A podcast from Big Brain Strategy
Episode 105
Is LinkedIn worth it anymore? (Was it ever?)
Mike and Nada on how LinkedIn turned into an echo chamber of marketers, AI posts, and bot comments.
The short answer
For most businesses, LinkedIn isn't worth much anymore, and Mike and Nada aren't sure it ever was. The feed is mostly marketers talking to other marketers, AI-written posts that all sound the same, and bot comments. The algorithm hides your posts from your own connections, and real networking has mostly disappeared.
What we covered
- It's marketers talking to marketers. Most feeds are full of other marketers giving the same generic advice, so posts rarely reach a customer.
- AI wrote half your feed. Every AI tool gives the same LinkedIn playbook: post daily, add media, comment on ten posts. So everyone's posts look alike.
- Much of the engagement isn't real. Bot replies, automated comments, and people praising guru posts to get noticed drown out real conversation.
- The algorithm works against you. Your connections see your posts weeks late, if at all, while LinkedIn pushes Premium and ads.
- Real networking is fading. Most connection requests are sales pitches, and messages to old colleagues often go unanswered.
Chapters
- 00:00 Does LinkedIn suck now, or has it always?
- 00:56 The LinkedIn thought leader era
- 01:43 Marketers talking to marketers
- 02:31 Bot replies and automated comments
- 04:36 Why your connections don't see your posts
- 06:06 Every AI tool gives the same LinkedIn advice
- 08:08 Generic advice and no original thought
- 11:05 Guru posts and karma jacking
- 12:48 Every connection request is a sales pitch
- 14:02 Automated outreach and spam DMs
- 15:56 What happened to real networking?
- 18:14 Who actually posts on LinkedIn
- 19:16 Notifications and the Premium upsell
- 20:48 105 episodes and the start of season 3
I feel dirty whenever I log into LinkedIn.