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Comments Are the New Currency: Why 15 Words Beat 50 Likes
LinkedIn now values thoughtful comments 15x more than likes. Here’s how to engineer responses that unlock distribution.
TL;DR
Key outcomes
What you'll get from this playbook—pull the highlights before you dive deep.
- comments
- engagement
- linkedin algorithm
The algorithmic shift
LinkedIn’s 2025 ranking model uses comment depth as the clearest proxy for value. Comments with 15+ words carry roughly 15x the weight of likes—and comments from people in your niche count extra. After ~50 likes, the algorithm looks for higher-quality signals; shallow reactions stop moving the needle.
What “meaningful” looks like
- Length: 15–40 words; avoids “Great post!”
- Specificity: references the post’s claim, metric, or framework.
- Contribution: adds a perspective, risk, or example.
- Thread potential: invites a reply, creating a mini-conversation.
Prompts that reliably trigger 15+ word answers
Use one at the end of your post or as a pinned comment:
- Identity: “What’s the most counterintuitive lesson you’ve learned about this?”
- Trade-off: “You can only do X or Y this quarter. Which one and why?”
- Confession: “What did you try that absolutely didn’t work here?”
- Fill-in: “The biggest mistake people make with this is ___. Explain.”
- Advice-seeking: “How would you solve this with a team of 3?”
Response frameworks that earn saves and replies
- Agree → Add: Validate the idea, add a data point or example, end with a question.
- Nuance → Give: Acknowledge complexity, give a short checklist, invite others to add theirs.
- Counterpoint → Ask: Present a respectful alternative, ask how the author would handle a specific constraint.
Self-replies without feeling spammy
- T+60 minutes: Share a bonus tip or link (in comments) to keep the thread fresh.
- T+6 hours: Summarize the best comment insights; tag contributors.
- T+24 hours: Add a short “what we learned” recap if the post continues to trend.
Metrics to track weekly
- Meaningful comment rate: % of comments ≥15 words (aim 50%+).
- Reply ratio: Replies ÷ comments (aim 1.5x+ to show threading).
- Save rate: Saves ÷ impressions (aim 3%+; comments and saves compound reach).
Copy-paste CTA bank
- “Drop your most unpopular opinion on this—15+ words so we learn the why.”
- “What would you do differently? Add the context behind your decision.”
- “Fill this in: The riskiest move here is ___. Explain your take.”
When you engineer thoughtful replies, you don’t just please the algorithm—you create conversations worth staying for.
Written by Voketa Team
