What Features is LinkedIn Saying “Goodbye” To and What is the Future of LinkedIn Newsletters on “Ask Us Anything” S3 E03
A new month brings a new Ask Us Anything episode! In November’s edition, Tedy, Alex, Didi, and Emo explored LinkedIn’s latest updates and what they mean for users. Our team delved into the impact of retiring the Top Voice badge on engagement and recognition and shared insights on why LinkedIn newsletters can help users stand out as experts. We also discussed the removal of “Celebrate an Occasion” templates, which is nudging users toward more creative content, like videos, and offered tips for preparing standout December campaigns. Curious to learn more about these topics? Read on!
R.I.P. Gold Top Voice Badge – Gone, But Not Forgotten
A topic we’ve been discussing in recent LinkedIn posts – and the main subject of our last live session – is the retirement of the Gold Community Top Voice Badge. As of October 7th, the gold badges are being phased out, and we’re no longer able to earn them automatically by contributing to collaborative articles. If you already have one, enjoy it while it lasts because it will only be visible for 60 days after being awarded.
At BookMark, Alex and Emo were proud owners of these badges, with Emo being among the first to receive one when they were initially released last March. He finds their removal surprising, along with the recent retirement of the My Company Tab (which we discussed in the previous Ask Us Anything episode). He noted that, recently, collaborative articles didn’t represent much value, as they focused more on AI content than on real contributions.
Looking to the future of collaborative articles, now that there’s no “award” for contributing, Alex shared that his participation will depend on LinkedIn’s future plans – if contributing doesn’t bring in followers, he probably won’t do it. Now, if you collaborate on an article, it becomes visible as a notification to your network or in their newsfeed, offering a great way to interact and share knowledge. We hope LinkedIn keeps those engagement stats!
Are LinkedIn Newsletters Worth Using?
Ask Us Anything About LinkedIn is a format created for our audience to ask their questions about the platform. This time, a question during our live session sparked a deep conversation about the future of LinkedIn newsletters and their value.
According to Emo, newsletters are not only a way to reach followers directly in their inboxes but also provide a format that can make content more dynamic and varied. As a newsletter owner, Emo offered valuable advice – having a newsletter is a long game; it doesn’t end at the close of the day. If you’re starting one, be prepared for a long-term commitment.
Why is LinkedIn Cutting Down on “Celebrate an Occasion” Templates?
You know when you have exciting news to share and consider using LinkedIn’s templates? Well, the Top Voice Badge isn’t the only thing disappearing – Alex has noticed that recently, the “Celebrate an Occasion” templates are fewer.
Tedy finds this removal a bit disappointing. Based on her experience with business partners, people have meaningful stories to share but lack the time to do so. While these templates limited creativity, they were also a great time-saver for busy professionals with valuable insights but limited time to publish them.
In Didi’s opinion, this change isn’t all bad – in a digital world increasingly reliant on AI and templates, authenticity has become rare. By removing pre-made templates, LinkedIn encourages users to be more innovative and creative. And could this be part of a bigger push to emphasize video content on LinkedIn, now that video feeds are gaining traction?
Have You Noticed a Recent Follower Drop on LinkedIn? You’re Not Alone!
Imagine waking up to find you’ve lost hundreds of followers overnight. Shocking, right? Many users experienced this recently as LinkedIn likely works to remove inactive profiles. Didi shared that while this can be inconvenient for company pages, especially if they have celebrated a milestone and now will have to do it again, it’s ultimately a move toward maintaining LinkedIn’s network quality.
December is Not Only for Celebration But for Setting Goals
While the holidays are a time for celebration, December is also for setting goals for the upcoming year.
Alex emphasized starting now to prepare for major December planning by reviewing strategies to enter 2025 with full momentum. He also shared our Personal Branding Strategy, which can be applied to both personal profiles and company pages.The digital world is ever-changing, with LinkedIn on a recent streak of feature removals and additions. From the launching of games and removal of the My Company Tab to the rise of the video feed and the phase-out of Top Voice badges – what will come next? Subscribe to The Linked Letter and don’t miss our next Ask Us Anything live session on December 6th, where you can ask all your LinkedIn questions in real-time! And if you want to watch the full November episode, you can do it either on Spotify or YouTube.