LinkedIn Post Performance Analysis

Date: March 24, 2026 Period: Past 365 days Sorted by: Impressions

Top 10 Posts by Impressions

Notable lower posts:

• Skydio Ascend analysis (6mo): 1,973 imp, 49 reactions
• SAR command vehicle open-source (9mo): 1,756 imp, 43 reactions
• Eagle Eyes Search CV tool review (8mo): 1,401 imp, 29 reactions
• "Tiny group" SAR drone operators (10mo): 1,347 imp, 59 reactions
• AI wearables Altman/Zuck repost (6mo): 1,801 imp, 8 reactions

Pattern Analysis

What Drives REACH (Impressions)

1. Original Industry Maps/Frameworks + Custom Graphic The top 2 highest-impression posts (35K and 10K) both feature original landscape maps. The DFR Landscape (15+ companies across 6 capability areas) and SAR Tech Stack v1.0 are structured "I mapped X" posts with a visual framework. These are highly saveable and referenceable.

2. Timely Technical Breakdowns with Specific Numbers Post #2 (Olympics FPV drone, 33K) leads with a specific hook ("243 grams. That's it.") and packs specs, latency numbers, component names. It ties a current event (Olympics) to deep domain knowledge.

3. Personal/Maker Identity Posts Post #3 (garage photo, 13K) is casual, vulnerable, and identity-driven. No industry jargon, just "this is who I am." It hit people outside the UAS niche, which expanded its reach.

What Drives ENGAGEMENT (Reactions + Comments Relative to Impressions)

1. Field Stories > Analysis Posts #7 (3.97% eng rate), #8 (3.06%), and #10 (2.91%) are all first-person field accounts: "our team located a missing person," "I tested this at training day," "I flew my first training mission at a 10K event." These have the highest engagement rates.

2. The "I Did This" Frame Every high-engagement post puts Pete as the operator, not the observer. "I mapped," "I tested," "our team located," "I flew." Posts that analyze from a distance (DFR Adoption analysis, Skydio Ascend recap) get reach but lower engagement.

3. Technology Meets Human Stakes QRC/AirPods detection (finding people by their devices), AI-located missing person, event security drones: these posts connect hardware/software to saving lives. The emotional resonance drives comments.

What Underperforms

1. Reposts average ~500-1,800 impressions. Even interesting content (Sora AI filmmaking, hardware dev tools table) gets fraction of original post reach.

2. Pure opinion without fieldwork ("ChatGPT is lazy", Apple Vision Pro take) gets <1,200 impressions. Hot takes without domain proof don't carry.

3. Posts without images or with generic/screenshot images consistently underperform vs. custom graphics or real photos from the field.

Content Categories Ranked by Average Performance

2026 LinkedIn Algorithm Context

Key changes affecting Pete's content strategy:

1. "Depth Score" is the new metric. LinkedIn now weights dwell time (how long someone reads), comment quality (5+ words that trigger replies), and saves over likes. Pete's longer technical posts naturally score well here because they require reading.

2. Saves are 5x more powerful than likes. Industry maps and frameworks are designed to be saved. The DFR Landscape and SAR Tech Stack are exactly what the algorithm now rewards most: reference material.

3. Knowledge Graph Validation. LinkedIn's AI cross-references post topics with your profile expertise. Pete's profile aligns with UAS, SAR, product management, and drone tech, which means posts in these lanes get algorithmic amplification. Posts outside this lane (hot takes on AI companies, reposts of general tech content) get throttled.

4. The "Golden Hour" matters. First 60-90 min engagement from your active network determines viral expansion. Pete's UAS/SAR posts hit a tight, engaged niche network that responds quickly.

5. Document carousels are the top format for 2026. Pete hasn't used carousels yet. His landscape maps as multi-slide carousels (instead of single images) would likely double their dwell time.

6. Organic reach is down ~50% across the platform. The fact that Pete is still hitting 30K+ impressions on top posts means his content quality is well above average.

Recommendations

Double Down On (Proven Winners)

1. Original landscape/framework maps. Do one per quarter: DFR 2.0 update, Counter-UAS landscape, UAS regulatory landscape, SAR technology maturity model. These are Pete's highest-ceiling content. Consider making them carousels (7-10 slides) instead of single images for more dwell time.

1. Timely tech breakdowns with specific numbers. The Olympics drone post format works: current event + deep technical knowledge + specific specs. Candidates: new Skydio products, DJI dock announcements, BVLOS regulation changes, new SAR detection tools.

1. Field stories from SAR missions and training. These drive the highest engagement rates. "I flew X, here's what happened" posts at 3-4% engagement are more valuable for lead gen than 35K impressions at 0.6% engagement. Keep these real, specific, outcome-focused.

Start Doing (Untapped Opportunities)

1. Carousel/document posts. Pete has never posted a carousel. In 2026, carousels generate 2-3x more dwell time than images. Convert the landscape maps into slide decks. Create "5 things I learned at [event]" carousels. The swipe mechanic keeps people engaged.

1. "Lessons from the field" mini-series. A recurring format like "UAS Field Notes #1: What went wrong at our last mission" would build anticipation, encourage saves, and establish a content cadence. Each installment is 200-400 words + 1 photo from training/missions.

1. Tag and collaborate more. The DFR Landscape post tagged David Benowitz and Joshua Woodruff and it performed well. Tagging relevant people (not engagement pods, real domain experts) triggers notifications that drive early engagement in the golden hour.

Stop Doing

1. Reposts with light commentary. They average 5 reactions. Not worth it. If content is worth sharing, write an original post that references it and adds your own analysis.

1. Hot takes on big-tech companies (ChatGPT, Vision Pro, Altman/Zuck). These land outside Pete's Knowledge Graph lane and get suppressed by the algorithm. If opining on AI, tie it to UAS/SAR applications.

1. Excessive hashtags. The DFR post has 10+ hashtags. In 2026, LinkedIn penalizes more than 3-5 niche hashtags. Stick to 3-4 highly targeted ones: #DFR #UAS #SAR #PublicSafety. Drop the generic ones like #TechStack.

Writing Style Notes (What's Working)

• Short punchy opener that makes a claim: "243 grams. That's it." / "The SAR tools we use don't talk to each other."
• Specific numbers always. Every top post has concrete data: 15+ companies, 6 capability areas, 100kph, 45 minutes, 10,000 person event.
• "I mapped" / "I tested" / "I flew" authority frame. First-person practitioner, not armchair analyst.
• CTA at the end. "If you're building in this space, I'd love to compare notes" works better than "What do you think?"
• Honest, direct tone. No LinkedIn slop ("thrilled to announce", "exciting journey"). Pete's voice reads as an operator who writes, not a marketer who operates.

Posting Cadence

Current algorithm data suggests 2-3x/week is optimal. Pete's posting appears irregular. A more consistent rhythm would improve baseline reach. Suggested mix per week:

• 1 substantive original (field story, tech breakdown, or framework)
• 1 shorter engagement post (question, photo, observation)
• Occasional carousel (monthly)

Key Insight

Pete's biggest reach posts (landscape maps) and highest engagement posts (field stories) are different content types serving different goals:

• Landscape maps = broad reach, thought leadership credibility, saveable reference material, inbound from strangers
• Field stories = deep engagement, community trust, comment threads, warm leads from people who see you as a practitioner

Both are needed. The landscape maps get you discovered. The field stories convert interest into trust. The consulting business needs both.