Game-Changer Alert: How Collaborative Articles Dominate LinkedIn
The Conversation Starter
Earlier this year, LinkedIn introduced collaborative articles. It uses “AI-powered conversation starters” to start discussions between users. The idea here is that starting a conversation is often more challenging than joining one - an experience familiar to those who hop between conversations at work events.
Contributors to these collaborative articles receive a reputation and reach boost. Readers can also contribute to the discussions by liking or reacting to the article, a clever strategy to maintain engagement.
LinkedIn’s Game Plan
Besides collaborative articles, LinkedIn features two other types. LinkedIn News and individual user-generated articles..
This strategy serves as a brilliant SEO play. Collaborative articles align with LinkedIn’s mission of becoming a place where professionals come to learn.
This combination of AI and user-generated content has supercharged their content marketing and SEO efforts.
Embracing the Contributor Role
This week, I dipped my toes into both formats. Best way to learn, right?
I had my first taste as a contributor. With a perfectly written, ego booster, referring to me as an expert, how could I not take part?
Take a look at the article for yourself here.
I could already see upvoted contributions from ‘experts’. As you do in 2023, I went to ChatGPT to find inspiration on what to contribute.
“How can you use the golden ratio to create beautiful photos?” - 5 developed bullet points
“What highly practical and easy to understand advice can you give to a photographer about it?” 10 short bullet points
“Can you summarise that into 3 short sentences?” 3 short sentences
“I am sending you an article I have been invited to collaborate on. Analyse it and suggest where the advice you gave me could be included. Give me a draft text to include and specify where in the article they should be added”
3 drafts were given. One in particular, I liked:
Looking back at the contributions from other ‘experts’, I came across something that looked familiar:
Are you for real, mister? Who are you trying to kid? Do you take us all for jabroni’s?
The Credibility Conundrum
Jokes aside, it comes as no real shock. This experience does have me questioning the strategy.
It’s interesting to observe how some contributions raise questions about authenticity. The attention game in the professional space is ultimately won by who provides the most value. Yet, if like in this example, it churns out AI-generated text combined with cheeky AI-generated contributions, the value to the reader is dubious.
Establishing Expertise
It is a refreshing approach to giving everyday users the chance to establish themselves as experts online. This method remains untried and untested on professional social platforms. Especially when we are used to the now-infamous blue badge.
The credibility of the blue badge has changed since it became available for purchase. As I mentioned above, I dipped into both formats. My first LinkedIn article takes a look at how the evolving social signalling landscape makes it harder to trust information online - a topic that holds significance regardless of recent events.
Thanks for reading.
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Peace,
H
