LinkedIn has experienced a significant increase in weekly readership of its AI-powered “Collaborative Articles” feature since September, prompting the platform to explore new ways to increase engagement. The latest update introduces a “Contribute Expertise” shortcut within the post composer, directing users to relevant Collaborative Articles based on their expertise and niche. This new feature aims to encourage more users to contribute to these posts, as doing so can earn them a “Community Top Voice” badge, enhancing their credibility on the platform.
The popularity of Collaborative Articles is evident through a fourfold increase in weekly member contributions quarter-over-quarter. However, it raises the question of why people are reading these posts. Despite the potential allure of earning a badge, the format of Collaborative Articles may not be inherently engaging from a reader’s perspective. The questions posed in each post are generated by AI and then distributed to selected users, creating content that may lack depth and value for readers. Nevertheless, users continue to show interest in these articles, suggesting that there is a demand for member-generated content on LinkedIn.
While the format of Collaborative Articles may not offer significant value to readers, LinkedIn’s data indicates a growing readership for these posts. The platform’s AI prompts seem to be effective in generating interest among users, driving engagement and encouraging readers to explore what other members have to say. This suggests that there is an appetite for user-generated content within the LinkedIn community, even if the format may not be as engaging or insightful as traditional articles or posts. Ultimately, the platform benefits from increased engagement without requiring extensive manual content creation efforts.
As Collaborative Articles continue to gain traction on LinkedIn, it is essential for the platform to maximize engagement and encourage more users to contribute. The introduction of the “Contribute Expertise” shortcut aims to simplify the process for users to find relevant posts to contribute to, ultimately stimulating further engagement with the feature. By rewarding users with a “Community Top Voice” badge, LinkedIn incentivizes contributions and enhances the credibility of users within the platform, potentially driving even more engagement with Collaborative Articles. As the feature evolves and grows in popularity, users may increasingly strive to earn their “Top Voice” badge by sharing their expertise and insights on the platform.