, LinkedIn Strategist & Author |
About This Panel
This blog post is based on a live Strategy Talks episode recorded on April 2, 2026. The Socialinsider LinkedIn Benchmarks 2026 report analyzed 1.3 million LinkedIn posts from 16,645 business pages spanning January 2024 through December 2025.
Connect with the panelists on LinkedIn:
Read the full Socialinsider 2026 LinkedIn Benchmarks report
