This is the new-look Informed podcast, all about LinkedIn best practice, hosted for the first time by John Espirian.

There’s a quick backstory of the handover from the show’s creator, Mark Williams, to John, and then on to listener questions in the Postbag.

Postbag questions

• Can you deactivate a company page without closing your personal profile?
• Can you talk about visibility being down on LinkedIn?
• Should we invest time in making newsletters, livestreams and videos on LinkedIn?
• How are comment impressions gauged and are they a useful metric?
• Is post boosting a good idea?

Generative AI data training: how to turn it off if you don’t want to give your data to LinkedIn for free.

Microsoft’s 2026 Q1 results are out, with some nuggets about LinkedIn growth.

Links

• Growth stalling post 1
• Growth stalling post 2
• LinkedIn membership growth tracker
• Ryan Roslansky on LinkedIn’s results
• Book a consultation with John
• Espresso+ community

Solo and small business owners: join the Espresso+ community to improve your LinkedIn and online presence. Find out more at jesp.me/join

Support the show: Informed is not sponsored, so all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!

My final ever episode. I have made the decision to retire, which means no more LinkedIn™️ training or LinkedIn™️ at all so the podcast needs to be handed on to someone else.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

We often come across people on LinkedIn™️ who look interesting and produce content we find valuable...so we follow or connect and over time we feel as though we get to know them better.

But do we REALLY know them?

Interesting People interviews are designed to reveal more about the background, personal lives and characteristics of some of our favourite people on LinkedIn™️.

This episode features the wonderful Louise Brogan, A much travelled LinkedIn™️ trainer with an IT background, a passionate feminist and advocate for small businesses.

We talked about the following topics

• Growing up in Northern Ireland during the troubles.
• Going to a school situated along the 'murder mile'!
• Why she left Belfast to study in Scotland
• How her travels have taken her around the world three times!
• Her early career in IT support including working for a massive corporate and why she eventually joined the NHS.
• Starting her own business and being risk averse
• The impact of losing her Dad when she had a 4 week old baby
• The advice she received which guided her towards social media training
• The pivot from broad social media to specialist LinkedIn™️ training & the benefits that has brought
• How she became a successful 'YouTuber' (over 2 million views) and why it attracts customers
• How she once turned criticism into a successful LinkedIn™️ post
• Being a feminist
• Her passion for small businesses
• Meeting the King! 👑
• Being an empath in business
• Whats on her happy list
• A book recommendation

Louise is a talker...something we both have in common so I'm impressed that we managed to keep this recording to just over an hour!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

July 23rd 2022. Having been away for a few weeks, partly holiday, partly family health issues…I needed to catch up with what’s been happening so who better to call than our good friend John Espirian.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

What are you doing with your connections?

Are you just engaging with their content and occasionally sending them a message or are you making the effort to talk with them face to face?

This week I talk with Kathryn Strachan, the MD and Founder of Copy House, a technology content marketing agency about how she has used a LinkedIn outreach strategy successfully on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Do you need it?

Is it worth the money?

Which one is most suitable?

It’s been over 3 years since I covered premium upgrades so I thought it was time for a bit of a refresh.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Should LinkedIn primarily be a source of information or a networking platform?

Inspired by an interesting post I saw about the problems associated with posts that contain links.

Plus plenty of new and rumored features and of course a brilliant post of the week.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Does it help with engagement or is it just egotistical nonsense?

This week I discuss this with Lynnaire Johnston and you might be surprised at the conclusions!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

LinkedIn connections: Do you need them?

How many is enough?

Are they overrated?

Is it better to have followers?

Plus changes to the feed algorithm, a 16-year-old gets banned and a brilliant post of the week from an Uber driver!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

You sit down to write that LinkedIn post. You have a good topic but you know it’s important to stop the scroll with a strong headline and motivate those who read it to comment…and you're stuck!

Maybe a robot can help? Have you considered the benefits of using AI to stimulate better copy ideas and structure?

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

LinkedIn produce a new feature that is unlikely to deliver exciting results yet marketing professionals get excited about it. Is there a danger that they are guilty of being the emperors’ weavers?

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

The marketing department, the recruitment team, sales executives, and other employees are active on LinkedIn but there’s no sign of the CEO or other occupants of the boardroom. Why your leaders should be more visible on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

You want your posts to be highly visible but you are concerned that if you publish the sort of content that is typically popular on LinkedIn, you might damage your credibility. It sounds like you need to find your sweet spot!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

How the new feed is quietly stifling engagement.

Also covered in this week's episode:

• Audio events are being scrapped
• How the 'see more' can be a curse
• New - enhanced profile cover slideshows
• More job losses at LinkedIn
• Elon's cringe comment
• Post of the week

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

A Sensational headline tricks you into opening a full post or article and rather than presenting the intended purpose the headline promises, the accuracy and quality are questionable. This is commonly known as Clickbait but do we get it on LinkedIn and is it always a bad thing?

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Since the start of this year, the first cohort on the Creator Accelerator Program have been posting content on LinkedIn. So are they accelerating or misfiring? Let’s take a look at the five I selected to follow.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

• New Podcast network
• Why video captions are important
• What to do if your post gets taken down
• Better post analytics coming soon
• Does reducing connections improve post reach?
• New features to services page
• CAP expands to India
• Post of the week

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

I’ve been thinking about profiles and what we could do to make our profiles more interesting and personalised so I’ve come up with some ideas...

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

We all know that posts on LinkedIn that are 'personal' attract more engagement and views but taking a personal approach to content, is not an easy thing for most of us.

In this episode, I share some useful tips on how to bring your personality to your posts

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Who are your followers and how many of them are your target audience? In addition, how many of them actually see your content?

We work hard to produce great quality content but are the right people seeing it? Is this something we can control?

The answer is yes…and no!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Have you ever blocked someone on LinkedIn? This week I chat with John Espirian about useful ways to use this feature.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

What changes can we expect and hope for on LinkedIn this year?

In this episode, I will go through my hopes, fears, and predictions for 2022…I think it’s going to be a good one!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Christmas is almost here and this is the last episode of 2021 so let’s take a look back at what’s been happening on LinkedIn this year.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Has your network grown out of control?

Do you think it might be time to disconnect from a few?

Does it make sense to do it and will it help you?

What is the best way to go about it?

In this episode I try to answer all those questions plus:

• Not all subscribers are the same
• Positivity and LinkedIn™️
• The Recruitment Network support automation
• LinkedIn shares tips for posting short videos
• LinkedIn's new 'Build your voice' hub
• Post of the week

I also briefly talk about this brilliant post from Richard van der Blom

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

A fantastic new notification feature was introduced this week but does this now require us to look more closely at our notification settings?

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

LinkedIn have announced the first cohort of 100 creators to benefit from funding and guidance support. I take a look at who they have selected and whether they are deserving of this support or not!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

“Why should I bother creating awesome content, when it is arbitrarily limited by my connection network and not the quality of the content?”

I saw this comment in a thread this week and do you know what, it’s a really good point! …I think LinkedIn needs another feed, a feed where content is purely there because the algorithm thinks we will be interested - connecting, following and relevance do not count - just the quality and subject of the content.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Do you want followers or connections? Is a connection more valuable than a follower and can you build relationships with followers without the need to connect?

This week I deep dive into this and explore the relationship between followers and connections

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

I have been calling for employee verification on LinkedIn for years and LinkedIn have finally implemented it for company page admins…Unfortunately, they have done it for completely the wrong reasons and it doesn’t help at all!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

It takes a leap of faith to be authentic on LinkedIn.

More than that, it takes real courage!

But the benefits are massive... it's time to take that hat off!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

With the rumored introduction of a LinkedIn digital wallet and the announcement that Events will the first feature likely to utilize it. I take a look at what features of LinkedIn could be monetized by users and explore whether this would be a good thing for the platform.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

LinkedIns new initiative to support creators is now in full swing.

Is it any good?

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

LinkedIn are putting their money where their mouth is regarding their initiative to support creators with the announcement that they are offering $15,000 (c£11,000) grants plus other support to 100 creators in the US. I take a deeper look into what this means and how it might be used in practice.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Welcome to LinkedInformed 336.

This week I chat with fellow LinkedIn Trainer Teddy Burris about the challenges we all face with the posting and engaging…the fear factor!

What stops us from engaging more on LinkedIn? Is it really a time thing, or is it for normally more complex and deeper reasons.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

This may be an unpopular opinion: using LinkedIn™️ as a 'funnel' to push followers/connections onto your site is not a great strategy!

Also covered in this episode:

• New 'Open to volunteering'
• 55 million users are now verified
• LinkedIn launches “Know-How That Sticks” campaign
• Lazy iOS mobile version histories
• The dangers of outsourcing messaging from your account
• Post of the week

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Why don’t they tell us the truth?

Why do LinkedIn keep things hidden from us?

LinkedIn have no obligation to tell us what is going on, they are a private organisation and are perfectly entitled to their secrets…but is it clever to keep your users second-guessing? What impression do we form of a company when they lack authenticity in this way? Does it matter to you?

LinkedIn will continue to evolve but they could achieve so much more by adopting a more open style of communication.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

This week I chat with Brynne Tillman about Social Selling and her take on how to conduct a successful outbound strategy without being ‘icky’ or pushy. Those of you who listen to the podcast regularly will know that I favour a more inbound focussed approach to social sales on Linkedin but I have always admired the different approach adopted by Brynne and believed that having her on the show would provide a great balance to what you normally hear…she didn’t disappoint!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

The news that LinkedIn were launching a Freelancer booking service similar to the likes of Fiverr and Upwork was originally broken in February this year…since then we have heard very little until last week when a number of people reported a new feature allowing them to ask for reviews of their services.

With the full Marketplace feature planned for launching in Autumn/Fall this year, I thought it was time to start planning for its arrival.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Welcome to your weekly dose of all things LinkedIn. This is the first installment in a new series focusing on the subject of social selling. I believe that we all need to understand this subject in order to succeed on LinkedIn, whether we be directly in a sales role or not. Marketeers, job seekers, recruiters, business owners, and anyone wanting to enhance their career by becoming more influential should master social selling.

In this first episode, I chat with Ian Moyse, an experienced Sales Leader in the Cloud industry who has been involved with social selling for many years, he was even a guest on one of the first episodes of the LinkedInformed podcast back in 2014!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Welcome to this weeks dose of all things LinkedIn.

I've struggled through the heatwave that has hit the UK this week to bring you this episode, I hope you appreciate it!

Having missed last week, I have a number of things to cover but no one topic that dominates this edition, hence why I’m calling it a catch-up!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Welcome to a special edition of LinkedInformed where I debate with Michelle J Raymond the merits or otherwise of LinkedIn company pages.

Michelle is a big fan of Pages and has built her business by helping her clients to successfully win business through their company pages, I say that her clients would be far more successful if they focus the vast majority of their time on developing their personal content, engagement, and relationships…you can make up your own mind as to who won the argument!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

LinkedIn content has changed almost beyond recognition from where it was 10 years ago, even perhaps 5 years ago.

We now see pictures and videos of pets, people talking openly about their emotions, and posts designed purely to entertain us so the question I want to ask in this episode is this;

Have we gone too far and where is the line of appropriateness?

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

This week I chat with Kim Arnold, the author of the brilliant new book 'Email Attraction' about how to write better direct messages and InMails.

Plus a couple of news items and a brilliant post of the week.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

In this episode, I share my views on why taking a more diverse approach to LinkedIn and how it can help us be more successful. I also tackle the tricky issue of profile pronouns!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

This week, I discussed the mystery surrounding the disappearing connections and revealed that this is not the first time it has happened! Also, in this episode:

• Latest statistics from LinkedIn™️
• Update on Services
• The new AI hiring assistant
• Post of the week

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

This week I chat with Greete Eluri from Denmark about how she not only managed to get a new job but also changed careers through the visibility she gained from actively engaging on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

Have you made your cover story video yet? Don’t tell me you haven’t got the feature yet…so what? You can still make your video in preparation for getting it soon.

This week I’m going to give you my tips on how to put together a great cover story video with the help of some great examples.

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.

I asked listeners if they would be prepared to have me critically appraise their LinkedIn posts...Funnily enough, I didn't get many volunteers but all credit to Patrick Twitchett for being brave enough to give it a go.

In this episode, I take a look at four recent posts, two that did well and two that somewhat bombed!

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.