Quiet Quitting LinkedIn

Hey honeys and hustlers,

The decision to quit usually happens slowly, then all at once. This year, I stopped posting daily on LinkedIn. It started with intermittent posting, then I stopped completely. When I started the Tweet100 challenge by Jay Clouse in September 2021 (whew, 5 years ago), I realized that much of what I was breaking up into threads on Twitter could be repurposed into a single, long text post for LinkedIn. At the time, no one was really posting on LinkedIn, so showing up daily and not giving job updates but sharing thought leadership worked really well. During the pandemic, I reached out to people via DM and offered a virtual 1:1 call as I grew my network virtually. I wasn’t someone who only used the platform when I was looking for a job, but I also didn’t pay much attention to my feed or use the platform “socially.” I’ve leveraged DM outreach on LinkedIn to meet people more than on any other platform, largely because of its filtering capabilities. Connecting with people through posts and comments proved to be no different – at first.

I’ve experimented with all sorts of media on LinkedIn over the years, and have largely been successful. But the absolute onslaught on LinkedIn prompting users to comment and create posts using AI-generated text to game the engagement system and long-tail reach made it unbearable to use. People stopped putting in effort to actually read a post and leave a thoughtful comment. They only cared to appear as though they left a thoughtful comment, while putting in no effort or care into developing a relationship with you, only looking to gain reach. It was really atrocious and disheartening to see people who weren’t connected with you click on an AI-generated response, prompted by LinkedIn, and expect to form any type of relationship. I got tired of calling it out, so I slowly used the platform less and less because it felt less like a place to meet like-minded people, and more like a place to create a false narrative/persona of being a voice of influence using AI.

Threads has become the only social media platform I use daily, and it's marginally more fun while also not being riddled with AI slop. I have little desire to post on LinkedIn and have actually deleted the app from my phone to eliminate the chance that I’d doomscroll the feed hoping to see something that resonates (because so often, I do not). While they’re trying to incentivize use with the “looks like AI slop” feature, it’s a semi-solution to a very real problem they created.

I’ve amassed a huge following on LinkedIn of 13,000+ followers and connections, and I really don’t want it to go to waste. So I reached out to someone who’s still a huge LinkedIn evangelist to ask them their thoughts on the platform as it stands today, and if it’s a place that business owners should spend time. Laurie Macpherson is part of the Hype Yourself VIP crew, and if you’re feeling the same way I am, her words might encourage you to stay or return to the platform.

For people who built an audience on LinkedIn before the AI-content boom, what’s actually changed about how inbound leads are generated now?

In some ways, it's easier to stand out; if you don't post "It's not this, it's that" AI slop, you're actually in the minority! So much lead generation is also automated, but people can tell, and they're not loving it (Also, LinkedIn has always had strict rules about third-party apps, and they can cancel your account. You decide if it's worth that risk!) Content is so important to show potential clients and referral partners why you are the person they need. Also, commenting on others’ posts helps to cement your knowledge, and now people can follow you directly from the comments, so it's even more important. As always, human connection and conversation win over spammy, automated messages every time. If you're unsure about this, do YOU like receiving spam? No? Well, neither does your potential client. Play the long game and create, comment, and connect instead.

LinkedIn has historically been a professional networking platform, but it’s increasingly behaving like a creator social platform. What do you think that shift means for people using it to grow a business?

There's been a lot of talk about this lately, and it looks like LinkedIn are leaning into this, supporting creators in a more structured way (follow Richard Van der Blom for the tea on this). If you're not a massive brand looking to collab with other massive brands, the good news is that the algorithm is now following an interest-based model. This makes followers and connections less important, and topics more so as, so long as LinkedIn learns who to show your content to, it can show it to anyone who has shown an interest in your type of content, whether they currently follow you or not. A good basic rule is to make sure that 80% ish of your content should be focused on a few key topics, with the other 20% for more personal or lessons-learned content.

How should creators think about LinkedIn differently from platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Threads?

As I said, the algorithm now acts the same when it comes to content, and long-form content still wins as a format, although they do keep saying they're prioritizing video content too. Remember that stressing about a graphic is less important on LinkedIn; your words are what matter, though a picture of you can also really help with reach. Something to remember is that your audience on other platforms may feel they know you better, thanks to the stories on Instagram and the short snippets you write on Threads. This is missing on LinkedIn, so you have to consciously add some personal/personality driven content in, so that people understand who you are, as well as what you do. You don't have to overshare here, but if you copy and paste your Insta posts talking about Jim and your LinkedIn audience haven't the foggiest idea who Jim is, it gets confusing and feels like joining a conversation halfway through.

Do you think LinkedIn is still primarily a place to find clients, or is it becoming more of a place to build a media brand?

It can absolutely be both, and one of the first things I ask my clients is what they want LinkedIn to do for them, so we can make that happen. For example, some clients are already as fully booked as they want to be with DFY work, but might want to use it to find speaking opportunities. Or they have enough clients coming in to their groups through other marketing, but they know it's the place to launch a course, an audit or a tool. Once you know, you can backward plan how to make that a reality, through content, comments, and connections.

For creators and entrepreneurs who are used to making educational or personal-experience content, how do you recommend turning attention into actual business opportunities on LinkedIn?

Ask for it, add a CTA to the end of your posts, and go easy on the educational. Information on "How to" is everywhere; instead, focus on sharing insight and positioning yourself as the solution. Personal content is great for showing who you are; just watch the balance between personal and sales content. Most content should sell in some way if you want people to buy. Share client successes and content that shows your authority with insight, and see what happens. Lots of people won't do this, as it feels "too salesy", but we're here to run businesses and attract opportunities that support us to do that.