Real Time Shadowbanned by LinkedIn as They Teach Audiences to Grow Their Audience
Disclaimer: Everything below is a mix of what I observed and heard during the event. The goal isn’t to pinpoint "who exactly said what," but to share (usually) an outsider's view and overall perspective on these industries. I’m not here to act as a definitive firsthand source—readers should do their own research. I hope this inspires you to attend events, explore new industries, and hear what leaders are presenting. These notes combine my observations with thoughts on how things could run smoother and how ideas connect (IMO). I’m not an expert, you know? Just hanging out in the room with them. Enjoy.
Ratings: Venue (5/5), Food (NA), Speaker Content (2/5), Networking (1/5), Likeliness to Return (1/5)
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Ratings: Venue (5/5), Food (NA), Speaker Content (2/5), Networking (1/5), Likeliness to Return (1/5) 〰️
OMG, I join, and they’re talking about Zack Galifanackus - this makes me think of a guy I was dating for a moment, and his grandpa had just married one of Zack’s family members. His grandpa was high up in the Freemasons, and so is Zack’s family. He hates his grandpa (the guy I was dating).
That guy was so so so awesome, and I am glad we met.
They’re talking about making hooks in your videos:
Make videos about what you’re good at
I’m stunned that only 88 people are here at this online event.
Salary expectations for some reason exceed expectations for some reason
I’m like, uh, duh.
People are nosey, and they want to know
I’m like, this isn’t just nosey - this is survival of the fittest. in this crazy economy.
If you’re watching and ever ask yourself, “What should I be posting to get eyes. And take note of everything said. This is gold.”
Add context in your text copy. Lots of videos are just videos and on-screen texts. Having a mix of context and such is a great way to make sure folks are in a full immersive video.
Did you need to have a high level of production to grow? No. Not just with video, but anything. It can be low lift, just get your info out there. It doesn’t need to be hard on you or cost money to make.
You don’t need anything special. Lots of big creators with expensive equipment just prefer their phone and nothing else. Keep it simple.
Wow, now there are only 76 people here. 74!! 89? hahah omg people join and leave all the time. 93. They can’t get people to stay, it seems.
How do you get seen on the platform?
content that teaches is promoted more than content that simply promotes.
People have a hard time coming up with a genuine call to action - what they want to ask of someone. There is often hesitancy of what you really want.
think about this at the outset of your post as you’re writing and crafting your post.
How do you want people to engage with it?
If you just try to throw in a question at the end - it doesn’t always
I just wrote a great question:
What do you all think about the fact that many people/influencers (when I go to conferences/events) brag that "I haven't written an original post on LinkedIn in years" - they just let AI do it all...
I think it’s disgusting and stupid
Think about, “Am I presenting enough value in what I’m sharing that it would make people want to keep following to see what I post next?” - a consistent point of view earns followers.
Keep your point of view consistent and reliable. Think about your content as a body of work
OMG, this girl is just reading off her PPT hahahha it cracks me up that the most professional people still break every public speaking teacher’s 101 rule: don’t sit there and read off your PPT.
I added another point: I wanna add that these people resorting to "AI writes all of my posts" are the ones with 5-10-30k followers on LinkedIn. Is that something you all are happy with? Do you like that your top thought leaders are just letting AI write everything for them? I'm stunned and really wonder if this is something you all are aware of and want to keep empowering,
gettum kellyy hahahahahhaha. GET ‘EM!
Every comment can be a great first impression.
Dude, I’m here to slay. Makes me think of Larry Cheng’s post yesterday about leadership vs. insanity: insanity is never having people push back on your opinions. Good leadership is surrounding yourself with lots of opinions.
Build relationships with those at similar stages as you, trying to reach similar audiences. People in your corner as you’re building your brand.
lead with value
Now they’re doing a Q&A - but first a survey. They want our feedback on this event, not general feedback on LinkedIn as a whole.
One last plug is their next event next month: building a more visible team on LinkedIn.
I’ll be honest, I’m excited for this Q&A if they respond to my questions. What do they think about AI doing all the heavy lifting for influencers? Are they a fan of this?
Question 1: Are hashtags important anymore?
Focus on one or two that are actually relevant
I love my hashtags: “moass”, “bbbyq,” etc. They help categorize posts
Question 2: How important is video vs standard LinkedIn post
if you wanna build more trust with your audience, do video.
Can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to do that. Video is a deeper way to connect with your audience.
They interviewed a CEO social handler - and their engagement is up 71%
social handler??? lol. ridiculous phrasing.
They’re prioritizing vertical videos
Question 3: Can you monetize on this platform, similar to Instagram?
They’re in early stages. Not everyone has access to it, but we’ve started rolling it out to a small audience.
They’re still ignoring me, so I wrote it again, shorter: What's LinkedIn's position on top creators who publicly brag about letting AI write all their content?
I wrote it again: At conferences, influencers brag they haven't written a LinkedIn post in years. Is the platform doing anything to combat this, or is AI ghostwriting now the norm?
Question 4: What types of videos tend to do best?
We’re a professional platform, so spicy career-takes always perform well. This comes down to videos as simple as: Do you believe in 1-to-1 meetings? Even sharing your own video after the fact.
Reacting to news stories. Stitching a video about CEOs’ commentary, then going into your own thoughts. Things that are timely tend to perform well
Gen Z vs Millennials’ differences in responses to emails are fun and have a place on this platform
Keep it dynamic, lots of movement. Chopping food, walking, and talking… some kind of movement. Keeping it dynamic. Those are the three major things that make you successful.
Question 5:Which creators are nailing LinkedIn video at the moment?
They have a great video newsletter each month
Two who are killing it are joining us next month. We also have a video series on this page.
I put: You're sitting on the most powerful professional demographic in the world. Do you have any opinion on top influencers bragging that they've been using AI to write every single post they publish for years? Do you suggest we all do the same?
Question 6: Resources for folks who want to start posting videos? Tips? Editing software recommendations?
We’ve got videos on this
canva, capcut…
Question 7:In addition to the AARP reference, are there others out there doing it right?
I didn’t know about the company before, but I found out about it through all the amazing people posting content.
Question 8: When it comes to video, is having hte person in the video more effective than voiceovers with illustrations
depends on what you’re bringing to the platform versus those who respond to it
“We have some incredible questions here, so thank you”
Question 9: Are there any ways to track trends or any tools we can use?
DUDE, there are 68 people in this event. I’ve asked the same question a million times. In a million ways. They’re completely ignoring me
Question 10: Are short videos better than long? How often to post videos to keep engagement up?
90 seconds or less.
omg. these guys…. okay I’ve got 8 meetings here starting in 5 minutes. Get me out of here. These dorks love ignoring me. Is my question unreasonable?
Okay i wrote once more in the chat (after they put up their final question:
- “Real Time Shadowbanned by Linkedin as they teach audineces how to grow their audience. 🤣 hypocritical. The entire event is about growing your authentic LinkedIn presence, teaching you to lead with value and build real engagement. And the one question that cuts to the heart of what's actually undermining all of that - AI ghostwriting replacing authentic voices - gets ignored.”
He replied (moments after the event) with a link to a 60-minute video. And I wrote back: I asked this 6 different ways during the event. If you all recently hosted a whole session on it, you must have a one-sentence take. Or is a 1-hour video really the best you've got?
hm. Okay - over and out.
Until next time, I wish you the motivation and success to search for opportunities around your area. Search and explore: Who is out there giving talks? There are new things happening all of the time.
Find relatable or interesting topics you like and check them out! Maybe even something hosted at a cool venue, if there’s no other reason to go. Let’s see what you can learn and discover not too far from home. 😊
