5 signs your LinkedIn post is too complex (and how to fix it)

You wrote a LinkedIn post. You proofread it twice. It sounds smart. But something is off. The engagement is flat, the comments are nonexistent, and you are starting to wonder if the algorithm buried you.

Before you blame the algorithm, consider a simpler explanation: your post might be too hard to read.

Most people on LinkedIn are scrolling on their phone between meetings. They are not sitting down to read your post with a cup of coffee and full attention. If your writing demands too much effort, they will just keep scrolling. Here are five signs that is happening to your content, and what to do about each one.

1. Your readability score is above 8

The Automated Readability Index (ARI) estimates the grade level needed to understand a piece of text. An ARI of 8 means your post reads like something written for an eighth grader. That might sound low, but for social media, it is actually the sweet spot.

When your ARI creeps above 8, you are writing at a level that requires more concentration than most people are willing to give a LinkedIn post. The best performing content on the platform tends to land between 5 and 7.

The fix: Shorten your sentences. Replace long words with shorter ones. "Utilize" becomes "use." "Demonstrate" becomes "show." You are not dumbing things down. You are making them easier to absorb at scroll speed.

2. You have sentences over 25 words

Long sentences are the silent killer of readability. A sentence that stretches past 25 words forces your reader to hold too many ideas in their head at once. By the time they reach the period, they have forgotten how the sentence started.

I catch myself doing this all the time, especially when I am trying to be thorough. I will write a sentence that covers three related points because I do not want to leave anything out. The intention is good. The result is a sentence nobody finishes.

The fix: Read your post out loud. Every time you run out of breath, that sentence is too long. Split it. One idea per sentence. If a sentence has the word "and" more than once, it probably needs to become two sentences.

3. You have no paragraph breaks in the first 3 lines

On LinkedIn, only the first two or three lines are visible before the "see more" button. If those lines are one dense block of text, most people will not tap to expand. The visual weight of an unbroken paragraph signals effort, and effort is what people are trying to avoid while scrolling.

The first few lines need to breathe. White space is not wasted space. It is an invitation to keep reading.

The fix: Break your opening into short lines. One sentence per line for the first three lines works well. You can return to normal paragraphs after the fold, but the hook needs to be visually light.

4. You are using jargon your audience does not share

Every industry has its shorthand. If you work in marketing, you know what CAC and LTV mean. If you work in engineering, you know what CI/CD means. But your LinkedIn audience is broader than your team. Your former college classmate, your cousin, that recruiter you met at a conference in 2019. They are all in your network.

When you write with jargon, you are writing for the smallest possible audience. Everyone else feels excluded, even if they would have found the core idea interesting.

The fix: For every technical term, ask yourself: would my neighbor understand this? If not, explain it in plain language or replace it entirely. You do not need to avoid expertise. Just translate it.

5. You are writing in passive voice

Passive voice makes writing feel distant and bureaucratic. "The decision was made to restructure the team" is harder to read than "We restructured the team." Passive constructions add extra words and hide who is doing what.

On LinkedIn, people connect with people. When you write in passive voice, you remove yourself from the story. The post loses its human quality, and that is exactly what makes content feel forgettable.

The fix: Look for "was," "were," "been," and "by" in your sentences. These are often markers of passive voice. Rewrite them with a clear subject. Who did the thing? Say so. "Mistakes were made" becomes "I made mistakes." It is shorter, clearer, and more honest.

Putting it all together

None of these problems are fatal on their own. But when two or three of them show up in the same post, the cumulative effect is a piece of content that people scroll past. The good news is that every one of these issues is fixable in about five minutes of editing.

The simplest approach is to write your first draft without worrying about any of this. Get the ideas out. Then go back with fresh eyes and check for these five signals. Shorten what is long. Break up what is dense. Replace what is complicated.

Your ideas deserve to be read. Do not let the packaging get in the way.