Which Metrics/Analytics Matter the Most for B2B Marketing on LinkedIn?
by Rosemary Lafferty
Read time: 4 minutes
Which Metrics Matter the Most for B2B Marketing on LinkedIn?
For example, if we publish two posts, A and B, (on our personal profile) and :
– A gets a lot of likes but very few clicks through to our product page on our website
– B get less likes but more clicks to our website product page
Which post is most effective in helping us achieve our sales goals?
Knowing which posts are most effective is essential in helping us optimise our efforts on LinkedIn. In this article, we will examine which metrics really matter the most on LinkedIn.
Note: This article relates to personal profile analytics only (not company page analytics)
Using LinkedIn for Marketing: Two Key Facts
LinkedIn is primarily a research & consideration platform, not an immediate purchase intent (unlike search). What this means is that it will only yield results in a medium to long-term time frame.
What matters most is the Intent of our audience on LinkedIn. So if a prospect reacted in some way to one of our posts, we need to ask ourselves, what is the intention of this prospect/user – i.e. what was this prospect trying to achieve when they engaged with our post? (i.e. liked the post, saved, sent , clicked etc)
Obviously, the intent we are hoping for is that they intend to buy our product/service at some point in the future. Therefore, we need to look at the various metrics on LinkedIn and rate them on the level of intent each metric shows.
List of Key Metrics that LinkedIn provides from Personal Profiles:
Click to product/service page
Profile view
Comment
Repost
Send (private share)
Save
Like
New follower
Below we have ranked the metrics from strongest to the weakest buying intent signals.*
*Note: These signals must be viewed in context, e.g. a user who views your profile may be a potential client, or they could also be looking for leads themselves and have identified you as a potential client of theirs. As a business owner, you will be able to see which scenario is most likely when you view this user profile also i.e. you can see what industry they are in and whether or not they are likely to wish to buy from you or sell to you.
1. Click to product/service page (highest intent)
This moves the user off-platform to your website and shows that they are keen to find out more about your product/service. This takes a certain amount of “effort” i.e. taking them away from LinkedIn where they started, to hone in on your product/service
2. Comment (especially problem-aware comments)
To comment requires effort from the user and shows this topic/ product/service matters to the user. It can often reveal pain points, questions, or use-case context. A comment such as “we’re struggling with this exact issue” indicates the near “mid-funnel intent”.
3. Profile view (especially after post engagement)
This signals identity-level curiosity (who are you / can you solve my problem?). It usually also means that this is a new user who has only recently discovered your posts/content. When paired with prior engagement, this becomes a qualified buying signal.
This is often the step before DMs, connection, or deeper research.
4. New follower (context-dependent, usually early-stage)
A new follower can be good news if they also show signals in other ways. It can often indicate top-of-funnel interest or audience building. It can signal early research if they also engage with multiple posts or follow multiple team members.
5. Repost (share with network)
This indicates that the user sees very good value in your posts and feels it could be useful to colleagues/ connections. It is also a clear indicator that your post’s content is highly relevant to this user.
6. Sends (DM shares / private sharing)
This implies that the user is recommending your posts to peers or they may be part of a buying group. This is closer to “decision-stage research”
7. Save (bookmark)
This indicates a user is not ready to buy yet, that they are at an early stage of their buying journey and they think that your post will be helpful at a later stage of their buying journey.
8. Like (low intent)
A “like” takes minimal effort, and it is often habitual scrolling behaviour. However, it can be a sign that a user wishes to quickly save your post for future reference, without having to actually save it, as in 6 above. It is an “entry-level signal”.
Critical nuance: The strongest buying signal is not a single action — it’s a sequence:
Engagement → Profile view → Click → Repeat engagement
This pattern is what actually predicts conversion. Engaged prospects are three times more likely to convert. Multiple signals from the same person/company indicate real buying motion.
Practical takeaways re LinkedIn Metrics / Analytics
If you’re prioritising leads from LinkedIn posts, use the following Tier system so that you concentrate first on those leads with the highest intent.
Tier 1 (act immediately): clicks + profile views
Tier 2 (warm outreach): commenters, reposters
Tier 3 (nurture): saves, followers, sends
Tier 4: Likes alone
Need help with your B2B marketing on LinkedIn?
At Yellow Ruler Marketing, we work very closely with small businesses in Ireland and the UK with their B2B marketing. We have worked with businesses in many B2B sectors, including insulation, ventilation, medical device training, packaging, HR, IT, real estate and more. We like to especially work with businesses with highly technical or “hard-to-market” products/services
Contact us today if you would like to have a free initial consultation about your B2B marketing