LinkedIn has announced it will phase out Creator Mode and make its features available to all its members.
Creator mode was a feature introduced two years ago to give its members better sharing tools, analytics, and profile customization options.
The main visible difference was that members with Creator Mode turned on would have a ‘Follow’ button on their LinkedIn Profile, along with the number of followers they had.
This differed from a regular LinkedIn account, which only had a Connect button and showed the number of connections, or ‘500+ Connections’ once you reached that number.
Creator Mode also helped members have a stronger presence by displaying relevant hashtags with their profiles and showcasing their best content more prominently.
Now, to simplify the user experience and encourage more content creation, LinkedIn will effectively make Creator Mode standard for all members.
Hashtags will also be removed from profiles, though this is probably due to more AI-driven content discovery, making hashtags unnecessary.
Here’s a summary of what’s changing, and when:
Feb 2024
- Removal of profile hashtags to simplify user introductions.
March 2024
- Removal of the Creator Mode toggle. Users will also get to choose between a "Follow" or "Connect" call-to-action on their profiles.
- Relocation of the About section back to the top of your profile.
Practically, there are a few steps you should take in response to these changes:
- Review and update your About section: With its new prominence, your About section becomes a crucial first impression. Here’s how to write a high-performing About section using AI.
- Focus on content quality and topics: Without profile hashtags, the substance and relevance of the content that you share on LinkedIn become more important. Consider how you can further tailor your content to your audience's needs and interests.
- Choose your CTA carefully: A Follow CTA will help you build an audience and display your follower count, increasing social proof. However, if genuine engagement is more important, choose the Connect CTA to establish more meaningful, two-way conversations.
The removal of Creator Mode and the standardisation of its features to all members is a pretty big change. It’s likely to create a more connected, dynamic, and content-rich professional community.
It also continues LinkedIn’s journey from what was once an online CV, to more of a fully-fledged, content-first social media platform.
Organic engagement on LinkedIn is still well above other platforms, and SMC sees this as yet another positive change that will make the platform even better.
