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LinkedIn Metrics Differences - Complete Overview

A practical guide that contrasts LinkedIn’s native definitions with what our analytics can surface through the LinkedIn API.

Diana Gogolan avatar
Written by Diana Gogolan
Updated yesterday

How to Use This Guide: This guide explains all possible reasons why numbers in LinkedIn analytics may differ from those in our platform.

Each metric includes the specific formulas, reasons for differences, and expected impact on your numbers.

Engagement Rate

LinkedIn has a specific formula for calculating engagement rates.

→ Formula

💡Reason: API limitation - Follows are not available through LinkedIn's API, while clicks are available for connected accounts. To enable fair competitor analysis, Socialinsider provides both formulas.

LinkedIn formula

Socialinsider formula

(clicks + reactions + comments + shares + follows) / impressions

  • Formula 1: (clicks + reactions + comments + shares) / impressions
    ​

  • Formula 2: (reactions + comments + shares) / impressions

→ Content Types Included

💡Reason: API limitations - Only organic content insights are available through the API.

LinkedIn

Socialinsider

  • Posts (link share, image, poll, native document, text, multi-image, carousel)

  • Videos

  • Organic + Sponsored content
    ​

  • Posts (link share, image, poll, native document, text, multi-image, carousel)

  • Videos

  • Organic content

→ Attribution Model

💡Reason: API constraint - post-level attribution is used for both connected and competitor accounts.

LinkedIn

Socialinsider

  • May attribute interactions to the day they happened

  • Attributes interactions to the day the post was published (post attribution)

  • Example: interactions received in September for an August post are counted in August (and attributed to the day the post was published)

Total Posts

Differs based on which formats and ad types are counted.

→ What is included

💡 Reason: LinkedIn API offers insights into organic content only.

LinkedIn

Socialinsider

  • Posts (link share, image, poll, native document, text, multi-image, carousel)

  • Videos

  • Organic + Sponsored content

  • Posts (link share, image, poll, native document, text, multi-image, carousel)

  • Videos

  • Organic content

Total Impressions

→ What is included

💡 Reason: LinkedIn API offers insights into organic content only.

LinkedIn

Socialinsider

  • Post impressions (link share, image, poll, native document, text, multi-image, carousel)

  • Videos impressions

  • Organic + Sponsored content impressions

  • Post impressions (link share, image, poll, native document, text, multi-image, carousel)

  • Videos impressions

  • Organic content impressions

Total Reach

LinkedIn reports estimated account reach, also known as 'Members Reached'. Socialinsider also estimates this metric, but in a different way.

💡 Reason: API limitation - only organic post-level reach is available.

LinkedIn

Socialinsider

  • LinkedIn estimates this metric

  • Includes both organic and sponsored content

  • Socialinsider estimates this metric

  • Includes organic content

Followers' Growth

Historical values before onboarding are estimated. Tracking starts when the account is first added to Socialinsider.

💡 Reason: API limitation on historical follower counts.

LinkedIn

Socialinsider

  • Native app shows full history

  • Estimates for dates before the account was added

  • Exact tracking begins on the first day the account is added

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