Content marketing today isn’t just about creativity, it’s about leveraging data to make strategic decisions. While many brands still rely on guesswork, LinkedIn has turned content into a science by tapping into one of the world’s richest professional data sets. Steve Kearns, Global Head of Content, Ads at LinkedIn, has seen firsthand how the platform uses its vast pool of professional insights to create, distribute, and optimize content that actually drives business results.
For marketers looking to make smarter content decisions, understanding LinkedIn’s approach can unlock practical, actionable insights that go beyond surface-level metrics. Here’s how LinkedIn leverages data to shape content, and what you can take from their playbook.
Data Determines What Stories Get Told
Content marketing used to be a creative discipline first and foremost. But today, the best-performing content isn’t just based on intuition, it’s guided by hard data. LinkedIn taps into behavioral insights to see what professionals are actually engaging with and uses that information to create content that resonates.
“Our goal is to spark richer, more meaningful conversations on LinkedIn, so we use our data to create content that truly drives engagement.”
By analyzing engagement patterns, LinkedIn determines which topics spark the richest discussions, what professionals are searching for, and which formats (videos, carousels, long-form posts) perform best. This allows them to create content that doesn’t just exist—it actively shapes industry conversations.
Instead of just brainstorming topics, analyze your audience’s engagement trends. Which articles, posts, or topics are generating the most discussion? What questions are being asked repeatedly? Use these insights to reverse-engineer content that people actually care about.
Targeting the Right Audience at the Right Time
Creating great content is only half the battle, getting it in front of the right audience is just as critical. LinkedIn doesn’t just publish and pray. It uses professional, economic, and engagement data to strategically distribute content based on who needs to see it and when.
“We leverage LinkedIn’s behavioral and sentiment data to understand what types of content to create at the right level and to help professionals make more informed decisions.”
This means LinkedIn’s content isn’t randomly pushed out, it’s placed in front of professionals at the right stage of their journey. For example, insights on job trends help LinkedIn create content about career growth, which then reaches users actively looking for professional development.
Don’t just publish content blindly. Use data to guide distribution. Look at user behavior, when are they most active? Which platforms are they engaging with? What stage of the buyer’s journey are they in? Then, align content distribution with those insights to maximize reach and impact.
Turning Insights into Continuous Growth
A data-driven content strategy isn’t just about what you publish, it’s also about how you refine content over time. LinkedIn treats content as a living asset, constantly measuring performance and optimizing based on real-world engagement data.
“Marketing and creativity should be more than just aesthetics, they must drive real business growth across the entire funnel.”
LinkedIn regularly analyzes which content drives conversations, builds relationships, and converts. If a campaign underperforms, they don’t just move on, they adjust, retarget, and refine based on the data. This iterative approach ensures that content doesn’t just get published, it gets smarter over time.
Don’t set and forget. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement, conversion rates, and retention metrics. If a piece of content isn’t working, identify what’s missing, is it the format, the topic, or the distribution? Then, iterate and improve to make your content work harder for your business.
Final Thoughts: Data is Your Marketing Superpower
Too many brands treat content marketing as an art when it should be a blend of art and science. LinkedIn’s approach proves that the best content strategies aren’t just built on creativity but powered by data-driven decision-making.
By analyzing audience behavior, strategically distributing content, and optimizing based on performance, LinkedIn has transformed content from an afterthought into a revenue-driving machine. And the best part? These same principles are accessible to any marketing team willing to embrace data as a core part of their content strategy.
For marketers looking to step up their game, the message is clear: Don’t guess, use data to create content that actually works.
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