The hosts break down what actually works on LinkedIn in 2026, including intel Dan picked up at LinkedIn's headquarters. They cover why hashtags are dead, how the first 30 minutes after posting determine your reach, the exact character limits for hooks (62/62/50), and why replying to comments on your own posts matters more than most people think. Aaron makes the case for video content after one low-effort video drove 70-80% of his annual impressions, while Dan argues for text-first posts and evergreen articles.

Timestamps

- **0:01:02** — Dan on the basics: why replying to your own commenters still matters more than anything

- **0:03:02** — John on using bold photography and black-and-white images to stop the scroll

- **0:04:39** — Breakdown of every engagement type on LinkedIn and what each one signals to the algorithm

- **0:07:49** — How engagements create a network effect: the math behind impressions stacking

- **0:10:12** — The 30-minute window after posting and why your replies during that time matter most

- **0:12:17** — Hashtags are dead: what LinkedIn's own team told Dan at HQ

- **0:14:13** — Tagging people and brands: when it helps, when it's creepy, and the missing feature LinkedIn needs

- **0:19:30** — Content formats that work: carousels are out, writing is back, and the selfie fatigue problem

- **0:23:30** — The hook formula: 62 characters on line one, 62 on line two, 50 on line three before the cutoff

- **0:31:50** — Aaron's case for video after one clip drove 70-80% of his yearly impressions

Co-hosts

- **Aaron Makelky** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/)

- **Dan Yu** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/danoyu/)

- **John Lovig** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlovig/)

## Links

- [FutureProof You Website](https://futureproof-you.com)

- [FutureProof You on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureproof-you)

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Becoming a Consistent Creator on LinkedIn