LinkedIn Analytics 101: Metrics That Matter (and What to Ignore)
If you can’t explain how a post helped the business in one sentence, your analytics are noise. This guide focuses on metrics you can act on: engagement rate, saves, click‑through, profile views per post, and lead signals. You’ll get formulas, a lightweight dashboard, and a weekly review routine you can run in 15 minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Track engagement rate, saves, CTR, profile views per post, and lead signals.
- Review weekly; flag top/bottom posts and decide a single change to test.
- Ignore raw impressions without context.
What Are LinkedIn Analytics?
Definition: LinkedIn analytics are measures of how posts perform—used to improve reach, resonance, and pipeline.
When to use: Weekly to refine cadence, hooks, and CTAs.
Quick steps: set formulas → build a simple table → review on Fridays → run one test next week.
Pros: Clear feedback loop.
Cons: Vanity metrics distract if not tied to actions.
Core Formulas (keep it simple)
- Engagement rate (ER) = (Reactions + Comments + Reposts + Saves) ÷ Impressions × 100
- Save rate (SR) = Saves ÷ Impressions × 100
- Click‑through rate (CTR) = Link Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100
- Profile views per post (PV/P) = Profile Views attributed to post ÷ # of posts in period
- Lead signals = DMs mentioning the post + Form submits with UTM + Qualified demo requests within 7 days
These metrics align with LinkedIn's Creator Accelerator Program recommendations for measuring content performance and audience growth.
Starter Dashboard (spreadsheet headings)
Date, Post Title, Pillar, Format, Time Slot, Impressions, Reactions, Comments, Reposts, Saves, Link Clicks, ER %, SR %, CTR %, Profile Views, Lead Signals, Notes
Weekly Review (15 minutes)
- Sort by ER % and SR %; keep top time/format.
- Find the weakest post; choose one fix (hook, proof, timing).
- Log a single experiment for next week.
What to Ignore (or down‑weight)
- Impressions without ER context
- Follower count changes day‑to‑day
- One‑off viral spikes without repeatability
Helpful tools live in features. If you need limits and billing, see pricing.
Why These Metrics (the reasoning)
ER % and Saves % reflect real utility; CTR tells you whether links were compelling; Profile Views per Post reveals whether posts pull people to your bio; Lead Signals tie activity to pipeline. Everything else is a proxy. Tie each metric to a decision you will actually make next week.
Rule of thumb: if a metric can’t change your next draft (hook, proof, timing, CTA), de‑prioritize it.
Example Review (10 minutes, filled)
- Sort last 10 posts by ER % and Saves %.
- Keep the top slot (Tue 09:45) and top format (case micro).
- Weakest post: POV with vague hook.
- Next test: Rewrite hook using number‑shock; add a before/after line.
- Log the decision in the dashboard.
Benchmarks (directional, not targets)
| Account size | ER % | Saves % | CTR % |
|---|---|---|---|
| <5k followers | 1.0–2.5 | 0.1–0.4 | 0.2–0.8 |
| 5k–50k | 0.8–2.0 | 0.1–0.3 | 0.2–0.6 |
| >50k | 0.5–1.5 | 0.05–0.2 | 0.1–0.4 |
| Use these for sanity only—your baseline matters more than industry averages. |
Qualitative Layer (read the comments)
Numbers don’t tell you which part resonated. Each Friday, paste 3 comment snippets: a question you sparked, a surprise someone reported, and a useful disagreement. These become seeds for next week’s posts.
Avoid switching multiple variables after one weak post. Use a 4‑week window and change one thing at a time (hook, proof, timing, format).
Minimal SQL/Pseudo (if you store data)
SELECT post_id,
(reactions + comments + reposts + saves) * 100.0 / NULLIF(impressions, 0) AS er_pct,
saves * 100.0 / NULLIF(impressions, 0) AS saves_pct,
link_clicks * 100.0 / NULLIF(impressions, 0) AS ctr_pct
FROM linkedin_posts
ORDER BY post_date DESC
LIMIT 50;
Schedule Friday Reviews Track this week’s posts and test one change