LinkedIn introduces a new 'Discover' feed and updated group features to boost user engagement.

LinkedIn is experimenting with its version of algorithm-driven content discovery.
LinkedIn introduces a new 'Discover' feed and updated group features to boost user engagement.

Some of them encourage even more exploration and interaction in the app, including a new 'Discover' feed, more contextual information to job postings and updates to groups.

Each of those has a level of functional value. Of interest here will be just how LinkedIn members take to options, or not, over the coming months.

LinkedIn is testing a new 'Discover' feed, which, like the latest social media trend, attempts to draw out algorithmically recommended content that you may be interested in, based on activity within the app.
LinkedIn's Discover feed will showcase newsletters, videos, events, and more matched up to you based on your interests. Essentially like TikTok's "For You" feed, but with professional updates in LinkedIn.

Sounds weird? Yeah, it kind of does.

I mean, it could be good, but whether people really want to see an expanded set of updates from people and businesses that they don't already follow and aren't already connected to seems questionable, given established behaviors in the app.

Still, it is worth a shot, and it is interesting to see whether it will help the platform catch some wind on its currently 'record levels' of engagement. It may also offer more capacity for discovery among LinkedIn users interested in your sector – which could be another reason to keep your flow of LinkedIn content going.

The new feed has been in testing with LinkedIn since the last month, and some users are now starting to get a new Discover tab within the app.
On another front, LinkedIn is also introducing new 'meet the team section on the details page' of job listings, so applicants can get a better feel for who the team is what they are working towards and links into their LinkedIn profiles, so candidates can get a better understanding of what really interests them, and what they're actually passionate about.
, the new ad will display both the poster of the job and the members of the hiring team who shared the job.

"As an added feature, it will display the mutual connections (including 2nd-degree ones) of the applicant and the hiring team to better facilitate a conversation.

They're also testing a new 'Celebrate' display in your 'Notifications' stream, so that members can better keep up with the latest in their own job milestones, changes, work anniversaries, etc.
New prompts will give you more ways to reach out to your connections, based upon key changes and events. This is potentially a good way to stay front of mind with important connections, though it also could lead to a lot of spam (like templated birthday messages from people who never really seem to engage with you otherwise).
LinkedIn's also adding some new elements for LinkedIn Groups, the once-thriving engagement element that, for a long time now, has been largely ignored, and has become so filled with spam in many groups that it's just not worth joining.

LinkedIn says, however, that many people get significant value from Groups:

"We hear over and over again from members how much they cherish their LinkedIn Groups experience. For millions of professionals around the world, groups are the go-to for advice, support, and industry tips on LinkedIn."

'Cherish' is a seemingly effervescent description here, but LinkedIn is looking to invite more group engagement anyway and is, for this reason, releasing new features such as additional acceptance criteria for joining groups as well as personalized welcome notes for new members. I am not quite sure they really add much to the overall groups experience, but they do show up more ways that group administrators will be able to manage their communities – which would ensure that more people will indeed 'cherish' spending their time in groups.

These new options may not add much in terms of functional value, but they are part of the upgrade for the current LinkedIn experience, which can have value across different use cases and contexts.

The options also push LinkedIn more into line with other social apps with algorithmic recommendations, improved group tools, and more.

This makes a lot of sense and at least warrants LinkedIn trying it out to see what kind of response it can get.

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2024-11-15 02:30:29