Category: Bobby Thoughts Blog

This will be my new blogging series for this site called.

I’m calling BEARsh*t in the woods!

We did a small survey on LinkedIn about the topics that bother people.

There was quite a bit of response and some themes emerged. More still coming in as we post this piece.

What’s important about all of these topics is that people obviously have strong emotions about them and that leads to engagement.

We might find ourselves on different sides of these topics depending on our moods or emotions of the moment.

Engagement is a social media math that drives all algorithms.

Remember the goal of any social media company is to keep you on their site the longest. That’s the game. So it is important to learn how to play it from all sides of the equation.

Here’s a copy to the original https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6516010158127190016

The question presented was what bores you on LinkedIn and here are a few of the topics that emerged from the post. Of course, I even got a few trolls but that’s a good thing. I mean really if someone is upset by a talking bear then they have deeper issues and challenges.

Topics that Bore Some People on LinkedIn

These are not in any order and what’s important to remember is there are two sides of the coin. For every person that doesn’t like that topic others obviously enjoy the approach.

Why is this critical? It allows us to see our BEARiases. If we’re aware of our biases then obviously we will create stronger content moving forward.

Thank you to everyone that helped me to create a masterlist for this new written series.

Here’s the first 40

1. I am less bored by topics than by people who put no thought into their comments.  Now I will probably be disliked for being critical…I will tell you I am never bored by people who share information that is likely to be valuable to a large # of members.  And I’m never bored with great videos and graphics (Mysteries intrigue me :))
2. People talking about how their views and likes are down but are the same ones that never engage or comment. 🙄
3. Posts that are only about people bashing others for no better reason than dislike of their content. So what if person X is a bot or not. you either like their content or you don’t. If you don’t, ignore, block and otherwise don’t pay attention to their stuff. Yawn!  Great topic,
4. I haven’t made a post in a while
5. Posts which promise nebulous prizes for comments
6. From my very biased view, there is a lot about running your own business, which is great, but not as much about how to be successful if that isn’t your path. Not everyone can start and maintain a successful business and I think on this platform people are sometimes made to feel like colossal failures if they have a regular 9-5. 
7. Complaints, of all kinds, without solutions, offered. No bitching without ideas to change, everyone! And the gift of being connected with you R is rewarded enough (I’d have commented anyway…)
8. I would say services pitching coaching or consulting without any value add or history of producing content that adds value. As Lila Smith says, “Give away 80%, don’t be scared to be an expert.” If you’re going to offer to coach then I better be able to find some of your content online to see if you’re credible, or more importantly, a right fit for me. LinkedIn is almost becoming the “Coaches Corner”. hashtag#rant
9. The “I just reached X number of connections / I’m maxed out on connections … and this post is all about my gratitude (not platitude and self-congratulatitude)” …. p.s. I just invented that word now and f’n love it!!
10. I’m starting to think the “happy work-iversary” posts need to go. They add no real value and the news feed is littered with them. As for people complaining about the algorithm, go create some good content, take the time to effectively network with people, and booom! There’s your solution lol
11. Politics.  I don’t think it has any place on LI.
12. “The hiring process is broken” is probably the most boring topic I see on LinkedIn. Clickbait. Viewbait. Commentbait. That’s all it is.
13. The constant recruiter bashing and recruitment process bashing. Every time I respond, I ask them to come sit with me for a day to shadow. No takers.
14. Hmm, content that is too ‘me’ oriented. I understand sometimes it’s appropriate – sharing our wins, etc. but if it’s a patten of posting that’s all about the poster, it turns me off
15. I hate it when people just come online and blow their trumpets with each passing day. How many achievements they’ve gotten and subtly singing their own praises under the cover of networking.
16. I don’t like the reoccurring post that states “LinkedIn is not Facebook”. To a point this can be true, but I spend all day working with partners and customers and cheering on their work lives, why would I not cheer on their personal life as well? What’s wrong with the occasional “family appreciation or weight loss journey” post? Any chance I get to learn more about the people I work with, not just co-workers, is interesting to me and creates great talking points. Just my personal opinion!
17. Completely biased here – there are many posts where I am left wondering “what was the point”?  I like to learn something (or be reminded of something that I’ve forgotten) when I read posts.  They can be serious or humorous, text/visual/static/video – I simply wish to learn.  Luckily, there are enough people NOT like me out there and plenty of ideas to go around to keep most of us satisfied some of the time.
18. Oh and not boring but SUPER annoying, ending every post with Agree? 
19. Any time someone posts out of “obligation” to the audience after an absence, short or long.
20. Poor me stories. Go be depressed elsewhere
21. Mostly posts about pants
22. Anything which does not align with the message (text, video, image) and the audience and has been posted for just likes and not genuine comments or reshares
23. For me: 1.  LI isn’t Facebook – thanks for the news flash on that one 2.  The bragging about how someone hired an employee who has been unemployed for the last 15 years, but deserves a chance, or the person was hired because they had to walk to the interview barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways, etc (Yes, I am exaggerating, but these posts drive me bonkers) 3.  The top 4/6/8/20/642 things that executives/winners/successful people/losers do everyday/before bed/before breakfast etc.  
24. 🤔 LinkedIn Influencers whose only influence is for me to log out 🙄 LinkedIn is not Facebook 🙄 Recruiter and candidate bashing (that’s a two way street) 🙄 Super close range videos so close I can see your optic nerves 🙄 Mystery prizes that aren’t Ferrero Rocher & champagne. 😎
25. Any post I see from Oleg Vishnepolsky. Way too much self-promotion.
26. — Great question and post Roger Wilkerson. Warning (for some) sensitive topic here — The endless video posts for nothing more than for the sake of fulfilling a feeling that the poster needs to do it every day: do it from their car, in front of their favorite spot, at the gym, while walking to the corner, etc…add infinitum! 🤢 I don’t think that that was the purpose nor the intent of enabling this feature on LI. 🤥 A video post, in my opinion, should be done with the same thoughtful attention and care as sharing an article / comment / story-share / etc…consider the audience and the potential reception. Don’t do it just for the sake of “doing it”…please! 🙌
27. Ha! I have noticed that complaining doesn’t appear to fix it, Roger! “Just be yourself” posts bore me a lot. There should just be a memo with this on it in the welcome pack when you join LinkedIn. It would mean there is no further need for reiteration.  It’s probably just because of Brexit though. 
28. Algorithm, tagging yet never engaging, and drama for the sake of drama. Love your post, seeing this is all the prize I needed.
29. 1. Recruiter bashing 2. Ghosting 3. That one video that’s just tired but because ________ used it and it got a ton of traffic, well why not? 4. Anything talking about being “raw,” “authentic,” “real,” “value,” “professional,” and the like. I just want those terms defined. Probably others but apparently I’m salty at something, as the list could grow. I do have impatience as character defect #3,892 though so yay for self-awareness(?). Signed, The guy apparently is frustrated and might wear this shirt
30. Men in impeccable suits and startched underwear discussing the “overarching yet understated presentations meant to stimulate discourse to our clients. Our breakthrough concept may be THE determinant factor in the extirpation of concomitant concordant and discordant techo-structures now in the market, hence giving an archetype for presentation of our solution. This will usher in a new paradigm for optimization of re-usable toilet paper production
31. Truly anything that leads down a feeling of negativity I LOVE the feeling of positivity Roger Wilkerson Thanks so much for the kind tag 😊
32. Idiots that give inanimate objects English names. Those really annoy me..
33. It’s not so much about boring to me but rather the length. Tags to large articles or long videos….my attention may fade if it’s repetitive. I can chose to skip, watch or save for later. We have the choice to scroll on by if it’s not for us. Linkedin audience is large and versatile so it’s up to you to set your boundaries. Thanks
34. Talking bears
35. I have enjoyed reading this thread. A thought provoking post. Thank you
36. Posts about taking a break from LinkedIn. Why do you need to tell people? Just take a break if you so choose.
37. Haha great topic Roger! I’d have to say it’s the staged photo posts that show someone doing nothing more than turning up to an event, with no supporting contextual comment about why their network could benefit from knowing, why it was valuable or what they learnt. Reminds me of the ‘participation’ awards so prevalent in schools today.
38. The same videos reposted over and over without any commentary on why it’s being reposted.
39. Any post by Liz Ryan – she tosses out terrible advice and then leaves responses to battle each other on the validity (or not) of her (mostly) insane suggestions. Phew – thanks for that… feeling much better.
40. Not so much a topic but those awful fake (long) stories about something that (definitely) happened at ‘their previous job’ but luckily the clever person telling the story saw straight through it / took the upper hand to do the right thing. And then asks people what they think. Urgh, unfollow.

Here’s the next 40

1. I’m bored by posts that put other people down or make assumptions about them and don’t name them. I would totally name one of the posters who did this but I was so bored I blocked them out of my mind.
2. Like you the rants and people being poops to others
3. Unnecessary comments.
4. Mine is from the self-appointed LI police who want everyone to conform to their ideas about what is ‘appropriate’ engagement.
5. I like that your “prize” was interesting.  Now, confess…what topics bore you on LI?
6. Tagging for the sake of tagging, complaining about algorithm, complaining about anything reall
7. Bragging about their life, career, or accomplishments. We are all happy for you, and your career, and your money.
8. I got one! How LinkedIn isn’t Facebook or something to that notion
9. Postings that should be on Facebook instead of LinkedIn and complaints about the same 🙂
10. “Swan song” posts: People posting about how that’s their last post and they’re leaving LinkedIn.
11. I tend to scroll past posts that mean little to nothing. I love LinkedIn because it’s not a place for posts that aren’t well thought out or don’t have a purpose in mind. It’s a place to engage in the professional world by exchanging ideas and bringing awareness to others in the same industry. It’s also a place to learn from others within and outside of your industry. I really don’t like posts that are generated just for the sake of generating a post and I really get bored when people use LinkedIn like other social media platforms. Leave petty arguments for Facebook, please.
12. People who argue that hashtag#LinkedIn is strictly for hashtag#whitecollar, hashtag#NYSE business and everyone else doesn’t belong here.
13. Inspirational quotes and so called industry trends passed off as insights that were redundant 5 years ago. Of course, bad, immature writing: I move on.
14. For me it’s anyone that says that LinkedIn is not Facebook. All I can imagine wen they type that in the comments is a cranky person saying “Get off my lawn!”
15. Topics that are suitable for facebook should not be posted on LinkedIn.
16. People criticizing other people! this is the biggest turn off and also the reason to stop following such people.
17. Sometimes it feels stagnant.
18. – The algorithm complaints (frankly, any complaints) – Anything political is annoying (go to Twitter or Facebook for that) – Ads are starting to become a problem
19. Personally, I find posts without a caption or how it ties into your industry, are the worst. You’re just posting something for the sake of posting as opposed to showing the value to your network on why they should click and read said post.
20. People complaining about the algorithm, Linkedin is starting to lose its uniqueness of a platform where people share to create abundance. Great question!
21. People talking about how “the hustle” and their bank account is most important. It’s sad to see that we have become a society focused more on $$ than being happy.
22. Ads that they think I can understand because my IP address is “wherever”… I use vpn— mine changes. Constantly… so— “random ip=random language AD in a language I can’t understand…”— really I can’t specify English only?…. and the fact I can’t really remove “promoted” advertisers— hence the non-stop car advertisements, yes Audi and Mercedes… thanks… where’s the “I don’t have 100k” button so you stop? Send me a 2 for 1 at Burger King would be vastly more useful…… the cat pics.. and pics of your birthday party.. I either ignore or block you for thinking LI=Facebook.. those are my complaints
23. Any topic that is an egocentric and self-inflating work of the person posting…yawn
24. How great failure is
25. Great topic, Roger! I won’t add as I published a video that seemed critical to many so I’ll now be an observer for a bit… great thread though.
26. People or articles that unnecessarily focus on Boss bashing. I have no doubt that there are plenty of Bad Bosses out there. I like to think that the majority of them just need help and aren’t doing it on purpose. But how about you take some accountability for your own productivity? I’m sure most of these people complaining aren’t doing all they can to make the relationship better and/or to be more introspective.
27. Really great ones in here! I can totally get on that band wagon. Any comment that says “this is great”
28. Pithy “look at me” content for the sake of content posts… or Cheddar posts…
29. Not necessarily bored but too one sided on all the highs and posing of entrepreneurship and career in general. Not enough honesty around failures, bad ideas, anxiety, temptations, regrets, jealousy, partnerships and collaborations gone bad, etc. Not that I want us to be negative all the time. Let’s not skew towards the other end of the spectrum. But just talk about it all, of course with honor respect and SOLUTIONS/LESSONS learned.
30.   Pictures, images or memes that are just laziness posts.  
31. Go ahead and count me in because who doesn’t love mystery prizes?! So topics that bore me… “LinkedIn is not Facebook”… honestly, a young child is told the truth about Santa every time someone says that.  Also, numerous posts that add actual value to my career rather than mystery prizes haha
32. “Always be positive”…much more helpful is “how to accept you are human, and be human in a workplace with other humans, without losing your mind” 
33. The self-absorbed posts and videos that are clearly for “likes” and “comments” rather than adding any value. Anyone else get to the end of a video and wonder “why did this person do it and why did I watch it?” Their self-promotion is too obvious, their pep talks lack substance, and their advice is useless. 
34. People complaining about people complaining about the algorithm is my biggest pet peeve of all time. It’s right up there with people that step on cracks in the sidewalk like they don’t have any gratitude or repsect their for momma’s back. #BadPeople
35. All the mindset videos repeatedly saying the same thing over and over again, especially the ones trying so hard to be inspirational when the person clearly doesn’t have the background nor the experience. All the “I started my business/career yesterday and in an instant I’ve arrived to all these profound conclusions that changed my life and now I’m your guru success coach” (my apologies to all the real success coaches). In general, guruism bores me to death.
36. Not sure anything has bored me, I just don’t watch or read anything that isn’t of interest, I am sure it is relevant or of interest to someone out there even if that isn’t me!
37. Crude memes that pertain solely to political extremism. Outside of decisions that impact business directly, it would be nice to avoid the rampant polarization of the country. While it may be healthy to sometimes voice a dissenting opinion, often times the post just leads to the wedge being driven deeper.
38. these weird life coaches that seem to believe motivational quotes and self belief are all you need to achieve EVERYTHING
39. Really divisive political arguments. I am hoping to connect or “link” with others in a positive and productive way : ).
40. The consistent “happy birthday” “Congratulations on your work anniversary” messages. Especially from people that have never contacted me before, they’ve never reached out.

And another 21 things

1. Writing some general, uninspired content and then tagging hundreds of connections with fake “Do you agree” messages to create an illusion of engagement and strong network. Too obvious, too pathetic.
2. Consistent platitudes and inspirational memes
3. Overused phrases: thought leader, story teller, etc. If you say you’re a thought leader, come up with a more original set of adjectives.
4. People who criticise the “LinkedIn isn’t Facebook” rule; you’re not a dangerous and cool rebel, you’re a person who isn’t using social media correctly. Anything relating to “data science” or “artificial intelligence”.
5. Plagiarized popular chain posts and videos ripped from other peoples youtube/instagrams.
6. Anything that starts with “Want to know how I make 5 figures a month…” IMO, if you’re in it for the money, you’re in it for the wrong reason and that roller coaster is about to run off the rails.
7. Posts that are made for no other reason that to advance someone socio-political agenda are what bore me the most. More than that, that annoy me
8. Opinion arguments based on other opinions and very little fact, or fact taken completely out of context.  I guess thats why Linkedin is about the only “social media” that I look at because its not as frequent on here.
9. The sod awful text box.
10. Anything from Oleg Vishnepolsky
11. 1. Anyone #CrushingIt. 2. Anyone #Grinding. For f@&#’s sake, I get it…you work hard. I know I’m not supposed to use terms like everyone, anyone, no one, blah, blah, blah. I mean I’m considering it a solid effort if I can make sure my kids keep their pants on in public or not head butt someone in the crotch while laughing maniacally.
12. Honestly nada, I just move forward.
13. Posts that first seem interesting, but then turn out to be advertising things/services I don’t need.
14. It’s not necessarily a topic, but I don’t like seeing posts with inaccurate or outdated information.
15. People using their biases to trivialize genuine human concerns while trying to come off as knowledgeable and sincere. I can see how this can be interpreted many ways. I think I largely am concerned by the trivialization of mental health/well-being concerns.
16. Everything. It’s all inspiration porn, “you don’t work hard enough”, “husle porn” (VaynerUPchuk is guilty of that, among others…) , stupid posts about how X leads to Y (when no matter how much you try X it never leads to Y), posts about how someone hired/fired/didn’t hire someone else based on some story/trait and how it turned out well in the end, etc.
17. So you asked what topics “bored” us on Linkedin and this feed turned into a negative, draining ,bitch fest! Complaining without a solution is boring. Putting others down is boring. Posting is a learning curve for everyone. If you don’t like their posts, then why in the hell are you following them??? I see some of my favorite, amazing people in this feed that have better things to do than put others down for their topics, posts, etc. How about igniting the positive??? What topics are amazing on Linkedin? Who has killer content that we should be following?
18. So you asked what topics “bored” us on Linkedin and this feed turned into a negative, draining ,bitch fest! Complaining without a solution is boring. Putting others down is boring. Posting is a learning curve for everyone. If you don’t like their posts, then why in the hell are you following them??? I see some of my favorite, amazing people in this feed that have better things to do than put others down for their topics, posts, etc. How about igniting the positive??? What topics are amazing on Linkedin? Who has killer content that we should be following
19. “Be the best you can be!!!!!” You are destined for greatness style inspirational posts and videos eventually do become yawn inducing. Doesn’t mean I don’t believe it and it doesn’t mean it’s not good to see every now and then… but those kinds of videos do tend to come in droves…
20. recruiters ranting about how terrible recruiters are is up there for me.
21. It doesn’t really bore me but I get tired of seeing the ads to download an e-book on a topic, which becomes a difficult and tedious process at times, and then your email inbox and VM inbox become inundated with sales people.  I just ignore all of them now.