Do LinkedIn Posts And Articles Get Indexed On Google?

Do LinkedIn Posts and Articles Get Indexed on Google? An In-Depth Look

LinkedIn has become a powerful platform for establishing thought leadership and driving business growth.

With over 722 million users worldwide, it is tempting for marketers to use LinkedIn content as part of their SEO and content marketing strategies.

But does LinkedIn content actually get picked up by Google and other search engines?

Can your company blog posts and longform articles on LinkedIn appear in organic search results?

In this comprehensive guide, we take an in-depth look at how LinkedIn content can get indexed and ranked in Google along with tips to boost visibility.

How Does Google Index LinkedIn Content?

Google and other search engines use web crawlers known as bots to discover and index content across the web.

However, LinkedIn has put up walls around parts of their platform to prevent widespread indexing.

According to Google, profiles, groups and other social features on LinkedIn are noindex by default.

This means Google will not pick up this content for indexing in search results.

However, other parts of LinkedIn are partially open to search engines:

• LinkedIn Company Pages: The posts and content published on LinkedIn Company Pages can get indexed by Google just like a business website. But the pages themselves tend to be noindexed.
• LinkedIn Articles: The in-depth articles published on LinkedIn can get indexed by Google and rank for relevant keywords just like a blog. But they face hurdles compared to a stand-alone site.
• Public LinkedIn Posts: Regular posts published as public on personal LinkedIn profiles have a small chance of getting indexed if they receive enough engagement and shares. But most posts will not get picked up.

So in summary, while 100% of LinkedIn is not indexed, Company Pages, Articles and some public posts are discoverable.

But there are limitations in place to maintain exclusivity.

How to Get Your LinkedIn Content Indexed on Google

While LinkedIn has walled off parts of their platform, you can take certain steps to improve the chances of your content getting indexed and ranking:

1. Cross-Post Content on Your Website

The most guaranteed way to get your LinkedIn content indexed on Google is to republish it on your own website.

For example, take an informative article written for your LinkedIn Company Page and publish a version of it on your business blog.

Be sure to link back and forth between the two pieces.

This allows the same content to exist both within the LinkedIn ecosystem and be fully indexable on Google through your website.

2. Optimize for Keywords and SEO Best Practices

Apply on-page SEO best practices to your LinkedIn Articles and Company Page content:

• Include relevant keywords in titles, subtitles, meta descriptions and content.
• Use images, videos, infographics and other media with optimized file names and alt text.
• Link out to authority domains from the content to build domain authority.
• Encourage engagement through likes, comments and shares.

These signals can all boost the article’s weight in LinkedIn’s internal algorithm and for Google.

3. Promote the Content Externally

Market your LinkedIn content off the platform through social media, email newsletters, online communities and other channels.

This raises awareness with a wider audience and helps get it indexed.

4. Participate in LinkedIn Groups

Join relevant LinkedIn Groups and share your content in discussions where appropriate.

This helps increase visibility and distribution for possible indexing.

5. Use Quality Keywords

Research target keywords carefully and include the highest value ones naturally in your content. Avoid over-optimization.

LinkedIn and Google both value quality over quantity.

FAQ on Getting Indexed on Google

Let’s look at some frequently asked questions around optimizing LinkedIn content for Google indexing:

Do all LinkedIn posts and articles get indexed by Google?

No, Google and other search engines only index a small subset of publicly viewable LinkedIn content.

Most profiles, messages and groups are noindexed.

To get indexed, LinkedIn content has to be high-quality and optimized.

How can I check if my LinkedIn article is indexed on Google?

Use Google Search Console to see if your LinkedIn article URL has been picked up and indexed.

You can also directly search keywords on Google to see if your article appears.

What types of LinkedIn content will Google index?

Google is most likely to index longform articles published on LinkedIn Company Pages.

Regular posts on personal profiles have a small chance of indexing if highly shared and linked to.

How long does it take for LinkedIn content to get indexed on Google?

It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks for Google to crawl, index and rank optimized LinkedIn content.

New websites and pages tend to be crawled faster.

Does it help to share my LinkedIn posts on other social media?

Yes, promoting your LinkedIn posts on Twitter, Facebook and other networks can significantly improve reach and chances of discovery by Google’s systems.

7 Tips to Optimize LinkedIn Content for Search Visibility

Here are some key tips to boost LinkedIn content visibility on Google:

1. Write In-depth, Comprehensive Articles

Longform, pillar content articles on LinkedIn have the highest chance of performing well both natively and in Google search results.

Aim for a minimum of 2000 words.

2. Use Authoritative, Trusted Sources

Reference and link out to reputable sources like government data, academic studies and trusted media publications to build authority.

3. Follow a Posting Schedule

Consistency and regularity in publishing content leads to higher performance over time.

Set a cadence for articles and posts.

4. Include Engaging Visual Media

Relevant photographs, infographics, charts and videos help draw in readers and keep them interested longer.

Optimize media file names and alt text descriptions.

5. Check Analytics for Insights

Review LinkedIn Analytics to identify high-performing content.

Look at clicks, shares, comments etc. to refine your strategy.

6. Participate in Groups and Discussions

Comment on Group posts and start Group discussions to widen the reach of your content to new audiences.

7. Promote Off-Platform to Drive Traction

Market your posts and articles through email, social channels, paid ads etc. to gain traction.

External signals can help with indexing.

Why Does LinkedIn Limit Indexing on Google?

LinkedIn purposely makes parts of their platform tougher to index on Google.

Here are some reasons why:

• Maintain exclusivity and monetary value of the platform.
• Control the quality of content that represents LinkedIn on Google.
• Prevent spam and low-value posts from getting indexed and diluting LinkedIn’s reputation.
• Encourage users to publish more comprehensive, optimized content.
• Drive business growth through sponsored content and ads.

By limiting organic indexing, LinkedIn aims to keep its walled garden community strong while pushing high-quality content marketing opportunities.

Final Takeaways on LinkedIn Indexing on Google

Here are some key summarizing points on optimizing LinkedIn for Google indexing:

• Cross-post unique versions of LinkedIn Articles on your own website for guaranteed indexing.
• Company Pages have the highest visibility, followed by Articles, then public profile posts.
• Keyword optimize and consistently post high-quality, engaging, longform content.
• Promote both on and off LinkedIn through shares, outreach and partnerships.
• Analyze performance data to identify winning content formats and topics.
• Participate in LinkedIn Groups to gain more readers.
• Not everything on LinkedIn will or should get indexed by Google. Focus on quality over quantity.

With the right strategy, you can use LinkedIn content as a value-add to your SEO and content marketing efforts.

But also cultivate your own platforms and communities to reduce dependency on third-party networks.