The Quiet Revolution on Your LinkedIn Feed

I'll be honest—I nearly missed it. For weeks, my LinkedIn posts had been performing differently, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Then the news broke: LinkedIn had rolled out its most significant algorithm update ever, the so-called "360Brew." And suddenly, everything made sense.

This isn't just another tweak to the system. It's a fundamental rethinking of how LinkedIn evaluates and distributes content. Rather than analysing posts in isolation, 360Brew connects what you publish with your overall profile presence, creating what LinkedIn engineers call a "contextual content ecosystem."

For those of us who use LinkedIn for business development, thought leadership or simply staying connected professionally, understanding these changes isn't optional—it's essential. So let's dive into what's actually happening, shall we?

The Profile-Content Connection: Your New Foundation

The most revolutionary aspect of 360Brew is how it treats your profile and content as inseparable elements of a whole. Your profile is no longer just a digital CV—it's become the foundation that determines your content's performance.

The algorithm now actively checks whether your posts align with your profile information. A friend of mine who runs a digital marketing agency learned this the hard way. Despite creating brilliant content about SEO, her posts were underperforming because her profile still emphasised her previous career in accounting with only a brief mention of her current role.

Think of it this way: if you regularly post about UX design but your profile highlights your experience in sales without mentioning design skills, the algorithm essentially says, "This doesn't add up" and limits your visibility accordingly.

Topic Consistency: Finding Your Lane

Gone are the days when you could post about leadership on Monday, coding on Tuesday, and workplace wellbeing on Wednesday. The 360Brew algorithm strongly rewards topic consistency, encouraging users to:

• Establish 2-3 core professional topics aligned with their expertise

• Stick with these areas consistently (research suggests at least 90 days)

• Build a clear pattern that reinforces your professional identity

A marketing director I work with described it perfectly: "LinkedIn now wants you to be known for something specific, not everything generally."

When you jump randomly between unrelated topics, you confuse the algorithm about who would find your content relevant. When the system can't categorise your expertise, it struggles to identify your natural audience.

Quality Engagement: The End of "Great post!"

Remember when we'd all leave quick comments like "Great insights!" or "Totally agree!" on colleagues' posts? Those days are over. Under 360Brew:

• Comments carry significantly more weight than likes or reactions

• Comment quality matters more than quantity

• Meaningful conversations boost visibility more than superficial interactions

LinkedIn's internal documentation reportedly refers to these short, generic comments as "engagement noise" rather than true interaction. Posts generating numerous such comments may actually be penalised rather than boosted.

Instead, the algorithm now prioritises content that sparks substantive dialogue—where people add value, share insights, or ask thoughtful questions. It's about quality of conversation, not just tallying up reaction counts.

The Rising Power of Saves

Perhaps the most underappreciated element of the new algorithm is the extraordinary importance of "saves." When someone saves your post, they're essentially telling LinkedIn, "This content is valuable enough that I want to reference it later"—and the algorithm takes notice.

Posts generating high save rates enjoy several benefits:

• Higher initial visibility in feeds

• Extended distribution over days or weeks

• Increased likelihood of being recommended outside your network

This emphasis on "save-worthy" content rewards substance over style and practical value over engagement tricks. As one LinkedIn product manager put it in a recent webinar: "We're looking for content worth keeping, not just worth scrolling past."

Posting Frequency: Less Can Be More

If you've been feeling the pressure to post daily, I've got brilliant news. The 360Brew update significantly reduces the importance of posting frequency.

Under the new system:

• One strong, valuable post per week can outperform five mediocre ones

• Consistency matters more than high frequency

• Quality receives substantially more weight than quantity

This shift allows busy professionals to focus on developing thoughtful, well-researched content rather than rushing to maintain an aggressive posting schedule. For small businesses without dedicated social teams, this levels the playing field considerably.

Old Tactics That Now Backfire

Several common LinkedIn strategies that previously boosted visibility now have neutral or negative effects:

1. Engagement-bait posts (like "Agree or disagree?" or "Comment with a 👍")

2. Posting links in first comments to avoid algorithm penalties

3. Connection request blitzes without meaningful engagement

4. Hashtag stuffing or using trending hashtags unrelated to your content

5. Timing posts for specific "optimal" hours

What's the common thread? These tactics focused on gaming the system rather than providing genuine value to other professionals—and 360Brew is designed specifically to neutralise them.

What Actually Works Now

The new algorithm clearly favours approaches that prioritise authentic professional value:

1. Genuine expertise that demonstrates real professional insight

2. Consistent messaging that aligns with a well-defined identity

3. Content that drives meaningful conversations

4. Posts that people want to save for future reference

5. Complete professional profiles that provide context for shared content

As my colleague in tech recruitment noted: "LinkedIn finally rewards what should have mattered all along—being genuinely helpful to your professional community."

Why Your Reach Might Have Dropped

If you've seen your reach decrease recently, you're not alone. Many users report reach decreases of 30-50% following the update. This reduction stems from two primary factors:

1. More precise targeting - Content is shown to more relevant audiences rather than maximising views

2. Algorithm confusion about users with inconsistent profiles or content patterns

While overall numbers may decrease, engagement from truly relevant connections often increases. It's a classic quality versus quantity scenario.

Your 360Brew Success Strategy

Step 1: Profile Optimisation First

Before worrying about content, ensure your profile tells a clear, consistent professional story:

• Align your headline, about section, and experience to communicate a coherent identity

• Include specific expertise areas that match your content focus

• Update skills and endorsements to reflect your current professional emphasis

Step 2: Content Strategy Reset

To thrive under 360Brew:

1. Identify 2-3 core topics aligned with your genuine expertise

2. Create a content calendar focused on these areas

3. Prioritise depth over breadth in your approach

4. Design posts for conversation, including elements that invite meaningful response

5. Create reference-worthy content that provides lasting value

Step 3: Engagement Reimagined

Modify how you interact with others' content:

• Leave thoughtful comments that add genuine perspective

• Ask relevant questions that demonstrate interest

• Share personal experiences related to the topic

• Engage consistently with key connections' content

Why This Might Actually Be Brilliant

While algorithm changes can be frustrating, 360Brew offers several advantages—particularly for smaller businesses and individual professionals:

1. Less pressure to post constantly makes content creation more manageable

2. Focus on authentic expertise rather than marketing tactics levels the playing field

3. Quality of connections matters more than quantity

4. Genuine knowledge outweighs production value and polish

5. Consistency and authenticity outperform tactical approaches

This update rewards those who approach LinkedIn as a genuine professional community rather than just another marketing channel. By focusing on authentic expertise, meaningful conversation, and content that provides lasting value, you can adapt successfully to the new algorithm landscape.

The Profile Foundation

If there's one thing you take from this article, let it be this: your LinkedIn profile now serves as the essential foundation for all your content performance. Without profile-content alignment and topic consistency, even brilliantly written posts will struggle to gain traction.

For those willing to embrace these changes, LinkedIn in 2026 offers an opportunity to build more meaningful professional relationships based on expertise rather than content marketing tricks. And isn't that what the platform was supposed to be about all along?