Informed: the podcast for LinkedIn® users
John Espirian
"Informed" is for you if you'd like to understand more about how LinkedIn works so that you can be an effective user of the platform.
It's hard to know whom to believe with so many self-appointed gurus out there telling you the latest hacks for going viral and earning 7-figure deals. And even LinkedIn's own publications often don't speak to the reality of using the platform.
But for those who see past superficial promises and sanitised reports, this podcast provides evidence and thoughtful opinion. With a track record of more than 10 years of sensible, no-nonsense advice about honest best practice for LinkedIn, Informed is a trusted source of insight by many thousands of regular listeners.
The show was created by Mark Williams, who's affectionately known as "Mr LinkedIn". Mark retired in late 2025 and handed over the reins of the show to John Espirian, the relentlessly helpful® LinkedIn nerd. John is a LinkedIn trainer and consultant, the founder of the Espresso+ community, the creator of the UpLift Live conference (the UK's original event dedicated to LinkedIn best practice), and the author of the personal branding handbook Content DNA.
John's reputation is for getting to the point and for not being a salesy douche canoe, so you can expect short, sharp episodes with zero ads or sponsored slots. This also is NOT an interview show, so if you've read this far then please don't pitch yourself for a guest appearance. However, you're welcome to get in touch if you have a LinkedIn question you'd like John to cover on the show. (To do that, search for the "Informed podcast" company page on LinkedIn and send a message.)
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by the LinkedIn® corporation. John Espirian is an independent trainer and does not work for LinkedIn® – while it would be great to have LinkedIn's endorsement, the show's independence from the corporation means you, the listener, are never fed an airbrushed political spiel.
It's hard to know whom to believe with so many self-appointed gurus out there telling you the latest hacks for going viral and earning 7-figure deals. And even LinkedIn's own publications often don't speak to the reality of using the platform.
But for those who see past superficial promises and sanitised reports, this podcast provides evidence and thoughtful opinion. With a track record of more than 10 years of sensible, no-nonsense advice about honest best practice for LinkedIn, Informed is a trusted source of insight by many thousands of regular listeners.
The show was created by Mark Williams, who's affectionately known as "Mr LinkedIn". Mark retired in late 2025 and handed over the reins of the show to John Espirian, the relentlessly helpful® LinkedIn nerd. John is a LinkedIn trainer and consultant, the founder of the Espresso+ community, the creator of the UpLift Live conference (the UK's original event dedicated to LinkedIn best practice), and the author of the personal branding handbook Content DNA.
John's reputation is for getting to the point and for not being a salesy douche canoe, so you can expect short, sharp episodes with zero ads or sponsored slots. This also is NOT an interview show, so if you've read this far then please don't pitch yourself for a guest appearance. However, you're welcome to get in touch if you have a LinkedIn question you'd like John to cover on the show. (To do that, search for the "Informed podcast" company page on LinkedIn and send a message.)
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by the LinkedIn® corporation. John Espirian is an independent trainer and does not work for LinkedIn® – while it would be great to have LinkedIn's endorsement, the show's independence from the corporation means you, the listener, are never fed an airbrushed political spiel.
Episodes
Mentioned books
21 snips
May 25, 2024 • 1h 2min
435. Unpacking the Decline in Organic Reach
Organic reach on LinkedIn is taking a hit again, sparking hot debates on the platform's direction. Confusion around the removal of Creator Mode and the new AI-generated content screening adds to user frustrations. There's a fresh gaming feature aimed at boosting engagement, but does it really help? The podcast also dives into LinkedIn's immersive video feed, exploring how it affects user experience while breaking down the complexity behind the decline in reach. Tune in for insights and reflections on these pressing topics!
May 18, 2024 • 1h 10min
434. Leveraging Groups
Tracy Bedwell discusses the enduring value of leveraging LinkedIn™️ Groups for professional networking. Topics include navigating smaller niche groups, optimizing regional engagement, the removal of group messaging, and the importance of active engagement for broadening audience reach.
May 3, 2024 • 1h 12min
433. Interesting People - Mark Lee
We often come across people on LinkedIn™️ who look interesting and produce content we find valuable, so we follow or connect and over time we feel as though we get to know them better.But do we REALLY know them?Interesting People interviews are designed to reveal more about the background, personal lives and characteristics of some of our favourite people on LinkedIn™️.This week, it was my immense pleasure to sit down and chat with the UK accountants mentor and speaker MARK LEE FCA.Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Apr 27, 2024 • 1h 9min
432. Farmers & Hunters with Bruce Johnston
Bruce Johnston has been helping people use LinkedIn™️ more effectively for the last 13 years and I've been a follower for 8 years. Bruce is a great wordsmith and one of the more original thinkers out there when it comes to LinkedIn™️ so I thought it was about time to bring him onto the show to share some of his insights.Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Apr 20, 2024 • 1h 3min
431. Authentic & Ethical AI
LinkedIn™️ seem to love it, more and more posts are created by it and comment threads are becoming infested with it, so I thought it was time to revisit the topic of AI and try to answer this important question: can AI be used in a credible, authentic and ethical way on LinkedIn™️?That plus:New - Company page premium inc' Who viewed your company page' An improved 'Premium benefits' page plus a special offer Why the new 'Recruiters verification badge' is a disgrace! Post search results now favour Articles A great new option for profile custom buttons An interesting piece on Colla'boring'ative articles! Post of the week Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Apr 6, 2024 • 1h 2min
430. Interesting People - Merrill Charette
This week I chat with Merrill Charette a long timer listener to the podcast (and a podcaster himself!) about his upbringing, experiences and how he ended up in the maritime industry.I really enjoyed chatting with Merrill who is a fascinating character and a great raconteur. In this interview we cover.How he grew up the '6th child' with his other siblings being 5 Old English Sheepdogs! His very sports orientated childhood and his (and his fathers) obsession with Lacrosse The benefits of focus and determination to achieve his potential in lacrosse How he attended 4 high schools in 5 years experiencing bullying at every turn Tough love from his father Why he gave up lacrosse and rebuilt his identity Dealing with authority (when you know they are wrong) The 1000 Origami Crane Challenge and how it changed him Completing a challenging 2,200-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail Quitting law school The difference between moving on and giving up How a random comment from a stranger "You could always live on a boat" led him to the maritime industry How he negotiated for and bought his first boat How he taught himself to sail his first voyage from New York to Boston Finding a new community of boat owners Becoming a boating entrepreneur as an outsider to the industry Artificial intelligence and the maritime industry Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Mar 30, 2024 • 1h 12min
429. UpLift Live 2024 Part 2
This week in the podcast I complete my review of UpLift Live with the speakers from the afternoon sessions.Gillian WhitneyKevin D. TurnerTiina JarvetRichard van der Blom Also in this edition:New takeaways on articles & posts New video feed on mobile An excellent example of brand partnership with influencer Post of the week Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Mar 23, 2024 • 57min
428. UpLift Live 2024 Part 1
My thoughts and feedback on UpLift Live.UpLift Live is an in-person, LinkedIn-focused conference that took place for the first time on 21 March 2024 in Birmingham, UK.Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Mar 16, 2024 • 1h 6min
427. Newsletters Revisited
Exploring the potential for all LinkedIn users to create newsletters, mysterious 'Who viewed your profile' filter, AI enhancements driving Premium subscriptions, sneaky way to get free Premium, assessment of native AI post generation, and a remarkable LinkedIn post of the week.
Mar 9, 2024 • 1h 11min
426. Followers & Connections
Explore the shift from followers to connections on LinkedIn, with insights on new tools for staff retention. Discuss the impact of personal engagement on the algorithm and the importance of networking efficiently. Delve into managing notifications and feeds on LinkedIn, and reflect on intentional connections and International Women's Day.
