Informed: the podcast for LinkedIn® users
by John Espirian
"Informed" is for you if you'd like to understand more about how LinkedIn works so that you can be an effective user of the platform. It's hard to know whom to believe with so many self-appointed gurus out there telling you the latest hacks for going viral and earning 7-figure deals. And even LinkedIn's own publications often don't speak to the reality of using the platform.But for those who see past superficial promises and sanitised reports, this podcast provides evidence and thoughtful opinion. With a track record of more than 10 years of sensible, no-nonsense advice about honest best practice for LinkedIn, Informed is a trusted source of insight by many thousands of regular listeners. The show was created by Mark Williams, who's affectionately known as "Mr LinkedIn". Mark retired in late 2025 and handed over the reins of the show to John Espirian, the relentlessly helpful® LinkedIn nerd. John is a LinkedIn trainer and consultant, the founder of the Espresso+ community, the creat
Episodes
-
508. How much can we trust LinkedIn's numbers?
Postbag voice note from Ashley Leeds about negative effects of invitations not being accepted. This week, I've seen lots of people reporting very low impression counts. Microsoft/LinkedIn official stats for the end of October 2026 My LinkedIn membership tracker Solo and small business owners…
more -
507. What's your experience of LinkedIn?
A few points to consider on what it means to have different experiences of LinkedIn. Voice notes for the Postbag: Mark Lee: adverts in the feed and posts referred into the feed Mic Adam: post visibility set to 1st connections only, and event issues Tamas Banki: do reposts affect my own original...
-
506. Newsletters continued
Postbag Mary Wu: post boosting Mic Adam: company pages Ashley Leeds: LinkedIn groups Nicky Oliver: company verifications and newsletters Company page comment blocking and removing people from a page Pinned comments return New recommend / super like reaction for Premium members My interview on...
-
505. Are LinkedIn newsletters in trouble?
Postbag question by Ivan Tobias: What are the biggest misconceptions you've found building other people's LinkedIn profiles that other LinkedIn experts perpetuate? Can your LinkedIn profile URL reveal your account's age? Native bold support for text LinkedIn newsletter analytics and visibility…
more -
504. Improving your LinkedIn feed relevance
Voice note questions from Steve Bruce, Hanne Møller, Ashley Leeds, Mary Wu, Darren Millings, and Mic Adam. The questions cover these topics: endorsements, languages, percentage of content creators on the platform, batch tagging, licenses and certifications, About sections, connection strategy…
more -
503. Improvement suggestions for LinkedIn
The Postbag includes voice notes from Mark Lee, Ashley Leeds, and Lynnaire Johnston. Suggested LinkedIn fixes: Exact date and time on posts & comments Batch delete notifications Pinned comments Combine split DM threads from the same person Rich text support in posts Reorderable sections in…
more -
502. How many active users does LinkedIn have?
Postbag questions and contributions from Hanne Møller, Mary Wu, Gillian Whitney, Mic Adam, and Mari-Liis Garcia. Private connection notes are here for Premium members. How many active users are there on LinkedIn? Don't forget to grab your ticket for UpLift Live Nano Bristol on 17 September 2026…
more -
501. Profile top card basics
A look at some of the basics of your LinkedIn profile's top card. Plus, voice note contributions from Lynnaire Johnston and Mark Lee. 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...
-
500. The anniversary bumper Postbag
A special version of the Informed podcast as it reaches its 500th episode, with voice note contributions from several listeners. Plus, a reminder to join us in Bristol for UpLift Live Nano on 17 September 2026. Your chance to ask your LinkedIn questions in person and even have your profile…
more -
499. Is SSI going away?
Brenda Meller voice note about the new "Seems like AI slop" feature Is Social Selling Index (SSI) going away for free users? My first collaborative post, with Lynnaire Johnston Come to UpLift Live Nano Bristol! It's on Thursday 17 September at The Watershed. Tickets: https://jesp.me/nanobristol…
more -
498. "Seems like AI slop"
Postbag Mark Lee and Jeremy Freeman sent voice notes about where to get official LinkedIn info and change logs. "Seems like AI slop" is a new feature on LinkedIn posts viewed in the main feed. Update on collaborative posts Solo and small business owners: join the Espresso+ community to improve…
more -
497. Collaborative posts
Voice note from Gillian Whitney on out-of-network content viewers Voice note from Mary Wu on profile URLs, plus some feedback on limiting posts Get your ticket to UpLift Live Nano Bristol for Thursday 17 September Collaborative posts Solo and small business owners: join the Espresso+ community to...
-
496. Post visibility
Postbag Nigel Cliffe voice note on limiting your post visibility Ashley Leeds voice note on automation tools Lionel Guerraz on connecting with your company's CEO Caryn Yuen on link display in comments To see what proportion of your network is seeing your posts, go to the Content performance panel...
-
495. Creator Marketplace and company page collaborations
Postbag Lionel Guerraz voice note about content reach Come to UpLift Live Nano Bristol on 17 September 2026 – a chance to ask your LinkedIn questions direct to me and get yourself a live LinkedIn profile review! Creator Marketplace and company page collaborations Solo and small business owners:...
-
494. GIFs and games
Voice notes with feedback from Nigel Cliffe and Meena McDonald Native GIF support in LinkedIn comments Wend game 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...
-
493. Who is looking at your content?
Discovery analytics for in and out of network viewers Should you comment on content where you don't expect to reply? Why you shouldn't delete AI comments on your posts Why you shouldn't use "comment X to get Y" Video tab arrives on mobile Solo and small business owners: join the Espresso+…
more -
492. More about AI, plus the Video tab returns
More chat about AI on LinkedIn, plus the return of a feature in the mobile app. Postbag Trevor Lambert about AI Ross Thorpe about AI – check out Rooverse Ashley Leeds about profile URLs Trudy Pannekeet about group DMs ——— Video tab returns to UK, Australia & Canada Connect button on mobile…
more -
491. AI slop and glitches on LinkedIn
Postbag Judi Radice Hays: feedback on birthdays Jeremy Freeman: LinkedIn newsletters Kathie York: Since LinkedIn likes to see engagement within the first hour of a post, is it still bad form to be the first commenter? One reason I ask: having a link in a post hurts our 'reach.' What are the…
more -
490. Should you change your posting schedule and topics on LinkedIn?
What happens when you need to change your plans? Postbag Lionel Guerraz: commenting and its effects on topic authority. Judith Rafferty: how do we deal with birthdays on LinkedIn? ——— The main topic is about changing your schedule on LinkedIn and whether it's OK to post about different topics....
-
489. LinkedIn member stats via Microsoft
New membership figures for LinkedIn are out. Let's take a look at the stats for this quarter. Postbag Richard G Abrahams on post impressions. Steve Messenger on comments being turned off on every post. Lynnaire Johnston on verification concerns. ——— LinkedIn member results via Microsoft. I signed...
-
488. Reporting users on LinkedIn
How do you report someone and what happens when LinkedIn ignores your feedback? See Melanie Goodman’s post ——— LinkedIn has a new CEO: Daniel Shapero Content DNA is 6 years old – read sample chapters Espresso+ members now get the full 32-chapter audiobook for free. What comment features do you...
-
487. Current jobs market stats
Postbag Mary Wu voice note about the use of someone else's account. ––– Grad's Guide 2026 – some stats around the current jobs market. Main report UK version US version Creative Collision at LinkedIn HQ on 28 April There is no 360Brew anymore? AI People search reaches all of the US Solo and small...
-
486. Collaborative content
Postbag Voice note response to Mark Lee’s question, from Tonny Mikkelsen. Mark’s real question was about limiting content searches to the UK only. There's no good route for that, as the "All filters" panel on post searches does not include anything about location. ——— Post collaborations...
-
485. Direct messages and algorithmic immunity
Postbag Should I delete posts on LinkedIn? Richard G Abrahams: Should I write a newsletter? Mark Lee: Can I target my posts to certain locations? Clip from my UpLift Live 26 talk on "direct messages and algorithmic immunity". I put in around 12 hours of editing time to get the replays ready, and…
more -
484. UpLift Live 26 conference
Last week we ran the third annual UpLift Live conference in Birmingham. This episode contains some reflections on the day from me and from some of our attendees and speakers. Our speakers for the 2026 conference were, in order: John Espirian Tony Restell Nicole Osborne Mic Adam Guy Strijbosch...
-
483. Is LinkedIn a social media platform?
A quick look at a document that explains why LinkedIn should be considered a social media platform just like all of the other big players. Postbag Teresa Ward: should we use @mentions in comments? Lionel Guerraz: on saving money with tech tools ——— Don't use the vertical pipe | symbol in your...
-
482. User interface glitches
This week's show "acknowledges" the challenge LinkedIn seems to have in presenting a stable user interface to its users. Postbag Voice note from Kaye King about improving our feeds Voice note from Christian Harris on LinkedIn groups Voice note from Kate Nankivell about line spacing in the About...
-
481. How to get LinkedIn content seen?
This one tip will help content creators get their external content seen. Postbag Espresso+: Comment "X" and I will DM you – is that a good idea? Judi Hays voice note … about voice notes ——— Getting content seen: one approach that works for me How to reduce your LinkedIn notifications Company page...
-
480. LinkedIn voice notes
Among other topics, this week's show is about LinkedIn voice notes. I love them! Postbag Mark Lee voice note on spam comments Niraj Kapur has sent a voice note about AI, based on the content of last week's episode. I'll be sending more voice notes from now on – see my guide on LinkedIn voice…
more -
479. Is AI going to take all our jobs?
Is AI coming for all our jobs? That's the main topic this week, with lots of resources for you to check out so you can work out on which side of the fence to fall. Postbag Anon: How can I make my Featured items look the same size? Other topics in this week's show: Something Big Is Happening AI...
-
478. UpLift Live interview with Phill Agnew
This week's show comes out early to remind you of this weekend's price rise for the UpLift Live 26. We have an interview with our final speaker, the host of the Nudge podcast, Phill Agnew. Postbag Ashley Leeds: Premium banner image buttons Caryn Yuen: Some experts say that sharing glimpses of…
more -
477. The post-Milan Postbag
Being away for a week in Milan did wonders for people asking me questions for the show! Postbag Richard G Abrahams: As a fiction author, given that time learning and using social media is time not spent writing and editing fiction, and given that LinkedIn is a business platform, is there really…
more -
476. Audio pronunciations + mystery speaker reveal
This week we look at audio pronunciation on your profile. Postbag Sara Gallagher: How can I realistically tell what advice is applicable to me, and what "works" because of the skewed sample but won’t in the broader LinkedIn universe? Does it just come down to trial and error? Is your security...
-
475. Recommendations and video testimonials
Main topic is how others can be your marketing department via their recommendations and video testimonials. Postbag Mark Lee: I’m wondering what would happen if I chose to start another newsletter on a different topic potentially of interest to a different subset of my connections. Do all my...
-
474. What is real and what is fake on LinkedIn?
What is real and what is fake on LinkedIn? We're looking at some fake accounts this week. Postbag Gillian Whitney voice note Can anything be done to stop DMs fragmenting when sending LinkedIn recommendations? LinkedIn security fake account Update on fake LinkedIn security accounts via Guy...
-
473. My top 10 LinkedIn questions
Happy New Year! Postbag Hanne Møller – reposting your own post Caryn Yuen – hashtags I know LinkedIn has removed the ability to follow hashtags, but people can still use them. Some include hashtags within the body of their post to draw attention to certain words, while others add several at the…
more -
472. Year in Review: LinkedIn's version of Wrapped
What's in your LinkedIn Year in Review? This is LinkedIn's version of Spotify Wrapped. Postbag Should a CTA be included in the headline? Caryn Yuen If the CTA is very short and part of a reasonably short overall headline, then that’s OK. Headlines that are too long won’t be read by humans, and if...
-
471. Is LinkedIn Premium worth it?
Postbag Does the industry setting matter on your profile? Christopher Johnson (voice note) LinkedIn industry options help page Fake accounts with similar headlines? LB Brittingham I'm searching for other experts supporting introverts and I keep coming across profiles with "introvert living in an...
-
470. How many active members are on LinkedIn?
This week's main topic looks at how many active accounts there are on LinkedIn. See my LinkedIn membership tracker, particularly the updated section titled "How many active users are on LinkedIn?" Postbag – What do you think of people customising their pronouns? In short, don't do it! – There are...
-
469. Engagement pods
Postbag via Beth Kirk: Loving the informed podcast! I have a question around the proactive use of DMs to build relationships on LinkedIn. Do you have any top tips for people with established audiences please? — Look for opportunities to start conversations: birthdays, job changes — Look through...
-
468. Engaging posts and time stamps
Thanks to Mark Williams for his kind farewell newsletter. Postbag Profile verification: to verify or not? (see more) Post timing: when is best to post? Recommendations: should they be up to date? Other topics Everyone is talking about algorithmic bias against women. I’m going to investigate. A...
-
467. Free personalised invitations reduced again
The first episode of the new-look show took me 6 hours to record, edit and produce last week. Postbag How do you manage lots of ongoing DMs? How much should we care about algorithms? Downgrading desktop features Why not refresh your About statement with some icebreakers? Pick 3–5 conversation...
-
466. A new chapter
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...
-
465. It's goodbye from me...
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.
-
464. The Case For Impressions
This week’s topic was inspired by a post I didn’t even read! I only caught a glimpse of it in my feed, but the headline or hook must have stuck in my brain and started to evolve into an idea for a podcast episode. It’s not the first time that’s happened—and it definitely won’t be the last.…
more -
463. Interesting People - Lea Turner
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,...
-
462. UpLift Live 2025
The only dedicated LinkedIn™️ conference in the UK enters its second year this week. I won't be able to attend but they have a stellar line up of speakers so I asked John Espirian to come on the podcast to give us a glimpse of what in person and virtual attendees can expect. Plus: The challenge…
more -
461. LinkedIn™️ invests in offline networking
So, the world's largest online business networking platform has decided to invest in offline networking? LinkedIn's new experience centre, in London is a bit more than just about networking but it's an interesting new development. That plus: Can you simulate the engagement of a LinkedIn™️ post?…
more -
459. The Power Of Comments
In this episode of the Informed podcast I argue that thoughtful and considered commenting is the single most effective action that anyone can take on LinkedIn™️ - that's a bold statement but one I really believe to be true. That plus: Boobgate! New Newsletter analytics Feed sorting removed New…
more -
458. The LinkedIn™️ Video Feed
In this episode I cover the positives and negatives of the new(ish) mobile video feed. Plus a brilliant post of the week (and it's not a video). Video summary https://youtu.be/_Cpjy-U0UXM Mentioned in this episode: This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
About this show
"Informed" is for you if you'd like to understand more about how LinkedIn works so that you can be an effective user of the platform. It's hard to know whom to believe with so many self-appointed gurus out there telling you the latest hacks for going viral and earning 7-figure deals. And even LinkedIn's own publications often don't speak to the reality of using the platform.But for those who see past superficial promises and sanitised reports, this podcast provides evidence and thoughtful opinion. With a track record of more than 10 years of sensible, no-nonsense advice about honest best practice for LinkedIn, Informed is a trusted source of insight by many thousands of regular listeners. The show was created by Mark Williams, who's affectionately known as "Mr LinkedIn". Mark retired in late 2025 and handed over the reins of the show to John Espirian, the relentlessly helpful® LinkedIn nerd. John is a LinkedIn trainer and consultant, the founder of the Espresso+ community, the creat
Hosted by
John Espirian
Categories