In this weeks episode I discuss my predictions for LinkedIn™️ this year.

I've always said that there are 3 LinkedIns;

• The company

• The platform

• The community (us)

My prediction is that the biggest changes this year will come from user behaviour and those changes provide opportunities for all of us.

Topics covered;

Introduction

07.00 : New features

24.30 My predictions for 2025

53.15 : Is the trend towards video damaging the reach of other great content?

60:00 Uplift Live conference in March

We often come across people on LinkedIn™️ who look interesting and produce content we find valuable...so we follow or connect and over time we feel as though we get to know them better.

But do we REALLY know them?

interesting People interviews are designed to reveal more about the background, personal lives and characteristics of some of our favourite people on LinkedIn™️

This episode features the wonderful Louise Brogan, A much travelled LinkedIn™️ trainer with an IT background, a passionate feminist and advocate for small businesses.

You can listen to the episode by clicking below.

We talked about the following topics

• Growing up in Northern Ireland during the troubles.

• Going to a school situated along the 'murder mile'!

• Why she left Belfast to study in Scotland

• How her travels have taken her around the world three times!

• Her early career in IT support including working for a massive corporate and why she eventually joined the NHS.

• Starting her own business and being risk averse

• The impact of losing her Dad when she had a 4 week old baby

• The advice she received which guided her towards social media training

• The pivot from broad social media to specialist LinkedIn™️ training & the benefits that has brought

• How she became a successful 'YouTuber' (over 2 million views) and why it attracts customers

• How she once turned criticism into a successful LinkedIn™️ post

• Being a feminist

• Her passion for small businesses

• Meeting the King! 👑

• Being an empath in business

• Whats on her happy list

• A book recommendation.

Louise is a talker...something we both have in common so I'm impressed that we managed to keep this recording to just over an hour!

I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did chatting with Louise.

Until next time...

How the New Feed Is Quietly Stifling Engagement.

Also covered in this week's episode;

• Audio events are being scrapped.

• How the 'see more' can be a curse.

• New - enhanced profile cover slideshows.

• More job losses at LinkedIn.

• Elon's cringe comment.

• Post of the week.

Has your network grown out of control?

Do you think it might be time to disconnect from a few?

Does it make sense to do it and will it help you?

What is the best way to go about it?

In this episode I try to answer all those questions plus;

• Not all subscribers are the same.

• Positivity and LinkedIn™️.

• The Recruitment Network support automation!

• LinkedIn shares tips for posting short videos.

• LinkedIn's new 'Build your voice' hub.

• Post of the week

I also briefly talk about this brilliant post from Richard van der Blom

This may be an unpopular opinion...

Using LinkedIn™️ as a 'funnel' to push followers/connections onto your site is not a great strategy!

Also covered in this episode;

• New 'Open to volunteering'
• 55 million users are now verified
• LinkedIn launches “Know-How That Sticks” campaign
• Lazy iOS mobile version histories
• The dangers of outsourcing messaging from your account
• Post of the week

This week, I discussed the mystery surrounding the disappearing connections and revealed that this is not the first time it has happened! Also, in this episode...

• Latest statistics from LinkedIn™️

• Update on Services

• The new AI hiring assistant

• Post of the week

LinkedIn™️ say that 10 million users have a services page, a 48% increase year on year. 

But the vast majority of those profiles aren't really freelancers or even service providers!

In addition, LinkedIn™️ are stating that there has been a 65% increase in service enquiries. My experience tallies with this but the enquiries are almost mostly inappropriate & irrelevant!

Services has so much potential but it's LinkedIn™️'s worst feature...poorly designed and implemented.

This is what I think they could do to improve it.

You can be great at posting content that engages an audience, you can have a highly impressive profile and you can be amazing at searching for the right contacts

...you can be a LinkedIn™️ superuser!

But none of that matters if you are not primarily focused on building strong, sustainable relationships with the right people.

More of that later, the other topics covered in this episode are;

• Have LinkedIn™️ really stopped training their AI with our content?

• A few new features and a couple of retirements!

• Is LinkedIn one of the worst social media platforms for your privacy?

• LinkedIn™️ want you to show personality without being 'personal'

• An update to Dwell time.

• Post of the week

"It must be less than 60 secs"

"You don't want Likes"

"LinkedIn™️ favour advice/helpful videos"

"A headline is essential"

There is lot's of well meant advice out there about how to get your videos featured in the new mobile feed but most people are just making educated guesses.

I've crunched the data and can reveal a detailed analysis of what features are most likely to land your video in the new feed.

More of that later, the other topics covered in this episode are;

• Another job scam DM that could easily be prevented.

• New: Share a quote from articles

• Sneaky LinkedIn have quietly added a new data privacy setting

• Premium 'Leads' in Services

• Post of the week

"I just don't have the time to post on LinkedIn™️. It's not that I undervalue the benefits, it just takes me far too long because I overthink it"

This came from a delegate on a course I delivered recently and it hit me right between the eyes...That's why so many people find it hard to find the time to post content, they overthink it!

Also in this episode;

• Feedback on pods and direct messaging.

• How demure and mindful is your profile? I found out and got roasted!

• More changes coming to video content and Livestreaming...potentially.

• A heartbreaking post of the week