Are we allowed to have fun on LinkedIn?
AI Monkey enjoying himself at work.
Is LinkedIn sucking the joy out of the social media playground?
LinkedIn is the place where people wear virtual suits and ties and pretend they don't binge-watch cat videos like the rest of us. That’s primarily why I always ignored being a part of the LinkedIn community. But, now that I own a marketing firm I feel like I have no choice but to dive headlong into the social platform for “professionals”. Does that mean I have to give up sarcasm and dad jokes?
Should LinkedIn just be about educational content and networking, or is there room for a bit of fun?
Let's face it, the 'LinkedIn is strictly professional' mantra is getting a bit dated. Sure, it's a platform for learning, networking, and job hunting, but everyone on LinkedIn is on other platforms too. Regardless of which platform is your favorite, you go there to enjoy content and log in to LinkedIn when you need a job, customer, or vendor.
This is a problem for LinkedIn. They need engagement beyond someone’s 9 to 5. Even the most ambitious of us can only take so much industry jargon and self-congratulatory posts about 'disrupting paradigms' or 'leveraging synergies'. A little humor, a pinch of creativity, maybe a dad joke, and perhaps an occasional meme can make scrolling through LinkedIn less of a chore and more of a delight. I’m not suggesting LinkedIn morph into TikTok with a business degree, but I think there’s a business casual version of educational and entertaining content.
Also, entertaining content is relatable, which is great for networking. It breaks down barriers, humanizes the experience, and makes interactions more genuine. You're more likely to remember the person who made you chuckle with a clever post than the one who shared yet another '10 ways to boost productivity' article.
Of course, there's a balance to be struck. It's about mixing the informative with the enjoyable. It's about posts that not only educate but also resonate on a human level. Because, believe it or not, professionals are humans too (shocking, I know). We are already seeing TikTok shifting from a place of dances and funny videos to news and informative content (they have their own issues too, but it’s worth mentioning).
A hybrid approach to content on LinkedIn is not just good; it's necessary for you, your company, and the health of the platform. It keeps the platform dynamic, engaging, and, dare I say, enjoyable. So, let's loosen that tie a little and embrace a LinkedIn that's both informative and entertaining. Because if LinkedIn in 2024 is going to be anything, it should be a place where we can be professionally fun. Or is it funnily professional? Either way, let's not be afraid to mix a little pleasure with business.
