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
Jul 15, 2023 • 45min
Trust me, I'm an expert!
I've been away in Greece for 10 days...it was pure bliss! While I was away, a few things have been happening on LinkedIn so in this episode, I'm catching up on it all! The biggest news was LinkedIn's algorithm changes: I will give my thoughts on content dominance, meaningful comments, and the quest for 'knowledge & advice' amplification. As you would imagine,I have a few things to say about it!Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Jul 8, 2023 • 43min
The LinkedIn Content Sweetspot
This is the talk that I gave at LinkedSummit in Odense, Denmark this year. We know that the content that perhaps should really be on Facebook does well on LinkedIn, but it's not going to generate business and pay the bills! On the flip side, neither is boring business content that fails to engage and is seen by very few. So we need to find the sweet spot! Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Jun 24, 2023 • 1h 3min
Is commenting a good strategy?
This weeks episode is inspired by a post I saw that included this line; "Don’t believe the bullsh!t that “commenting on others posts is the best way to grow” So I thought it would be worth examining this in more detail. Also in this episode; What's going on with Events messaging? Services Marketplace - dormant or important? Does unfollowing someone will reduce your relevance to them? Why I haven't published a book Is 'Open for work' worth having on your profile? A text-only Fathers day post of the week. Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Jun 17, 2023 • 1h 11min
LinkedSummit 2023
A special episode of the podcast this week as I talked through my recent experience of the LinkedIn conference in Odense, Denmark. I can only give my feedback on the English language sessions from Ruben Hassid and Richard van der Blom for obvious reasons but they both provided plenty of gems in their presentations. That plus a few new features and some features LinkedIn are retiring.Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Jun 3, 2023 • 57min
4 Examples of How to Use AI on LinkedIn: It's Easier Than You Think!
This week I return to the hottest topic in town! Artificial intelligence and how it can be utilized on LinkedIn. I'm no expert and these examples are very basic, but I'm hoping you might find them useful That plus; A new and very useful update to Sales Navigator New Recruiter features that every job seeker should know about Feedback on the new 'conversations happening now' feature A very creative post of the week Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
May 27, 2023 • 57min
7 ways to be more visible on LinkedIn
This week I discuss the 7 ways to become more visible on LinkedIn. In the competitive world of professional networking, it's essential to make your presence known and stand out from the crowd. By applying these tips, you'll significantly improve your visibility on LinkedIn and attract more career opportunities. So, grab your notepad and pen, and let's dive into the world of LinkedIn visibility.Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
May 13, 2023 • 1h 14min
Copycat Content
Imagine you're on another social media site and you see a great video post - it's ideal content for LinkedIn and especially your audience! You quickly check whether the author has posted it on LinkedIn and they haven't. What do you do next? Plagiarism is rife on LinkedIn and LinkedIn don't seem to be doing much about it. Can we help? That plus: Feedback from the last LinkedInformed regarding the prevalence of LinkedIn ads in our feed plus some more thoughts on that strange data from Social Insider. You can now specify that a job application on LInkedIn is one of your 'Top choices' but do Recruiters really care? Did Fiverr game the algorithm by changing the job titles of their staff? LinkedIn cut 716 jobs, discontinue InCareer in China, and close their graduate training program. LinkedIn starts to test AI-generated posts A technique for getting great results from Chat GPT The dangers of AI - humanity could be at risk! A royal post of the week. Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
May 6, 2023 • 1h 13min
Sponsored personal posts - a different perspective
This week I chat with the LinkedIn ads guy AJ Wilcox. AJ is very enthusiastic about what I saw as the beginning of the end for LinkedIn - personal sponsored posts. Hear what AJ has to say and make your own mind up! That plus New call to action button on profiles Why your follower numbers may have dropped LinkedIn Stats from 2022 - if you can make any sense of them! A positive change to hashtags LinkedIn reveals a little more about how the feed algorithm works A unique first for post of the week Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Apr 22, 2023 • 57min
Finding Time For Content
The single biggest factor that holds people back from using LinkedIn is time…or the lack of it and this is especially true for content creation. Your job involves many other activities, LinkedIn is, for most people, a small part of it. This a massive challenge for everyone…some people give the appearance of having nothing else to do than spend all day on LinkedIn! But is that true? How do they manage to make so much time for Linkedin? I will share my thoughts and ideas on that this week plus; Are the BBC stuck in a time warp? The new LinkedIn Content Academy Employee verification advances A useful Hashtag tool The great GIF mystery Improvements to collaborative articles Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
Apr 8, 2023 • 40min
Are you Teaching or Preaching?
We know that LinkedIn are especially interested in supporting helpful 'knowledge transfer' type posts, so we all need to get on the 'knowledge transfer bus' if we want to increase our visibility...but are we teaching or preaching? That plus 5 new features and an excellent video post of the week.Mentioned in this episode:This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
