Has Linkedin Become Just Like Every Other Social Network?

#109009318 / gettyimages.com

Social media is a great addiction of mine.

I enjoy checking out my Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Tumblr, Instagram . . . you see why it’s so addictive?

When each one of these first started, people actually posted quality, interesting things that might be useful.

Believe it or not, there was a time when there was more than celebrities getting themselves into hot water, useless quotes from long since dead famous people, pictures of gorgeous women in skimpy outfits, and cat photos dominating the social networks.

As each of the social networks matured, they unfortunately deteriorated into much of the above – don’t believe me?

Skim through the trending content on any given day, and you’ll see pretty much all the above mindless drivel.

#183149135 / gettyimages.com

There still are some jewels in the rough on social media. Great infographics that turn complex processes into easy to follow steps. Sometimes even the latest news breaks first online, instead of CNN, BBC or CBC.

However, Linkedin – that’s always been the professional network, where people only post content relevant to their career or business, and use it to connect with those business people.

That may be changing, sadly.

Oh, I have yet to see the mindless crap that passes for content on the other social networks appear on Linkedin.

However, Linkedin is very different from just a handful of years ago.

When Linkedin began, it was a great place for professionals to network, to build connections, to reach out to one another for legitimate career or business opportunities.

I’d send out an Inmail, or email to one of my Linkedin contacts, and receive a response, which would lead to a discussion, and possibly an opportunity.

Recently I noticed, my Inmails and emails to my contacts were being ignored.

Now, that doesn’t seem to professional to me.

At the very least, a professional would send a polite response back saying “not interested.”

#108456228 / gettyimages.com

To be clear, I wasn’t selling anything. I’m an entrepreneur, and as I build a business, I often explore Linkedin, and reach out to people whose profiles may be a good fit with the business I’m building. I may be looking for business partners, employees, or even someone that might be interested in working for us on a contractual basis.

I’m not recruiting others for some borderline legal Multi Level Marketing (MLM) scam, nor am I asking for any investment.

I’m just reaching out to people whose profiles match with what I’m doing, to have a professional chat and see if there is a good fit.

That’s all.

And I thought I was expressing that in my communications.

But still, out of a handful of Inmails and emails sent, only a couple generated any response.

So, I began asking people why they don’t respond to messages on Linkedin.

I asked people who responded to my messages. And I asked people that I actually know over the phone, if they too ignore messages from others on Linkedin.

The results of my informal survey were sadly stunning – there is so much SPAM, scam and other junk communications coming across Linkedin, that most people treat it just like any other social network.

#90247172 / gettyimages.com

They post stuff, hoping it gets lots of traction, but ignore anything directed at them from anyone they don’t actually know.

That's beyond tragic.

Because, if everyone is being bombarded with so much crap, they ignore everything from anyone they don’t really know, then the one good thing about Linkedin is gone forever – the ability to really connect with others professionally.

Linkedin has become nothing more than another Facebook. They might as well add the option to poke people on it, because it’s so dominated by SPAM, what’s another annoyance?

Perhaps this great social media experiment we’ve all been participants in has taught us one lesson. If you want to really get to know someone, pick up the phone, and call them.