LinkedIn Isn't a Network Anymore. It's a Storefront.

I want to talk about something that's been bothering me for a while, and I know saying it out loud is a little ironic- because I'm posting this on LinkedIn, hoping to connect with people.

But here's the thing. When was the last time someone connected with you here and just... wanted to connect? No pitch. No funnel. No "quick question about how you get your clients" three days later.

I can't remember the last time it happened to me either.

The DM Playbook Hasn't Changed in Years

You accept a connection request. Maybe you liked their post; maybe you're in the same industry; maybe you just thought, "this could be someone worth knowing." And within 48 hours, like clockwork:

"Loved connecting! Quick question -how are you currently getting clients?"

"I've got a tool that could get you 200 leads a month."

"Would love to jump on a 15-minute call to share something I think could help you."

It's not even subtle anymore. It's not relationship-building with a sales pitch attached. It is the sales pitch, wearing a name tag that says "networking."

The Feed Isn't Much Better

Scroll for five minutes and count how many posts are genuinely just... someone sharing a thought, a lesson, a win, a struggle- with nothing to sell attached. I'm not saying it's zero. But it's buried under:

• "Join my free masterclass"

• "I made $47K last month doing X, here's how"

• "Comment 'GUIDE,' and I'll send it to you"

• Yet another carousel that ends in a CTA to book a call

Somewhere along the way, LinkedIn stopped being a place to build a network and became a place to build a funnel.

Here's Where I Have to Check Myself

I'm aware of the irony. I'm here because I want to build genuine relationships that help my career too. I want people to see my posts, engage with my thinking, maybe collaborate down the line. That's not so different from what everyone else is chasing.

The difference -I think- is intent and patience. Wanting to build something real with someone eventually benefits your career is not the same as sliding into someone's DMs to sell them a course nineteen minutes after they accept your request.

One is networking. The other is cold outreach wearing a disguise.

I Know What LinkedIn Can Be, Because I've Seen It

A while back, I left a comment under a post because it genuinely resonated with me. That comment got picked up, and I ended up featured in the New York Times.

That's the power of LinkedIn. Or at least, that's what it is in my mind. One honest reaction to something I actually cared about, and it opened a door I never would have predicted. I still think about that.

That's what I miss. Seeing a post that hits home and being able to send it to someone I know who is going through the same thing, or working toward the same goal. That used to happen constantly. Now I barely see it happen at all.

These days, if it's not a paid ad, something silly, or something "trending" that has nothing to do with me or my field, I don't see it. I have notifications turned on for a handful of people I know are in my space- so when they post, I actually get told about it. But that shouldn't be the only way I find relevant content. And even then, it's not expanding my network. It's just me watching the same small circle in isolation while the algorithm decides everyone else isn't worth showing me.

That's what makes it feel pointless some days. Not that the connections aren't out there. But that the platform seems more interested in keeping me watching than helping me actually find them.

What I Actually Miss

I miss when a connection request meant "I think you're interesting, let's see where this goes." I miss comment sections that were actual conversations, not "Great post! 🔥 Btw check out my newsletter." I miss feeling like the person on the other end of a message wanted to know me, not my budget.

I don't think LinkedIn is broken beyond repair. I think we- all of us, myself included, have to be more deliberate about what kind of platform we want it to be. That means being the kind of connection we wish more people were.

So, here's an actual question, not a rhetorical one: has this been your experience too, or is my feed just especially bad?

I'd genuinely like to know I'm not just yelling into the void.