LinkedIn benefits from Twitter’s meltdown and disgruntled X users offer Microsoft a blueprint for social media supremacy.

LinkedIn benefits from Twitter's meltdown and disgruntled X users offer Microsoft a blueprint for social media supremacy.

LinkedIn: The Potential Alternative to Twitter’s Chaos

Image Source: Fortune

I recently found myself caught in a maelstrom of online chaos. After publishing an article that drew attention to some key issues, the Twitter trolls came out in full force, filling my feed with vulgarity and venom. Seeking insight, I reached out to Governor Newsom, who responded with a wry “Welcome to my world. :)”

It’s not just Newsom’s world; it’s Twitter’s. The once-beloved platform has devolved into a chaotic mess, with our feeds constantly bombarded by unfamiliar voices spewing falsehoods and nonsense. The algorithm seems to have gone haywire, leaving us with no choice but to rely on curated lists and the trending section. Cleaning up our feeds by muting or blocking trolls can only do so much. What’s the point of participating in a digital town square when most individuals hide behind masks, hurling insults without engaging in meaningful conversation? And let’s not forget the hordes of bots in the mix.

Amidst the persistent grumbling from the Twitterati, Mark Zuckerberg made an audacious move with Threads, a feature that garnered cheers from tech pundits. This move has sparked speculation about Facebook’s potential to establish social supremacy. However, the true beneficiary of Twitter’s decline could be Microsoft and its platform, LinkedIn.

LinkedIn holds the promise of fulfilling the lofty expectations that Twitter once championed. With strategic product enhancements, it has the potential to become an even more captivating destination for up-to-the-minute news and insights. Leveraging its professional affiliations, LinkedIn can blend seamlessly into both a global business-centric social graph and a comprehensive knowledge repository, connecting users with world-renowned experts and their valuable content.

LinkedIn can become a hip virtual hangout, a real-time messaging hub that people habitually keep open, reminiscent of Twitter’s golden era. If Alex and I were in charge of LinkedIn’s product strategy, here’s how we’d steer the ship to augment its value, boost engagement, and make it an irresistible hub for users.

Controlling Feeds: The Power of Curated Content

LinkedIn prides itself on maintaining an air of civility, but its user experience falls short. The tools to filter and mold LinkedIn feeds into a more meaningful journey are conspicuously absent. Extraordinary insights often drown in a relentless deluge of shameless self-promotion and vacuous content. Twitter’s news team excels at curating stories and nurturing expert commentary, making it an enticing platform for journalists.

To address this, LinkedIn must empower power users with precision tools. A distinctive application, inspired by Tweetdeck and branded under LinkedIn’s banner, could give trailblazers the ability to curate and navigate their feeds seamlessly. This shift would revolutionize interactions and make LinkedIn a favored method for daily interactions, with enhanced messaging access and nimble navigation.

Additionally, an assertive approach to curating posts that fail to elicit substantial engagement is necessary. LinkedIn should harvest insights from user interactions to identify top-tier content, while also dismissing posts that users explicitly expel from their feeds.

From “LinkedIn News” to “LinkedIn Now”

LinkedIn’s static news feature, confined to serving a mere five unchanging items per session, is out of touch with contemporary habits. Introducing a dynamic “LinkedIn Now” feed, tailored to each user’s interests and preferences, would provide a swiftly moving stream of stories throughout the day. This would ensure top-tier content quality remains sacrosanct while meeting the demand for real-time updates.

Empowering Journalists and Unlocking Expertise

LinkedIn can position itself as a valuable resource for journalists seeking expert comments. By bestowing journalists with free access to InMail or the ability to directly contact experts, LinkedIn can compete with Twitter in this realm. Moreover, LinkedIn can pioneer a potent lists feature, similar to Twitter’s, making it easier to discover curated lists and thematic discussion threads.

To become the go-to source for expertise, LinkedIn must unlock its network of experts effectively. Leveraging Microsoft Bing’s search capabilities can yield more relevant results, distancing itself from Twitter’s noise. LinkedIn can compile lists of recommended experts based on user-driven insights, expanding the reach of genuine authorities.

The Power of Modern Publishing

LinkedIn’s newsletter and post publishing experience needs an overhaul. Currently, only one LinkedIn account can be associated with a newsletter, limiting collaboration and editorial workflow. By improving the newsletter experience and creating a streamlined process for publishing articles, LinkedIn can become a better publishing vehicle that targets relevant audiences.

Twitter is a sinking ship, and LinkedIn can be the lifeboat. By implementing suggested features and improvements, LinkedIn can become the ultimate social network for professionals who want to stay ahead, grow their networks, and showcase their expertise. It has the potential to become an enjoyable and rewarding place to hang out, chat, and exchange ideas with like-minded people. However, LinkedIn can’t do it alone. Users need to demand more from the platform, share quality content, and engage respectfully with each other.

As Vivek Wadhwa and Alex Salkever, co-authors of “The Driver in the Driverless Car” and “Your Happiness Was Hacked,” suggest, LinkedIn can benefit from Twitter’s meltdown, but it requires the collective effort of its users. Are you ready to join the LinkedIn revolution?

Vivek Wadhwa is an academic, entrepreneur, and author. Alex Salkever is a Silicon Valley technology executive who has advised dozens of technology companies on strategy and go-to-market. The opinions expressed in ANBLE.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of ANBLE.

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