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Informed: the podcast for LinkedIn® users

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 creator of the UpLift Live conference (the UK's original event dedicated to LinkedIn best practice), and the author of the personal branding handbook Content DNA.

John's reputation is for getting to the point and for not being a salesy douche canoe, so you can expect short, sharp episodes with zero ads or sponsored slots. This also is NOT an interview show, so if you've read this far then please don't pitch yourself for a guest appearance. However, you're welcome to get in touch if you have a LinkedIn question you'd like John to cover on the show. (To do that, search for the "Informed podcast" company page on LinkedIn and send a message.)

This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by the LinkedIn® corporation. John Espirian is an independent trainer and does not work for LinkedIn® – while it would be great to have LinkedIn's endorsement, the show's independence from the corporation means you, the listener, are never fed an airbrushed political spiel.

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#504
Saturday · 20 min
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, and profile updates – plenty! Tips for feed relevance: Unfollow or even disconnect with the people you're not interested in. Use the "not interested" option where appropriate. Mark posts and comments as AI slop if appropriate. Create a custom content search for topics by a named group of creators. Use the new Network tab at the top of the feed to show updates from only your 1st connections and people you follow (I don't have this yet but it's coming soon). Send more comments and DMs in the direction of people you *do* want to hear from, as this is a strong algorithmic signal of what and who you care about. 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#503
September 19 · 17 min
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 LinkedIn profiles Update image option when editing posts and comments Folders and tags in direct messages Block option for company pages Muted words & phrases option Away message option for non-connections Export option for newsletter subscribers Block voice notes option in direct messages Videos and audio in comments Voice note transcriptions in DMs Send DM voice notes on desktop Reintroduce audio events Folders and tags for saved posts LinkedIn Local Birmingham is on Friday 25 September. Tickets are only £20 or £15 if you're an Espresso+ member. 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#502
September 5 · 15 min
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 at https://jesp.me/nanobristol 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#501
August 29 · 14 min
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 is not sponsored, so all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#500
August 22 · 24 min
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 reviewed – and we even throw in a delicious buffet lunch at our fab venue on the Bristol waterfront. Get tickets: https://jesp.me/nanobristol 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#499
August 15 · 9 min
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 New book: Mic Drop: The Human Side of LinkedIn, by Mic Adam "Eyes hurt" is trending on Google … 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#498
August 1 · 13 min
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 your LinkedIn and online presence. Find out more at jesp.me/join Support the show: Informed is not sponsored, so all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#497
July 10 · 10 min
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 improve your LinkedIn and online presence. Find out more at jesp.me/join Support the show: Informed is not sponsored, so all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#496
July 3 · 11 min
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 in your profile analytics. I've reached about a quarter of a million people in the past year, but only 38% of them are 1st connections or followers. WhatsApp usernames are now available to reserve Open the app, go to Settings | Account | Username to reserve yours. 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#495
June 20 · 9 min
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: 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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#494
June 11 · 8 min
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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#493
June 6 · 12 min
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+ community to improve your LinkedIn and online presence. Find out more at jesp.me/join Support the show: Informed is not sponsored, so all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#492
May 30 · 15 min
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 prompts for a note 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#491
May 23 · 12 min
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 rules, now, for placing the link in a comment we create? And what happens to that comment if someone reposts our post? ——— 875 LinkedIn employees (5% of workforce) sacked! Is AI slop really going away? We need a "report as AI" feature! "Nonconsensual intimate imagery" warnings. How to find the date and time of any post or comment on LinkedIn: see my free tool at jesp.me/date 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#490
May 12 · 14 min
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. About statement previews are now 6 lines long on mobile. Desktop previews are still 4 lines long. UpLift Live Nano Bristol: our conference's little brother event is on Thursday 17 September 2026 at The Watershed in Bristol. Come to learn about LinkedIn and network. You get lunch, and if you're brave I'll review your LinkedIn profile in front of the room. Use code EARLY10 for a £10 discount until the end of May. Standard price is £59. I'm off to Creator Day in Poole this week. See you there? Off-topic food post 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#489
May 2 · 18 min
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 up for Premium All-in-One. Comments reduced from 1250 to 1000 characters. 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#488
April 25 · 15 min
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 want? Crosscheck AI feature Your LinkedIn headline matters 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#487
April 18 · 10 min
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 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#486
April 11 · 13 min
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 Differences between desktop and mobile versions of LinkedIn Customise your profile username 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
- Transcript
#485
April 4 · 19 min
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 we have about 17.5 hours of content in total now available over the past 3 years of the conference. Get your replay ticket Social Insider report on document post engagement rates Look out for messages saying "Email not reachable" and "Update your email to ensure you don't lose access to your account" – they're legitimate messages but seem to be associated only with LinkedIn accounts that have Gmail email addresses. Hopefully, this is a temporary issue only. Ryan Roslansky's book: Open To Work released 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 all production and hosting is self-funded. To make a small donation, go to jesp.me/informed-tip – thanks!
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