Engagement pods once helped boost visibility on LinkedIn, but in 2025, they’re unsafe and ineffective.
LinkedIn’s algorithm now prioritizes authentic engagement, relevant audiences, and consistent posting.
The new way to grow is simple: skip pods, focus on meaningful interactions, and use tools that align with LinkedIn’s rules instead of trying to hack them.
Pods vs. The New Way to Grow on LinkedIn
Why Engagement Pods Don’t Work Anymore
Engagement pods don’t work on LinkedIn anymore because the platform can now detect inauthentic patterns.
Pods are small, private groups where people trade likes and comments to make their posts appear more popular.
This worked for a short time, but LinkedIn’s algorithm now flags the common behaviors that come from pods, such as:
- Repetitive engagement: the same users reacting to each other’s posts repeatedly
- Low-effort comments: generic replies like “Great post!” that add no real value
- Unnatural spikes: dozens of likes or comments within minutes, which look automated
Instead of rewarding these signals, LinkedIn now treats them as inauthentic. The results can include:
- Posts appearing lower in the feed, reducing reach
- Engagement numbers that look inflated but bring no real visibility
- Account restrictions if your activity seems automated or manipulative
In short, engagement pods create the illusion of growth without helping you reach new people or build real relationships.
💡 With Podawaa, you can target the right audience and boost your LinkedIn post visibility with more likes and comments (from real people).
Try Podawaa for Free →What Actually Works on LinkedIn in 2025
What actually works on LinkedIn in 2025 is creating high-quality posts that spark real conversations, sharing them at the right time, and reaching audiences genuinely interested in your topic.
LinkedIn’s algorithm now rewards:
- Authentic engagement: Meaningful comments and discussions, not empty likes.
- Relevant audiences: Visibility from users who actually care about your topic.
- Timing: Early interactions (within the first hour) signal quality and boost reach.
- Consistency: Posting regularly builds long-term visibility and authority.
Tools like Podawaa’s AI-powered LinkedIn assistant expand your reach safely by connecting posts with fresh, relevant audiences.
How to Grow on LinkedIn Without Pods
The best way to grow on LinkedIn without engagement pods is to focus on authentic engagement, smart timing, and AI-powered tools like Podawaa’s LinkedIn assistant that connect your post with the right audience.
Here’s how you can do it step by step:
1. Write LinkedIn Posts That Get People Talking (Not Just Likes)
LinkedIn’s algorithm doesn’t reward surface-level engagement anymore. It focuses on posts that get people commenting and having real conversations.
A post with hundreds of likes but no replies won’t perform as well as one that gets fewer likes but has active discussions.
LinkedIn recognizes comments as a sign that your content adds value, so it keeps showing your post to more people.
Here’s an example of a post that sparked conversation. Most posts usually get more likes than comments, but in this case, the discussion took over, showing how valuable comments can be for reach.
To write posts that get people commenting:
- Start with a strong hook that makes people stop scrolling and want to read more. A good hook sets the tone for your post and draws your audience in. You can find examples here: LinkedIn Post Hook Examples.
- End with a question that invites others to share their opinions or experiences. This keeps the conversation going in the comments.
- Share specific insights that people can agree or disagree with, instead of generic advice that doesn’t spark discussion. For ideas, see LinkedIn Post Examples for Marketers.
2. Warm Up the Algorithm by Commenting Before You Post
LinkedIn rewards users who actively engage with others. If you want people to interact with your posts, start by showing up on theirs.
Spending just 10 to 15 minutes commenting before you publish can help your post reach more people.
When you leave thoughtful comments, your name and profile picture appear in the feed of the post’s author and their network. This makes you more visible before you even post.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
This visibility helps people recognize your name, so when you publish your own post shortly after, they are more likely to engage. Over time, this habit builds real relationships and steady engagement across your LinkedIn network.
3. Post at Peak Times for Maximum Visibility
The first 60 minutes after you publish are the most important on LinkedIn. When your post gets early likes or comments, the algorithm sees it as valuable and pushes it to more feeds.
Posting at the wrong time can hurt your reach because your audience might not be online yet. While many studies suggest that weekday mornings and lunch hours perform well, what really matters is when your audience is active.
That’s where Podawaa’s Best Time to Post feature helps. It analyzes your audience’s activity and shows personalized time slots when engagement is most likely to peak.
Here’s how that looks inside the platform:
Publishing when your audience is most active gives your post a better chance to pick up early engagement and maintain momentum throughout the day. If you want to dive deeper into the data behind timing, this guide on the Best Time to Post on LinkedIn explains it in detail.
4. Reach the Right Audience With AI-Selected Targeting (Instead of Pods)
Engagement pods used to show your posts to the same small group of people, no matter what your topic was.
That meant your content often reached users who weren’t actually interested. Over time, LinkedIn’s algorithm learned to recognize these repetitive patterns and began reducing their visibility.
When your post appears in front of people who care about the topic, they are more likely to comment, share, and engage, which helps your post perform better and stay visible longer.
With Podawaa’s AI-selected audience feature, this process becomes automatic.
1. The AI analyzes your post’s content, including keywords and context.
2. It matches your post with real LinkedIn users who are genuinely interested in that topic.
3. Each boost brings in a fresh, relevant audience instead of showing your content to the same group repeatedly.
This approach creates natural engagement patterns, keeps your account safe, and ensures that your post is seen by the right people every time.
To learn more about how this works in detail, see our full guide on Reaching the Right Audience on LinkedIn With AI.
5. Add Comments to Your LinkedIn Posts
On LinkedIn, comments matter more than likes. While a like shows approval, a comment keeps the conversation going, and LinkedIn rewards that by showing your post to more people.
Posts that receive real discussions often reach far beyond those with hundreds of silent likes. That’s why adding comments should be part of your growth strategy.
With Podawaa, you can plan and manage comments directly when boosting your post.
To learn more about how Podawaa’s AI comments work, read this guide: How to Use AI for LinkedIn Comments.
You can:
- Use AI-generated comments that fit naturally with your post and sound authentic.
- Add custom comments that you write yourself or reuse from previous boosts.
- Combine both for the best balance, using quick AI suggestions when you’re short on time and manual comments when you want to add your own touch.
This turns your post from a one-way update into a real conversation that attracts attention and builds credibility.
💡 With Podawaa, you can target the right audience and boost your LinkedIn post visibility with more likes and comments (from real people).
Try Podawaa for Free →6. Track Performance and Refine Your LinkedIn Strategy
Growing on LinkedIn isn’t about one viral post. It’s about understanding what works for your audience and improving your approach over time.
LinkedIn now provides detailed analytics that help you track and measure your progress more effectively. You can view metrics like:
- Impressions: How many people saw your post?
- Engagement rate: The percentage of people who interacted with your post.
- Post type performance: Which formats (carousel posts, videos, polls, or text posts) bring the most engagement?
- Demographics: insights into who engages with your content, such as job roles, industries, and locations.
LinkedIn has also added new metrics like Saves and Sends, which show how often people save or share your content privately.
These signals are becoming key indicators of high-value content. You can learn more about them here: LinkedIn Saves and Sends: The New Engagement Metrics.
Another recent update is the Cumulative View, which lets you track long-term growth rather than daily spikes. This makes it easier to see consistent progress in impressions and engagement.
Here’s what the new analytics view looks like:
By regularly checking these insights, you can see which topics, post types, and timing patterns bring the best results.
For a complete breakdown of how to understand each metric, check out this guide: LinkedIn Metrics Explained.
Ready to Grow Without LinkedIn Pods? Start With Podawaa
LinkedIn no longer rewards engagement pods or quick hacks.
What works now is genuine conversations, the right audience, and consistent posting. That’s how you grow reach, build credibility, and turn connections into real opportunities.
With Podawaa, you get an AI-powered LinkedIn assistant that helps you:
- Post at the best times for your audience
- Reach people genuinely interested in your content
- Add natural comments that improve visibility
- Track results and refine your strategy
Skip pods. Skip shortcuts. Grow smarter with AI.
Get started with Podawaa’s free plan and see how AI-selected audiences can expand your reach safely and effectively.
FAQs on LinkedIn Growth Without Pods
Do LinkedIn engagement pods still work?
No. LinkedIn engagement pods create repetitive patterns, quick engagement spikes, and low-quality comments. Instead of boosting a post’s reach, they now risk lowering your average reach or even getting your LinkedIn account flagged.
How can I increase engagement on my LinkedIn posts?
Post high-quality content that sparks discussion, reply to comments fast, and engage with others’ posts in your feed. Formats like carousel posts and videos can help get more comments and more engagement from your LinkedIn network.
Are pods safe for job seekers or personal branding?
No. Using a LinkedIn pod or WhatsApp group can damage your online reputation. Job seekers and anyone building a personal brand should focus on genuine connections, engaging content, and building genuine relationships with their LinkedIn connections.
What’s the best way to grow a LinkedIn account in 2025?
Post consistently, share engaging content, and interact with followers and old connections. For maximum visibility, combine quality content with tools like Podawaa to reach your ideal audience without relying on automated pods.