119. Working with Ali

Working with Ali Ali is short for Algorithm, in this case LinkedIn’s algorithm. Whether we like it or not LinkedIn is constantly collating data about us. Which groups we join and which conversations we get involved in, what skills we have and how often they are endorsed (and by whom), which companies we follow, who we connect with and how much we interact with them. Ali also measures which status updates and publish posts we click, like or comment on. It may sound creepy but that's just how things are in social media and the wider Internet. Understanding this and understanding how to use it to our advantage is one of the key aspects to been successful on LinkedIn LinkedIn can only react to actions, it can’t (as yet) interpret feelings or opinions - just actions. I was reminded of this recently when someone contacted me to complain about the amount of inappropriate posts and status updates they were seen on their homepage. When I asked them what they were doing about it, their answer was that they were commenting in order to show the person that posted that they disapproved….BIG MISTAKE! Not only does this ensure that the post is distributed further it also teaches Ali that you are interested in this type of content….no wonder they were seeing more and more inappropriate content! In the links below you will find a link to a fascinating list of patents that LinkedIn have filed over the years, the most recent one relates to this very issue - i.e. how LinkedIn decides what to show you on your feed. Mentioned in this episode: This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.