LinkedIn has changed. Why might this be? How can it help you?

LinkedIn – a social media platform that was once known for its strictly professional use – has changed significantly over the past couple of years.

If you were to compare how your LinkedIn timeline looked before the Covid-19 pandemic and with what you may find today, you would see quite different styles in posts. There has been a swift evolution from generic corporate messaging to more human and developed, personal stories, today.

Why did this happen?

Quite simply, corporate messaging can be interpreted as soulless and boring. People no longer want to engage with it and you risk denying yourself the opportunity to show who you are. Every social media post is an opportunity to build a connection with those reading your posts.

Over the course of the pandemic, a lot of discussions started about mental health at work, which opened up conversations around what people did outside of work. Posts like this connected with people and as a result, spawned a series of more insightful and engaging content. Users now rarely post about their workplace achievement, but are more likely to write about personal goals, ambitions and struggles, as well as their families. This shows the world their personality and their development as three-dimensional individuals.

There is still a fine line to tread of course. The CEO of Hypersocial, Braden Wallake, demonstrated as much when he shared a selfie of himself crying after having to fire two employees. This cringe-worthy moment demonstrates that although we are being more open about struggles, there is still a way to go about it which isn’t embarrassing or potentially exploitative and disingenuous.

The reason for this change can also be applied to other forms of business communications. The reason for being, the story, the extra dimension of the people. These aspects create an emotional connection that keeps a reader invested in your story.