How AI Killed LinkedIn's Top Voices Program

After years of trying and giving up, then trying and giving up again and again, I finally made it! I found a way out of the LinkedIn algorithm labyrinth.

With only 250 followers, I got over 100K WEEKLY impressions and thousands of engagements with only a handful of LinkedIn posts!

Since then, people have been DMing me with questions like: How did you do it? What’s the catch? Can you please show me how it’s done? What’s your secret?

There’s no secret. What I did was legit. The answer has been hiding in plain sight all this time since I published 10 Quora Growth Marketing Commandments.

Not so long story short, just one of my HackerNoon stories that passed almost unrecognized, it all boils down to this simple analogy:

Quora Spaces = LinkedIn Groups

So, if you want to make it and break it on LinkedIn, instead of posting into the void of LinkedIn, you should focus on specific groups. They’ll do all the work for you. So, I did my homework. My old Quora posts got a new life, and what’s even more interesting, performed even better as LinkedIn posts. But again, by being submitted to the most relevant and active LinkedIn groups.

I couldn’t believe it. Almost 50K impressions from a single post in less than 24 hours. I could’ve had even more impressions, but I was struggling to honor all comments with my reply and keep track of all the discussions that followed.

I did the math. In a week or two, at this growth rate, I’d hit 500+ LinkedIn connections. I don’t have to worry about the number of followers because all impressions and engagements are coming from groups. Case closed.

You know how it goes, don’t you? You keep asking yourself, is there more I could do? How about becoming a Top Voice on LinkedIn? For that to happen I’d have to contribute.

We’re unlocking community knowledge in an all new way. It starts with an article on a professional topic or skill, written with the help of AI — but it’s not complete without insights and advice from people with real-life experiences. We invited experts to contribute.

You see, I missed that line “with the help of AI,” and that’s how I went down the rabbit hole of LinkedIn Top Voice badges.

Why Oh Why, You AI Make Me Wanna Cry!

“In a move that has surprised many LinkedIn users, the platform has announced that it will be retiring its "Top Voice" badges for those who contribute to Collaborative Articles. This badge symbolized authority and expertise, adding an extra layer of credibility to a user's LinkedIn profile.”

Wait! Why? I just got warmed up to contribute around the clock.

“Many users voiced concerns that the automatic awarding of these badges wasn't necessarily a reflection of true expertise, as the AI-based system did not account for the depth or quality of the insights shared.”

Immediately, the good old Second Human Rule came to my mind:

At HackerNoon every article goes through a second human (who didn’t write it) before publication. The only exception to this rule is those who publish under our verified writer accounts.

I’m a verified contributor, but I don’t want to be an EXCEMT from the rules, I want to be EXCEPTIONAL at writing, period.

“In response to community feedback, LinkedIn acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining high standards for its Top Voice badges under the current system. The automatic process did not include any manual review, leading to users being recognized as experts despite lacking the necessary knowledge or skills in their fields. This, coupled with reports that some contributors were using AI tools to generate their responses, led LinkedIn to question the validity of the badges. As a result, LinkedIn has decided to remove these badges entirely. Existing badge holders will see their badges expire within 60 days of being awarded, and by December 7th, 2024, all gold Top Voice badges will be removed from the platform.”

All That Glitters on LinkedIn Is (Not) Created by AI “Writers”

“Although the Top Voice badges for Collaborative Articles are being phased out, LinkedIn has clarified that its blue Top Voice badges, awarded through a manual selection process by its editorial team, will remain in place. These badges, which are highly coveted and awarded by invitation only, continue to hold weight as a mark of true expertise on the platform.”

What is this supposed to mean? Well, let me show you.

When you see a profile with this badge, you know he or she is a legit sheriff in the LinkedIn town.

I’m not saying that this shiny badge isn’t legit or well-deserved, but take it with a grain of salt. Either way, all gold will be removed from LinkedIn, so don’t worry about it.

If you want to follow my LinkedIn footsteps, then you have to be verified:

To verify means that you have to submit your ID (USA) or the NFC passport for the rest of the world. This shouldn’t be an issue, if you don’t have any privacy concerns. For me, it’s all about time and money because my passport expired in 2020. I had the money back then, but I couldn’t travel because of the pandemic. So, I didn’t see a point in getting a new passport only to collect dust.

And, there’s more…

Thank you but no thank you LinkedIn, investing in my future is writing new HackerNoon stories and sharing them as posts. The best things in life are supposed to be free, or at least, this is how it used to be.

Roll up your sleeves LinkedIn, and get back to a good old and trustworthy manual selection and invitation-only process for the next generation of Top Voices.