Commenting on a Repost: Where Your Comment Lands and Who Actually Sees It
A comment on a LinkedIn repost notifies the person who reshared it, not the original author. Here's how to route your comments correctly and what the act of resharing reveals about your target.
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LinkedIn's repost feature lets members reshare public posts, either with their own commentary or without. When someone reposts content, they create a new post object in their feed that wraps the original. This creates two distinct comment threads: one attached to the original post, one attached to the repost.
The question of where your comment lands matters if you run [comment-led outreach](/glossary/comment-led-outreach/). Commenting on the wrong thread wastes time and sends your message to the wrong person. The mechanics are simple, but the strategic choice requires clarity about who you want to reach.
Does a comment on a repost notify the original author?
No. When you comment on a repost, the notification goes to the person who reshared it, not the original author. According to LinkedIn's help documentation, a repost creates a new post object. Comments on that new post belong to the resharer's post, not the original.
The original author can see comments on reposts of their content by opening the repost itself or by clicking the repost count shown below their original post. LinkedIn displays a list of people who reposted and allows the author to view comments added to those reposts. But the author does not receive a notification when someone comments on a repost unless they are mentioned with an @mention.
If your goal is to start building [familiarity (the mere-exposure effect)](/glossary/mere-exposure-effect/) with the original author, comment on the original post. If your goal is to reach the person who reshared it, comment on the repost.
Should you comment on the repost, the original post, or both?
Commenting on both threads can work if you tailor each comment. A generic reaction pasted twice looks lazy. The comment on the original post should respond to the content itself. The comment on the repost should respond to the resharer's framing or the fact that they chose to amplify it.
Most outreach operators choose one or the other. If the resharer is your target buyer and the original author is not, comment on the repost. If the original author is your target and the resharer is not, comment on the original post. Commenting on both to maximize visibility rarely justifies the time cost unless both parties are in your target list.
| You comment on | Who gets notified | Where the comment appears | When to choose this |
|---|---|---|---|
| The original post | The original author | The original post's comment thread | You want to reach the original author and be visible to everyone who views the original post |
| The repost | The person who reshared it | The repost's comment thread | You want to reach the resharer and acknowledge what they added or why they shared it |
| Both (original and repost) | Both parties | Two separate threads | You want to reach both the author and the resharer, but this approach requires distinct comments for each context |
What does the act of resharing tell you about the person who reposted?
A repost is a public signal. The resharer chose to put that content in front of their network, often with commentary that reveals what they think or care about. LinkedIn allows members to repost with or without adding their own thoughts. When someone reposts with commentary, that commentary is more valuable than the original post for understanding the resharer's priorities.
The resharer's commentary answers questions you would otherwise have to guess at: What problem does this person think about? What opinions do they hold? What outcome do they want? A reshare with commentary is a short-form endorsement or critique. It tells you what the resharer believes their network needs to hear.
When you comment on a repost, reference the resharer's commentary, not just the original content. A comment that says "Great post" ignores the resharer's contribution. A comment that says "Your point about X matches what we're seeing in Y industry" acknowledges what the resharer added and creates a reason for them to reply.
Reposts without commentary are weaker signals but still useful. They tell you the resharer found the content worth amplifying, even if they didn't add context. In that case, your comment can ask a question that invites the resharer to explain why they shared it. "What stood out to you about this?" is a simple opener that gives the resharer space to elaborate.
How do notifications work when you mention someone in a comment on a repost?
LinkedIn's @mention feature overrides the default notification behavior. If you comment on a repost and @mention the original author, the original author receives a notification even though the comment is attached to the repost, not the original post. The same applies to any other LinkedIn member you @mention in a comment.
This creates a way to reach both the resharer and the original author with a single comment. The resharer gets notified because the comment is on their repost. The original author gets notified because you mentioned them. But this approach should be used carefully. A comment that @mentions the original author just to get their attention can come across as forced, especially if the comment is addressed to the resharer.
A natural use case for an @mention in a comment on a repost is when your comment genuinely involves both parties. For example, if the resharer adds commentary that challenges or extends the original author's point, a comment that addresses both perspectives makes sense. In that case, mentioning the original author creates a three-way conversation.
What happens to visibility when a post gets many reposts and comments?
LinkedIn's interface presents a finite number of comments before collapsing the rest behind a "see more" link. Comments on the original post and comments on reposts are separate. A repost with its own comment thread can surface comments that would otherwise be buried on the original post if that post has already generated hundreds of comments.
Research on comment visibility in social feeds shows that position matters. A 2013 patent filed by Google (US9785625B1) describes methods for detecting when a comment has low visibility to users, defined in part by the number of comments appearing before it in the comment field. The patent discusses upgrading comments to increase visibility, including modifying the position of a comment or changing its presentation style.
On LinkedIn, a comment on a repost starts at the top of that repost's comment thread. If the original post already has 200 comments, a new comment on the original post may appear far down the list. A comment on a repost bypasses that competition. The repost's audience is smaller (the resharer's network, not the original author's network), but your comment is more likely to be seen by the people who do view the repost.
This dynamic is useful when the resharer has a smaller, more targeted network than the original author. A comment on the repost reaches fewer people overall but may reach more of the right people if the resharer's network overlaps with your target buyer profile.
Can you track which reposts drive the most engagement for your own posts?
Yes. LinkedIn shows a count of reposts below each post. Clicking that count opens a list of people who reposted your content. You can view each repost and see the comments added to it. This feature is available on both desktop and mobile, according to LinkedIn's help documentation.
The repost list does not show posts that were shared privately via direct message. It shows only public reposts. You can use this list to identify which members of your network are amplifying your content and what they are saying about it. If a repost from a well-connected member generates more comments than your original post, that repost is worth engaging with directly.
For operators running [comment-led outreach](/glossary/comment-led-outreach/), tracking reposts of your own content reveals who in your network is willing to endorse or engage with your ideas publicly. Those members are candidates for deeper relationship-building. A simple thank-you comment on their repost acknowledges their support and keeps the conversation going.
A repost creates a new post object; comments on reposts are separate from comments on the original post, and the original author can view repost comments by clicking the repost count.
LinkedIn Help (accessed), 2026-10-02Comment visibility research describes detecting low visibility when the number of comments appearing before a comment exceeds a threshold, and discusses methods for upgrading comment position to increase visibility.
Google Patents (US Patent Office), 2017-10-10Frequently asked questions
Does the original author see my comment on a repost?
No, not automatically. The original author can view comments on reposts by opening the repost or clicking the repost count, but they do not receive a notification unless you @mention them in your comment.
If I comment on a repost, does my comment appear on the original post?
No. A repost creates a separate post object with its own comment thread. Your comment appears only on the repost, not on the original post.
Should I comment on both the original post and the repost?
Only if both the original author and the resharer are targets and you can write distinct comments that address each context. A generic comment pasted twice looks lazy and wastes time.
How do I know if someone reposted my content?
Click the repost count shown below your post. LinkedIn displays a list of people who reposted it and lets you view the comments added to each repost. This list does not include private shares sent via direct message.
Does commenting on a repost help me reach the original author's network?
No. A comment on a repost is visible to the resharer's network, not the original author's network. To reach the original author's network, comment on the original post.