Dear LinkedIn

I note and applaud your attempts at improving the LinkedIn Members experience of your brand and your product, but I think you still have some way to go, and I believe I am not alone in holding this opinion.

Here are some of the key issues and concerns:

1. Are you aware of the 'truncated comments' issues on the Home Page?
2. Do you plan to let LinkedIn Members know if there is a character limit on Home Page comments (or Groups comments etc.), and to make it easy for LinkedIn Members to implement and comply by using a 'pop-up' or 'information bubble', or even to send out a general mailing we could keep and refer to going forward?
3. Are you going to do anything to improve the navigation pathway from the 'Groups Highlight' Page, back to the Home Page where the LinkedIn Main Menu resides? Suggestion: you could include an 'options menu' button on the 'Groups Highlight' Pages so LinkedIn Members can get back to the Home Page and Main Menu much more easily.
4. I notice you have increased the 'allowance' for the size of images on the Home Page, and Notifications Page, and reduced the font size considerably - I don't think this complies with accessibility guidance by the way. The LinkedIn format now too closely resembles the Facebook format. Suggestion: revisit these changes and maintain a separate and distinct LinkedIn brand identity for the user experience.
5. You have included the background image from LinkedIn Members Profile Page, on the Home Page, is there really a need for this? Especially as the image does not appear complete, in full, or in the right position. Suggestion: remove the background image from the Home Page because it serves no useful purpose.
6. You have included 'Recent Activity' type information on the LinkedIn Members Profile Page, is this really the best place for it? Suggestion: I think it fits better on the Home Page which is where it was before.
7. Suggestion: you should make LinkedIn Members Main Articles separate from Home Page and Group activity (which can be high in volume and frequency) - whether they are located on the Home Page or the Profile Page, by doing this you will make the LinkedIn Members Main Articles easier to find and to share. You had it this way before, and the change does not make sense.

I hope you find these comments (not truncated) and suggestions useful, a reply would be much appreciated, and some effective and beneficial changes to the LinkedIn Members user experience even more so.

Thanking you kindly in advance.

Cynthia A. Roomes

ADDENDUM_

Reference Points

1. A petition initiated by Mark Jury L.I.O.N, and more than 2,500+ (so far, and steadily increasing…) mostly negative comments on the serious concerns fee paying and free using Members of LinkedIn have about recent changes to the platform.
2. A thread from Craig Marsh, 1700+ likes, and more than 700 comments

In terms of a so-called conspiracy theory, especially in relation to fee payer customers who are members of LinkedIn, but relevant for all of us as Members and users I am sure: I really do hope that it is not in pursuit of CRM diversification to increase income, that LinkedIn is planning to therefore usurp the hard won contacts and connections data of Members as part of its change management process occurring since the Microsoft mega-takeover (￡18billion sterling / $26billion US), using a 'soon to be newly integrated' software platform. Dream or nightmare? Not sure. (Rubbish actually…)

I've noticed the relatively vast number of 'people who've viewed my profile' @ 150+ seemingly, and noticed on each visit I make to the LinkedIn site. This could be to do with the illogical inclusion of 'recent activity' on the profile page, and also a move to increase revenue from advertising based on a questionable boost to viewing numbers.

 Members of LinkedIn have to pay (I think) to click on and find out who has actually viewed their profiles, increasing the number of 'viewers' could also be another mundane way of trying to increase revenue, but this time via free users.

 I’m just wondering, because wonders never cease to amaze me.

A while ago I watched a TV documentary, set in the southern states of the USA I think, where scientists were called to investigate a giant sized dead snake which was found with an alligator in its gut. If I remember rightly, turns out the snake swallowed a food source that was too big, in an effort to digest the alligator, the snake busted its gut and died.

Very sorry to see that my LinkedIn Connections have been so poorly treated, especially the fee payers, all the loyal customers members and user of the platform deserve better. I only view jobs, populate my news feeds, look after the interests of my Connections by sharing useful information where I can, and promote my work, so the changes don't really affect me. Although the platform is slower, clunky, and feels a little cumbersome, it still works for me, I visit the site mainly due to the contributions from Members.

It's a shame about the demising of Groups. Comments used to appear on the home page news feed, they don't any longer, there’s only a drop down from the main menu page, and no way back to the main menu from the Groups pages if you land there first. But you (and anyone else weirdly) can access your own Group comments activity via your Profile page - a bit hidden away actually.

Another sad issue and concern I have about the new format is the omission of 'non-profit causes' in Members profile, the virtual disappearance of support for 'volunteer roles' which used to be included on the jobs pages.

Yet Microsoft states it gives away ￡/$millions in software to charitable causes (rather than inclusion on the LinkedIn platform apparently), and LinkedIn purports to support small business (rather than usurping the Connections and Contacts gathering endeavours of fee paying and non-fee paying Members on the LinkedIn platform apparently).

12th May 2018

RETROSPECTIVE NOTE_

The movement of the members 'bubble' photo image on the home page is an absolute mystery to me, way way way left field, with a residual blank space. Not captivating at all. I am at the centre of my UK LinkedIn world, my image should be slap bang in the middle of my profile. Where it is now is the equivalent of being moved to Hawaii ! ! ! ! ! (High 5:0)

"I've often got the feeling that giants like LinkedIn and Facebook are 'tinkering'. Facebook do quite well – in my opinion, at letting users know what new features have been added etc, but - in my opinion, LinkedIn do not, for feature additions or subtractions actually.

I like some of the LinkedIn changes I've come across, it is a tidier and less spam-bomb-arded network platform than it has been in the past. Considered access to the membership it enables, and the information the members provide that helps me develop my knowledge base and hone my skills.

However I get the sense of being on a perpetual LinkedIn voyage of discovery because as a member of their captive audience, they do not consider my patronage worthy of a transparent change management process (unless I missed it)."

There is a skewering of intent and purpose.

Come on #DearLinkedIn are you not getting the drift?!?

Origins: January 2017 (going forward, or is it backwards #DearLinkedIn?)