LinkedIn isn't working for women. Should we boycott it?

The algorithm is broken. The platform is biased. But I’m not going anywhere. Here’s why.

Should we boycott LinkedIn?

For sure, it's an option, but where else would we go? There is no other network or platform like it.

Also, I am not sure this would help b/c the algorithm bias happens across ALL socials. And LinkedIn doesn't care if you stop paying, unless 100K+ supporters stop at the same time.

Right now, there's a sea of "goodbye cruel world" posts happening from some of the most diverse voices on LinkedIn and silence from HQ.

AND we still see so-called LinkedIn experts say, "We just have to wait until the algorithm figures itself out." I saw someone on YouTube "super excited" about these new algorithmic changes. Ugh.

The problem is that algorithmic bias is really obvious here on LinkedIn b/c of the way LI works. You don't notice it on other platforms b/c the feeds there tend to be more on-topic or closed network.

The question is WHY is it so problematic here.

The answer is actually pretty simple.

It's b/c a lot more men than women post--by far--and the algo looks to see who posts and who interacts with said posts. This includes our personal demographics (and yes, LinkedIn knows ALL of your personal demographics, even if you didn't authorize it to do so).

And then it extrapolates this information and applies it to all of us.

It's not a LinkedIn-exclusive issue. That's how algorithms work. (Except TikTok. They've mastered the algo concept. I'll be sad to see it be banned in the US.)

Additionally, when women DO post, it falls into one of two categories:

1️⃣ Boring "so excited to have spoken at this event!" posts, or the ever-thrilling, "look how great my client did!" post.

Not saying these are terrible posts, but they send a message when that's ALL your posting. *yawn*

2️⃣ Sh*t that makes people REALLY uncomfortable. (I fall into this category.)

All we need is one or two of our posts to get reported, and now we're branded as problematic and the topic we're writing about as unpopular. That means that our reach will continue to be suppressed even if we have a massive following. Just ask Cindy Gallop how that's working for her. (It's not.)

The worst part is that we aren't even notified or given the opportunity to appeal. It just...*poof*...disappears.

FFS, even Facebook gives you the option to appeal AND lets you know what the post was so you can revamp it to meet the demands of the censorship police.

Clearly, things need to change.

I love LinkedIn. I've met amazing people who I wouldn't have met anywhere else EXCEPT on LI. I'm even building a whole business around what I've learned here b/c it still shocks me that people haven't figure it out. (Shameless plug for Love Your LinkedIn Profile.)

So what's next? TBD but I don't see myself going anywhere anytime soon. (Also, I tried the not paying thing. Didn't go well.)

So now we need to fix it.

h/t to Beth Massa for getting me all worked up about algorithm bias and sending me down a rabbit hole trying to figure out how to fix it. LinkedIn should pay me.

Categories: : LinkedIn Strategy, Platform Bias, Real Talk, Visibility & Engagement