Post Half-Life: Measuring the Exact Lifespan of Your Content Based on the Algorithm
Published August 2, 2026 by David
I tested this on my own LinkedIn posts. The result? My half-life jumped from 3 hours to 10 hours in two weeks. Here’s how I did it—and how you can too.
A post’s half-life is its countdown. In nuclear physics, it’s the time it takes for half the atoms to decay. On LinkedIn, it’s the same: the time it takes for your post to reach half its total views.
In 2026, a standard B2B text post has a half-life of under 4 hours. That’s right. If your post gets 10,000 views, 5,000 happen in the first 4 hours. After that? The algorithm buries it to make room for new content.
Calculate your half-life in 3 steps. Take my latest carousel:
- Total views after 7 days: 8,000.
- Views after 4 hours: 4,500.
Result? My half-life is 4h30. Not great. But at least I know where I’m losing ground.
Want to run the test?
- Note your total views after one week.
- Check your time-based stats.
- At what time did you hit 50% of your views?
If you post at 9 AM and hit half your views by 1 PM, your half-life is 4 hours. That’s your key metric: the longer it is, the more your content stays relevant over time.
Two levers to extend your post’s lifespan.
1. Delayed engagement. Don’t reply to all comments at once. If you get 20 comments, respond to 10 within the first hour—and save the other 10 for the next day. Each reply triggers the algorithm and signals that the conversation is still active.
2. Format density (Dwell Time). A text post takes 15 seconds to read. A well-designed 12-slide carousel? 2–3 minutes. That reading time forces the algorithm to keep your post alive longer because it keeps users on the platform.
The secret to timeless posts? Evergreen carousels. A poorly designed post gets skipped in 5 seconds. With premium, clean design, you capture attention, increase reading time, and push the algorithm to distribute your content for days.
👉 Switch to Studio, extend your post’s lifespan, and maximize organic reach!
With CarouselCraft, I cut my bounce rate from 70% to 30%. My half-life skyrocketed. Want similar results? Start here: Bookmark now.
Les illustrations de ce blog sont généreusement mises à disposition par les photographes d' Unsplash.