I'm sitting at my local Mazda dealership while my car has a new something-or-other fitted under a recall.
The car is not exactly new (I'm the master of understatement) so the recall notice came as a surprise.
It turns out what was an appropriate safety precaution when the car rolled off the assembly line is no longer appropriate enough.
Time has brought new innovations, new technologies much like LinkedIn®.
Back when my car was new, life on LinkedIn® was very different. Why we were on the platform was different as was the way we used it – which was primarily for job hunting.
Today we're here for myriad reasons – networking, learning, thought leadership, business and, of course, still job hunting.
Along the way, LinkedIn® has changed how it looks, how we use it, what we can do and how we do it.
It has collected more than 1.1 billion members (or so it claims), making it a strong competitor of the big 5 – Meta, Insta, YouTube, X, and TikTok. Many of its features are direct copies of those on other platforms and it cannot be accused of being a trend setter.
What was a relatively simple-to-understand platform has become extremely complex, making it a nightmare for the average user.
Features are hidden, icons are unclear as to their use, and Premium account holders have an advantage over those on the free plan. Plus, at any given time members are in beta for new features being trialled or rolled out.
And all that’s before you start on best practice, etiquette and The Rules.
The LinkedIn® landscape is nothing short of a minefield for the unwary. Hard won reputations can be lost in an instant with a poorly conceived post triggering a backlash that might be hard to recover from.
It’s easy to build a large network of people who don’t know who you are or what you do, and care even less. These connections are never going to become clients.
Sales pitches abound with the consequence that InMail messages are routinely ignored.
Yet, when done well, opportunities on LinkedIn® abound. Connections can become clients, colleagues and even friends. Posts can be the gateway to podcast guest invitations, speaking gigs, and new business. Direct messages can achieve cut-through where emails don’t because of the ‘know, like and trust’ factor.
The key is knowing how to achieve that. And it’s why we created this Link∙Ability site. To help those who want to leverage the power of LinkedIn® to achieve professional success.
The membership area contains a wealth of content designed to help you through the maze. You’ll find videos, articles, images, pdfs, podcasts and interviews – all available whenever you and on whatever device you care to use.
It’s all free for 7 days (and as cheap as chips if you decide to become a full member). No obligation. No cancel fees. Nothing but the best advice and suggestions we have to offer. All created by Lynnaire Johnston, who in June 2024, has been ranked the #6 LinkedIn® expert worldwide by Swiss company, Social Group. We invite you to check it out.