Hi, Reader,
So, in complete transparency, I had a different newsletter planned for this week…
But after digging into a recent report from LinkedIn’s AI and product engineering team, I couldn’t hold off.
Because it confirmed what many of us have been feeling, and you can read the entire report for yourself if you're up for it.
But in the interest of time, I'll break it down for you...
The LinkedIn feed is getting smarter and more unpredictable for those of us who have been on it for years. It's changing, and I think the bigger lesson here is...embrace it:)
But behind the scenes, LinkedIn has moved away from a fragmented algorithm that looked at several different elements to determine what would be served up to you in the feed, to a unified, AI-powered system.
And that means it’s no longer just organizing content based on who you follow or what you’ve engaged with before, but it’s trying to understand your professional context… your interests, your trajectory, even what it thinks you should care about next.
On paper, this sounds like a good thing. More relevant content is being served to you, and better content should be rising to the top for you to view. And mostly, I think this is a good thing if your profile & content are clear on what you want to be known for.
But even less reach is what some are experiencing, and it's getting harder and harder to keep track of the individuals who matter most to your business's growth.
So the silver lining is that you may start seeing new voices and ideas. Again, not necessarily a bad thing at all. We need to be introduced to new people!
But you may also start losing touch with those who matter most to you:(
And if your business is built on relationships, that’s not something you can leave up to an algorithm. Which, let’s be honest…relationships are what drive opportunity. (And make the work a whole lot more enjoyable.)
So instead of fighting the shift, I really think it comes down to building a system that works with what's happening so you can get the best of all sides.
And I'm going to reveal a practice I've been doing for almost a year that still holds up...and maybe even more so now.
The Problem No One Is Talking About
Maybe today you’re scrolling the feed and engaging with whoever and whatever shows up…
No shame if you are. This is probably 98% of the users.
I even find myself falling off the bandwagon and defaulting to what the feed shows me.
But if your goal is to build relationships, stay visible with the right people, and turn conversations into opportunities…
Then the feed alone isn’t your strongest ally. Because LinkedIn isn’t optimizing for your business goals, remember, it’s optimizing for what the LLMS is trained to look at…and that’s not necessarily going to meet eye-to-eye with what you need from the platform right now.
The Shift I’ve Been Teaching (And Using) for Months
I wrote about this 8 months ago in this newsletter, and it matters even more now.
I call it…my LinkedIn Engagement List.
It's a Google Doc I can pull up from anywhere (desktop or on my phone). And I was actually updating it this past weekend.
But it reveals the people I don't want to lose touch with...
- Potential Clients - Those I want to work with
- Current & Past Clients - Those I want to continue to support
- Big Guys/Gals & Active LinkedIn Peeps - Those I’m learning from and enjoy every day
Each name in the doc links directly to their LinkedIn profile page.
So when I open LinkedIn, I’m not asking…
“What does LinkedIn want me to see today?”
I’m referencing my list first and asking...
“Who do I want to check in with?”
What This Looks Like in Practice
You take back control of how you spend your time online.
So instead of opening LinkedIn on your desktop or even in the app on your phone and immediately reacting…
1. Pull up your LinkedIn Engagement List first
2. Click on the link of the person you want to check in with
3. It should take you to their personal profile page
4. Find their latest post or one they’ve written in the last week
5. And engage with a link, comment…and even a DM
That’s it.
You’re not guessing what to do when it comes to engagement. No wasted time.
And definitely no hoping the algorithm surfaces the “right” people. Because you’ve got your list to reference!
And no…you don’t need to engage with everyone every day. (This list can get pretty lengthy.) So let that pressure go. But it gives you a “manual” to reference for intentional visibility.
“But What About Notifications?”
Yes…turning on the “bell” (set to All) is still worth doing when you have people you want to be sure not to miss.
Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the person's LinkedIn profile page that you want to see all posts
- Click the đź”” bell icon
- Select “All”
This increases your chances of seeing their content (as you will get all notifications when they post on the platform), but it’s not foolproof. Because I don't know about you...But I have a laundry list of constant notifications, and stuff gets missed all the time.
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​Why This Matters More Than Ever
The algorithm will always be evolving and working independently of you. And that’s ok.
But if you want…
- Stronger relationships
- More visibility with the right people
- Actual business outcomes from LinkedIn
You can’t leave that to chance, and this system can help you.
If you don’t have a LinkedIn Engagement List yet, today’s a good day to start one.
- Open a Google Doc, Notion, or whatever system helps keep you organized.
- Add 10–15 names, thinking of these groups I mentioned
- Use this list the next time you think of showing up on LinkedIn.
This alone will change how you show up with the limited time you have and not allow the algorithm to decide for you:)
P.S. This is exactly part of the simple (but high-impact) system I’ll be teaching inside my 6-week LinkedIn group coaching starting in April. If you’ve been wanting more structure and a way to actually turn visibility into opportunity, message me, and I’ll share the details.
This will seriously be fun AND give you the certainty of what to do and how to do it with a very supportive group of people like YOU.
Be ready to get all the resources and accountability you ever needed:)
P.S. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reply now and ask:)
Talk soon,
Find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, or book a 1-on-1 clarity call​
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Columbus, OH