Is LinkedIn Becoming the New Facebook?

I realized something the other week that made me laugh and then question everything.

I posted a thoughtful piece about the evolving landscape of SEO and conversational AI, complete with real-world examples, industry insight, and practical takeaways.
27 impressions. One like.
(And the like was probably my mom.)

A few days later, I shared a photo of my daughter winning a scholarship - no hashtags, no CTA, no strategy.
Thousands of views. 80+ likes. Comments from people I hadn’t spoken to in years.

At first, I was annoyed. Then I got curious. And finally, I accepted it:
LinkedIn is becoming Facebook.
Well… Facebook with a résumé and just enough self-awareness to call it “authentic professional storytelling.”

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Why Personal Posts Win the Internet (Even on LinkedIn)

Let’s not blame the platform. The algorithm is doing what it was built to do: reward what people interact with.

And people—especially in the doomscroll age—are hungry for connection, not just information.

Here’s what I’ve noticed:

1. Professional content feels like work.

No matter how good your take on AI, HR policy, or business ops is… most people just don’t have the mental bandwidth to absorb it on a Tuesday at 8:42am while waiting for coffee to kick in.

2. Personal stories spark emotion.

A family milestone, a golf game, a lesson learned the hard way—those things invite empathy. They’re relatable. And they generate dopamine. Likes follow.

3. The platform encourages emotional engagement.

The more time people spend reading and reacting, the more LinkedIn wins. So the algorithm does what works. Personal content outperforms professional content, full stop.

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What to Do About It (Besides Post More Baby Pictures)

Here’s what I’m working on:

• Merge the two worlds. Start with a personal hook, then deliver your professional insight.
  “After a frustrating client call, I realized: most SEO strategies fail because they assume people read websites like robots. Here’s how to fix that…”
• Make your expertise relatable.
  Use analogies, stories, and humor to make complex topics easier to digest.
• Stay visible.
  Keep posting. Even the “low-engagement” content builds your body of work and positions you as a consistent voice in your space. Visibility isn’t always viral.

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So... is LinkedIn Facebook 2.0?

Kinda. But it’s also a mirror.

It’s showing us what we actually care about. And what our audience responds to.
The challenge is balancing vulnerability with value.
Heart with head.
Selfies with substance.

And when you find the sweet spot?
That’s when the algorithm—and your audience—both say yes.

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Want to test this theory?
Try sharing a client win that made you proud and taught you something. Let me know how it performs.