TL;DR Summary of LinkedIn’s Alternative Feed Test Coming to an End
Optimixed’s Overview: Why LinkedIn’s Alternative Feed Experiment May Have Fallen Short
Background on LinkedIn’s Feed Experiment
Recently, LinkedIn introduced a test feature that offered users multiple feed views accessible via clickable “pills” at the top of their main feed. These views included:
- For You: The default, algorithm-driven feed showing personalized content.
- Following: Updates exclusively from connections and followed members.
- News: Business news curated by LinkedIn’s editorial team.
This test was limited to a select group of U.S.-based users and aimed to diversify user engagement by providing more feed options.
Why the Test is Ending
LinkedIn’s Help Center update indicates that the “pills” feature is no longer visible to many users because the limited test has ended. This suggests LinkedIn is either discontinuing the feature or possibly testing it with different audiences.
The main reasons for ending the test appear to be:
- Engagement Focus: The algorithmic For You feed generates the highest user interaction and is crucial for LinkedIn’s platform health.
- Limited Appeal of News Feed: Users showed minimal interest in switching to the curated News tab, indicating it did not meet typical LinkedIn user expectations.
- Strategic Priorities: LinkedIn benefits most when users stay within the personalized feed rather than diverting attention to alternative content streams.
Implications for LinkedIn Users
For users who experienced the alternative feed options, the removal clarifies LinkedIn’s commitment to prioritizing the algorithmic feed that drives meaningful engagement. While expanding content types like video clips might encourage different usage patterns in the future, this experiment highlights the challenges platforms face when balancing user preferences with content strategy.
