#21 I'm Back with a Bang

It's been a while, hasn't it? Exactly 6 months without a LinkedIn?? newsletter. I bet you're wondering, "Did he just vanish after preaching about consistency?"

Ironic, I know. I disappear right after emphasizing the importance of regularity in a lot of my posts. But trust me, this absence wasn't for nothing.

In these past few months, I've been in the thick of it - more engaged than ever. The LinkedIn?? landscape? It's shifting dramatically. Reach is shrinking, artificial intelligence is reshaping the platform, and honestly, it's tougher than ever to make a real impact.

But that's exactly why I'm back. I'm here to reignite your journey on LinkedIn, to steer you through these choppy waters, and to help you harness this powerful platform for your business and personal growth. We've got a lot to catch up on, and even more to explore. So, buckle up!

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Don't want to read the entire newsletter? This is my BANG ??

Get a copy of +150 Content pieces to step up your LinkedIn?? game here

Carousels, Checklists, Infographics and Video Snack to make you more successful and grow your business. Only € 47,- or less (pricing parity).

Where have I been the past 4 months, you ask?

Oh, crisscrossing the globe, sharing my LinkedIn?? wisdom far and wide!

Let's start with Austin and New York?in august - delivering keynotes to over a thousand marketing professionals, all buzzing about LinkedIn?? 's power in Employer Branding and Brand Awareness.

Fun fact: It was the first real life meeting after being connected as online friends with ? Richard Bliss and ?? Lia Bliss for over 3 years. Also in the picture my lovely Evelina Moreno

Then, October had me jetting off to Athens for not one, but two back-to-back events. First, I had the honor of leading a Masterclass for WorldWide Partners on using LinkedIn?? as a growth tool for agencies. Just a couple of days later, I found myself amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the Greek Social Media Conference, weaving LinkedIn?? strategies among dynamic talks on Instagram, TikTok, and Google Ads. LinkedIn, the seasoned player, holding its own among the new catchy social networks?!

The following week was no less exciting. I got to illuminate the paths of PwC's EMEA Marketing Leads with insights on Thought Leadership in Vienna. Rounding off that week, I took center stage as the Keynote Speaker at the I-Team Gathering in Eindhoven. Exhausting? A bit. Exhilarating? Absolutely!

And through it all, LinkedIn?? was busy evolving - tossing out new features, axing old ones. It's been a rollercoaster, and I've got the rundown ready for you.?

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Features Come and Go?

New Kid on the Block: Collaborative Articles?

It’s been just over 6 months since LinkedIn?? ?started to roll out collaborative articles?— a new way for experts to share their knowledge, and for the 1,000M+ members on LinkedIn to learn from them.

Your benefits when engaging with those articles are massive:

• Improved Top Community Voice badging:?If you’re one of the most noteworthy contributors in a skill,?your badge?for that skill now shows up not only on your profile, but also next to your contributions in the article.?
• More reach in feed:?Your contributions now show up to not only people in your network, but also people outside your network who can learn from your expertise.?
• More reach in search:?When members search for specific problems or topics on LinkedIn?? , they now surface relevant articles that can contain your contributions.
• More reach in notifications:?When you contribute, LinkedIn now send notifications to members who would benefit from your perspectives. This way, your expertise immediately reaches the people who will get the most value from it.??

PS: I received my Top Voice Social Selling and Public Speaking Badge after publishing around 6 to 8 comments that resonated with the audience. Go grab yours

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Say Bye Bye to your Profile Video

A few months ago,?LinkedIn?? shared that they’d be removing profile videos — here’s an important?update:

"Starting on December 14th, 2023,?LinkedIn will be removing all existing profile videos from LinkedIn. You want to have a copy of yours?

Just reach out to LinkedIn no later than December 11, 2023, at [email protected] and you can expect to hear back from them with your files within 7 business?days."

Tip! Put your Profile Video in your Featured section in stead

Updates on LinkedIn?? algorithm

Our annual LinkedIn?? Algorithm report is delayed and we will probably update it with some more data and insights, before publishing it in February 2024.

But this might shine a light on some of the things you recently noticed ???

1?? Policy on Notifications Shaken Up (-70%) looks like they prioritise the ones that are more important or are from new connections

2?? The Unreliable Bell Notification still working, but around 60%. Could it be that if you don't engage with a post LinkedIn?? stops notifying you?

3?? Growth Game: Day 2 and 3 Steal the Show! ?? positive thing is that your post now has a longer life span and is less dependent on the first 8 hours

4?? Size Doesn't Matter: Short Text Posts Reign Supreme! ?? Text posts perform well, but the number of text you need depends on the format. Less text with video and Carousels, more when using text only.

5?? Document and PDF Posts: The Slide Struggle ?? Don't overdo it, check the slides of this one, but (more) recent study shows that below 10 slides are even better

6?? Selfie Myth Debunked! ?? We love to see you! Just make it relevant.

7?? Equality Reigns: Connections vs. Followers Embrace your followers and recent connections as they are prioritised over "older connection"

8?? Humanise Your Brand! Myth Busted: Personal Stories Thrive! ?? Want engagement? Want connection from the heart? Start showing yourself and tell us more about you.?

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NEW:?LinkedIn?? Simplified - Content Toolkit

All my Content now available to you

Get your Copy now for only € 47,- (or less with pricing parity)

An extended compilation of all the guides I shared with my network, students, and clients to: Find Inspiration, Build Connections, Build a Community, Create Content, and Convert

+50 Carousels

? categorized in Inspiration, Content, Connect, Community and Convert

+45 Videos

? covering all different strategies, tactics and topics

Checklists and Infographics

? on how to build your profile, create and use content and network as well as a copy of the LinkedIn algorithm report (edition November 2022).

My Best Performing Posts

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Have you seen my Ultimate LinkedIn Checklist? If you missed it, you can check it here

Another?insight that performed well, was about how I efficiently (try to) manage my LinkedIn time on a day to day basis. Check out my successful routine here

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NEW: More exiting materials coming soon

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Buckle up for my 3 upcoming online courses:

1. The Personal Branding BluePrint
2. The LinkedIn Content BluePrint
3. The LinkedIn Sales BluePrint

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Brand new courses, consisting out of +15 easy to implement videos, slides and implementation plans for each topic.? Expected: December 2023 / January 2024

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?About the author

"Unleash Your Full Potential on LinkedIn with?Richard van der Blom,?Founder of Just Connecting HUB - Your Trusted Expert in Virtual Selling.

As a member of a European LinkedIn Think Tank and sought-after keynote speaker, Richard has trained and spoken to over 290,000 professionals at more than 900 companies worldwide, including top names like Nestlé, Capgemini, Deloitte, Siemens, Mercedes, and Adecco. In 2020, he adapted to the pandemic by creating a Virtual Selling Program that has been implemented by companies with instant and sustainable growth in conversions, leads, and revenue.

Join the ranks of the world's leading companies and invest in your LinkedIn success with Richard van der Blom and Just Connecting HUB."