How to Repost on LinkedIn: The Strategic Guide for Maximum Impact [2025]

Last updated: March 15, 2025

Introduction

When I started my LinkedIn journey in February 2024, I had just 3,000 followers. My posts were getting 5 likes if I was lucky. As I began to gain traction, I noticed something interesting about LinkedIn's repost feature - when to use it wasn't as straightforward as it seemed. What many don't realize is that LinkedIn's algorithm treats different types of reposts in very specific ways that can either amplify or reduce your visibility. Fast forward to today with over 340,000 followers, I've learned the strategic nuances of when, how, and why to use LinkedIn's repost feature effectively - lessons I wish I'd known from the beginning.

TL;DR

LinkedIn's repost feature can either boost or tank your visibility depending on how you use it. Reposting with comments creates a new post that competes with your original content for algorithm favor, while direct reposting boosts the original without diluting your metrics. If you're just starting out or post infrequently, "repost with thoughts" can actually help build your presence. Top LinkedIn creators almost exclusively repost their own content—never others'. This guide shows you how to repost strategically to grow your LinkedIn presence without accidentally sabotaging your algorithm ranking.

Table of Contents

• The Different Ways to Repost on LinkedIn
• Step-by-Step Guide to Reposting on LinkedIn
• The Algorithm Impact: What LinkedIn Doesn't Tell You About Reposts
• Strategic Reposting: Time Zones, Audiences, and Frequency
• How Top LinkedIn Creators Actually Use Reposts
• How Saywhat Can Help Optimize Your Reposting Strategy

The Different Ways to Repost on LinkedIn

LinkedIn offers two primary methods for resharing content, and understanding the distinction between them is crucial for your content strategy.

Direct Repost vs. Repost with Thoughts

The platform gives you two different options when you click the "Repost" button:

• Direct Repost: Simply shares the original post as-is without any additional commentary from you
• Repost with Thoughts: Creates a new post featuring your commentary along with the original content

Each repost method affects your visibility differently. Direct reposts boost the original content without impacting your metrics, while reposting with thoughts creates a new post that LinkedIn measures against your other content. You can use both methods to repost your own content too - though top creators typically use direct reposts (without thoughts) of their own high-performing content to reach audiences in different time zones.

Sharing in Direct Messages

Beyond public reposting, LinkedIn also lets you share posts privately:

1. Click the "Send" button on any post

   

2. Select individual connections or groups to share with

   

3. Add a personal message for context

   

4. Click "Send" to share the post privately

This private sharing method won't impact your algorithm performance but can boost the original creator's content visibility. It's a great way to strengthen relationships with your connections while supporting content you find valuable.

Step-by-Step Guide to Reposting on LinkedIn

Let's break down exactly how to use LinkedIn's repost functionality, with all the nuances that can help maximize your success.

How to Do a Direct Repost

1. Find the post you want to share in your feed
2. Click the "Repost" button below the post
3. Select "Repost" from the dropdown menu (not "Repost with thoughts")
4. A confirmation message will appear on the lower left of your screen
5. Click "View" next to the confirmation to see your repost

Direct reposts are counted as engagement on the original post rather than as separate content from your account. This means they won't affect your personal content metrics or potentially drag down your algorithm ranking.

How to Repost with Your Thoughts

1. Find the post you want to share with commentary
2. Click the "Repost" button beneath the post
3. Select "Repost with your thoughts" from the dropdown
4. In the pop-up window, enter your comments
5. Use "@" to mention relevant people, companies, or schools
6. Click the dropdown next to your name to adjust visibility settings
7. Choose who can see your post under "Who can see your post?"
8. Click "Done" to save visibility settings
9. Click "Post" in the lower-right corner to publish

When you repost with thoughts, your commentary appears as the top level of the post, with the original content displayed below. Users can click through to see any previous reposts and navigate back to the original content.

How to Delete a Repost

Made a repost you're reconsidering? Here's how to remove it:

1. Locate your repost on your profile or feed
2. Click the "More" icon (three dots) in the upper-right corner
3. Select "Delete post" from the dropdown menu
4. Confirm by clicking "Delete" in the pop-up window

The Algorithm Impact: What LinkedIn Doesn't Tell You About Reposts

This is the section I wish I had read when I first started on LinkedIn. The platform doesn't explicitly explain how different types of reposts affect your algorithm performance.

The Hidden Cost of "Repost with Thoughts" (For Active Posters)

When you use "Repost with thoughts," LinkedIn treats this as a brand new post from your account. This means:

• It counts toward your daily post frequency
• Its performance metrics (views, likes, comments) are measured against your regular posts
• If it underperforms (which reposts often do), it can negatively impact how LinkedIn ranks your future content
• LinkedIn may categorize you as someone who creates less valuable original content

After chatting with dozens of top LinkedIn creators, I discovered a common pitfall many experienced: their "Repost with thoughts" underperformed their organic ones.

Several creators with substantial followings shared that their average post views noticeably dropped during periods of heavy reposting. When they analyzed their content performance, they concluded these lower-engagement reposts were dragging down their overall metrics in LinkedIn's algorithm.

When "Repost with Thoughts" Actually Helps (For Infrequent Posters)

Here's a crucial nuance many LinkedIn guides miss: if you're not regularly posting your own content, "Repost with thoughts" can actually benefit your presence. When you're just starting out or post infrequently:

• Reposting with thoughtful commentary shows your expertise and perspective
• It keeps your profile active and visible to your network
• It helps LinkedIn understand what topics you're interested in
• It's better than posting nothing at all

A few creators I know use this approach when they get too busy to create original content, and it helps keep their visibility from tanking. It's also a great starting strategy if you're new to LinkedIn and not quite ready to put your own content out there yet. It's kinda like LinkedIn training wheels - a way to get comfortable sharing your thoughts before creating posts from scratch.

The Benefit of Direct Reposts

Direct reposts, on the other hand, have a neutral-to-positive effect regardless of your posting frequency:

• They don't count as separate posts from your account
• They don't affect your content performance metrics
• They boost the original post's visibility and engagement
• They signal to LinkedIn that you're active on the platform without risking algorithm penalties

I've seen corporate accounts that switched from frequently using "Repost with thoughts" to a strategy of direct reposts combined with fewer but higher-quality original posts. In most cases, their overall reach improved even though they were posting less often. It seems LinkedIn's algorithm rewards quality as well as quantity.

Strategic Reposting: Time Zones, Audiences, and Frequency

Once you understand the mechanics and algorithm implications, you can use reposts strategically to maximize reach without damaging your metrics.

Time Zone Strategy

One of the most effective reposting techniques involves extending your content's lifespan across different time zones:

• Post your original content when your primary audience is most active
• Use a direct repost (without comments) 8-12 hours later to reach connections in different time zones

This approach gives your content multiple chances to gain traction without creating competing posts. This is done by large creators like Lara Acosta and Jasmin Alic. I've had creators report that this strategy increased their post views by ~10-20% compared to single-posting.

Audience Targeting Through Visibility Settings

LinkedIn allows you to set different visibility options for your reposts:

• Anyone: Visible to all LinkedIn users and potentially outside the platform
• Connections only: Limited to people directly connected to you

This feature enables strategic targeting. For example, you might post industry insights publicly but repost them with "Connections only" visibility when adding more candid commentary for your closer network.

Finding the Right Repost Frequency

Balance is crucial when incorporating reposts into your content strategy:

• For active posters (3+ posts/week): Maintain at least a 4:1 ratio of original posts to reposts with thoughts
• For occasional posters (1-2 posts/week): You can use "Repost with thoughts" more liberally, but still aim to create at least one original post weekly
• For all users: Direct reposts can be used more liberally (3-4 times weekly) without negative algorithm impact

Personally, I don't repost at all. I've found that focusing exclusively on original content has been the most effective approach for my growth to 340,000 followers. That said, this strict approach makes the most sense once you've already built some momentum.

If you're just starting out or going through a busy period where creating original content is challenging, strategic reposting can be a valuable way to maintain visibility and engagement. Just aim to transition toward more original content as your confidence and bandwidth increase. You can also try using AI writing tools to help with the content creation process during busy times.

How Top LinkedIn Creators Actually Use Reposts

This is a critical distinction many LinkedIn guides miss: top creators on the platform almost exclusively repost their own content—never others'. Here's how they use the repost feature strategically:

The Self-Repost Strategy of Top Creators

The most successful LinkedIn creators maintain a highly selective approach to reposting:

• Their feeds are dominated by original content they've created themselves
• If they use the repost feature at all, it's almost exclusively to repost their own high-performing content
• When analyzing the profiles of LinkedIn's top 100 creators, I found that over 95% never repost others' content

This focused approach serves several purposes: it maintains a consistent personal brand, ensures algorithm favor, and keeps their audience engaged with their unique perspective. The only exception many top creators make is occasionally using direct reposts of their own content 8-12 hours after posting to reach audiences in different time zones.

Alternative Ways to Acknowledge Others' Content

Instead of reposting others' content, top creators:

• Create entirely new posts that mention and tag the original creator
• Share their thoughts on a topic inspired by someone else's content, with proper attribution
• Write "round-up" style original posts that highlight multiple creators
• Comment meaningfully on others' posts to drive engagement there

This approach maintains their algorithm performance while still acknowledging valuable content from others.

Why Successful Creators Avoid Reposting Others

Through my conversations with LinkedIn's most successful content creators, I've uncovered several reasons they avoid reposting others:

• Their audience follows them specifically for their original insights
• Reposting others dilutes their personal brand and content style
• The algorithm rewards accounts that consistently produce original content
• Engagement metrics on reposts of others' content typically underperform their original posts

How Saywhat Can Help Optimize Your LinkedIn Strategy

Whether you're creating original content or strategically reposting, sometimes small tweaks can take you to millions of views. Saywhat provides the tools and educational community to help grow your LinkedIn presence authentically:

• Turning your experience into content: Get Saywhat's AI to help you draft up and refine great posts in no time at all
• Analytics: Track which posts drive growth so you can double down on them
• Content inspiration: Search through 5 Million LinkedIn posts so you never get stuck for content ideas again

Rather than guessing when to repost or what content to create, Saywhat gives you actionable insights based on real engagement data from your audience.

The Bottom Line on LinkedIn Reposting

Used strategically, LinkedIn's repost feature can be a powerful tool for extending your reach and showcasing valuable content. The key is understanding the algorithm impact of different repost methods and using them intentionally:

• Top LinkedIn creators almost exclusively repost their own content—never others'
• If you're an active content creator, use "Direct Repost" of your own content to reach different time zones
• If you're just starting out or post infrequently, "Repost with thoughts" can be an effective way to build presence
• As your following grows, gradually shift toward more original content and fewer reposts of others
• Monitor performance metrics to refine your approach over time

By being intentional about how and when you repost content, you can maintain strong algorithm performance while still actively engaging with your network's content.

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