The LinkedIn?? TOFU Myth!
Mark Williams
Delivering LinkedIn?? advice since 2008 · LinkedIn?? visibility · Informed Podcast host · One to one online coaching · Speaker · Social Selling · Online sessions
This may be an unpopular opinion...
Using LinkedIn?? as a 'funnel' to push followers/connections onto your site is not a great strategy!
More of that later, also covered in this episode;
Informed is a weekly podcast which you can listen to and subscribe to for free on any podcast app. These notes are merely brief overview of what I covered in the podcast so do listen to the full show on Spotify below or simply search for 'Informed podcast' on your podcast app of choice.
Open to volunteering
A new feature has recently appeared for some users.
You can now add volunteering in the 'Open to' section in your profile
You can select any of the 15 categories listed so long as you can also add a skill, although bizarrely this skill doesn't have to be relevant to the volunteer category!
LinkedIn?? claim that this feature will allow you to 'get found when nonprofits search for volunteers' although this is somewhat tenuous. There is a broad filter in a people search for 'Open to' and then 'Pro bono consulting and volunteering' but not a specific filter for each of the above categories...perhaps that is to come.
Thanks to Kevin D. Turner for alerting me to that one.
Verification
55 million users have now verified their profiles which suggests it's well on it's way to achieving the 100 mill by 2025 target (assuming they mean by the end of 2025!)
This is encouraging although this figure still represents just 5% of the total number of members. Verification is still not possible in many regions and there still seems to be issues for people who have a different name on their passport.
It's far from perfect but I do think they are taking a much better approach to it than other social networks who are demanding payment for verification. LinkedIn's motivation does seem to be a genuine attempt to limit fake profiles and AI tools and not a money making exercise and it is costing them a sizeable amount of money to do it.
One interesting line in the above article was as follows;
In November, the company will begin showing its user verification badges within the primary LinkedIn feed
It's not clear what they mean by this. We already see the verification tick in profiles but this might suggest that this tick will appear next to an authors name in their posts. We will have to look out for the appearance of this...has anyone seen it yet?
LinkedIn?? targets Gen Z with ads about the new video feed
One of the reasons LinkedIn?? have added the TikTok style video feed is to appeal to a younger audience. In this article from Mobile marketing they reveal that LinkedIn?? have launched a new series of short films (presumably ads for social media and maybe TV?) with the campaign title "Know-How That Sticks"
Maybe this is just a normal part of their marketing plan or is this is sign that the new video feed isn't really catching on?
iOS mobile version histories
This really annoys me.
Either LinkedIn?? are being incredibly lazy or incredibly secretive...neither is a good look!
This is the 'information' LinkedIn?? choose to provide when they update their mobile app on iOS (I assume Android is the same). You can go back as far as you like, every update shows the same copy & paste
Admittedly Meta do the same but when did Meta become the standard?!!
Rather than copy Meta why don't LinkedIn?? do what TikTok do
Sometimes there isn't anything to say because it's just a few bug fixes...fine but when you actually do something significant, you should be telling us. TikTok don't say much but it's enough.
Come on LinkedIn?? we expect better from you!
Outsourcing messages
A listener contacted me this week to say they had received a message from a connection, written by their PA. The message was on behalf of the connection and through their account but it was made clear that the PA was the one sending the message.
The question was whether this was permitted in the user agreement.
The answer is that it isn't but I do think it's a grey area.
In the 'do's and don'ts section it states the following...
You agree that you will not: Create a false identity on LinkedIn, misrepresent your identity, create a Member profile for anyone other than yourself (a real person), or use or attempt to use another’s account (such as sharing log-in credentials or copying cookies).
Whilst that seems fairly clear cut, the grey area comes when permission is given by the account holder. Is this then acceptable?
Moreover, would LinkedIn?? enforce this rule if a message was reported?
It also appears from the wording that the rule applies to the person logging in as well as the account holder (for sharing log-in details).
My conclusion is that, whilst the action is officially prohibited, it's unlikely that LinkedIn?? would enforce this when it is made clear that permission was granted.
But it's a risk.
My advice to anyone doing this is by all means get your PA to log-in and send messages for you but there is no need for them to expressly reveal that they are writing the message. They can always request that follow-up is via the PA and provide their email address.
The exception to this is when using a VA, especially from abroad. I have come across cases where a log-in from an unusual location is flagged and causes the account to be temporarily suspended.
The TOFU Myth.
"Don't build your business on someone else's platform"
It makes sense right? Especially in light of the recent issues with connections disappearing and the fact that LinkedIn?? effectively have control over your network.
Many people choose to use LinkedIn?? as a TOFU (Top of funnel) tool. Their aim is to use their profile and content as a way to get people to their website where they can ask them to subscribe to their email newsletter or enter an email address to register or enter the site...this takes away their reliance on a 3rd party website like LinkedIn??.
It sounds remarkably sensible...it's not!
There are many reasons why this rarely succeeds long term which I go into in this weeks podcast, here's some highlights of my argument
I know many will strongly disagree with this, that's fine and I'm sure there will some (isolated) examples of people successfully using LinkedIn?? as a TOFU but for me, long term success is about attracting customers on a public forum and continuing to influence them in that forum.
That way they are much more likely to want to come to you to do business.
Post of the week
This is very very smart...and amusing.
When you post about something highly topical and highly polarising, you are likely to attract engagement. The problem is that by expressing a strong opinion, you may upset people you don't wish to...especially where politics are concerned.
This post can't possibly offend anyone, yet it's polarising. Aaron Coalson has cleverley appealed to everyone who feels strongly about this topic...both sides.
It's clever, which appeals to people and funny (also appealing).
That's it for this week.
Please let me know when you see a post that would qualify for post of the week.
Copywriter and Social Media Consultant for B2B Tech and Energy Tech Businesses
1 周It would be fascinating to know how the video feed is doing. As for TOFU, I say engage people where they are, not where you want them to be. I'll have to listen to the podcast for the rest of the insights on this topic Mark.
Career change coach & consultant for professionals with 10+ years' experience who are seeking more meaning and purpose at work | Licensed Firework Career Coach with a background in psychology teaching and learning
2 周Playing devil's advocate Mark Williams, doesn't your podcast serve as a mailing list? In the sense that even if LinkedIn kicked you out tomorrow, you'd still have people subscribed to your podcast. If I dropped my mailing list, I don't have an audience anywhere else. So perhaps not having a mailing list only makes sense if you create content elsewhere (e.g. a podcast, blog or YouTube)? Although I take your point about the mindset of feeling like you need a backup plan. Perhaps the risk is greater if you're less well established? Lots of food for thought here!
Growing thelime.one ?? LinkedIn Tool & LinkedIn Training | Founder at Proof Content | Key Messaging & Brand Positioning
2 周Totally agree with you - better to see it as using someone else's audience to do a lot of the hard work. Although it's important to have a plan to get the best leads into your CRM as well.
Mostly buying desk phones and telecom systems, telephones new boxed or off desk, networking, servers and storage. Excess stock and liquidations.
2 周Great podcast this week. I would say I half agree with you on TOFU. Although LinkedIn is great its important to capture contacts made to your own contacts list. Should the worse happen you’re covered. I’m old enough to have lived through the dark days when Google dropped us all like flies. Algorithm update after update until there was zero traffic. Yes enjoy the platform but where you make meaningful connections take the conversation off the platform.
Linked In marketing services that start conversations that convert. ?? Lumpy Mailer that gets sticky doors opened
2 周As always Mark Williams a very informative and thought provoking item. I decided in 2015 to ditch my website and have no landing pages or email capture system on "my land". It's not harmed my income stream just made me more creative in using the tools that are here to get prospects to the next stage. This platform is my funnel and as we all know you can build revenue without selling.