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As creatives abandon X, Facebook and Instagram, LinkedIn seems to be standing strong. But is it really the right platform for creative networking? We take the temperature of the community.
At a time when platforms are rising and falling with alarming regularity, LinkedIn stands as something of an anomaly: a professional networking site that’s maintained its relevance for nearly two decades.
Indeed, with many creatives falling away from other social platforms, it’s arguably becoming more relevant to our profession than ever.
Yet, as we navigate 2025, many creatives are questioning whether LinkedIn still serves their unique needs or if it has succumbed to the same algorithm-driven engagement traps that have transformed other social platforms.
We’ve even seen some (albeit rare) examples on here of the kind of trolling and bad behaviour you’d be more likely to associate with X or Instagram. Could this be the future of LinkedIn, too?
To get a sense of how creatives are feeling, the obvious place to pose this question was on LinkedIn itself. The responses we received revealed a nuanced and fascinating reality.
In this article, we’ll share some of the most interesting aspects of our discussion, and you can read the full thing here.
What’s still working?
Let’s start with the positives. For many creatives, LinkedIn continues to offer unique advantages that other platforms simply can’t match.
“It’s the place I go to identify the person at an organisation who has commissioning power, and I can target them directly,” shares illustrator Ollie Hirst. “This direct line to decision-makers remains one of LinkedIn’s strongest selling points for freelancers and creative businesses alike.”
He adds that the platform has actively generated inquiries that have materialised into live jobs, confirming its continued usefulness for his practice.
PR and marketing professionals, too, still see value in LinkedIn. “We know many design agencies that have won major new business leads from posts featuring case studies and media coverage,” says Vicky Stoakes, communications director at Red Setter. “With the platform’s built-in trust factor, it’s a key space for brands seeking creative partners.”
More broadly, LinkedIn offers something increasingly rare online: a relatively positive environment. As senior designer Pearse O’Halloran notes: “I still find it more positive on here than on other networking platforms. I love seeing what fellow creatives are up to, cheering on their achievements or offering support for their frustrations.”
Leadership coach Tracy Candido highlights how LinkedIn has transformed into an essential networking tool in the mid-2020s. “I don’t do a ton of IRL networking at events any more because the pandemic shut that sh*t down, and I also have kids,” she explains. “So LinkedIn is my digital networking marketplace now.”
The algorithmic maze
Despite these benefits, there’s growing frustration with how LinkedIn evolved—particularly its shift toward algorithmic content distribution, which often favours engagement over substance. Visual artist Jeff T Owens describes LinkedIn as “a brick wall of algorithmic programming and a lot of cryptic corporate lingo and cheerleading bordering on dystopian parody”.
This sentiment was echoed by others, with creatives lamenting the platform’s increasing resemblance to other social media sites.
Photographer and videographer Anna-Mhairi Kane sees LinkedIn as increasingly filled with “posts made for engagement, not conversation”. That’s a concerning trend for a platform that once prided itself on meaningful professional discourse.
More specifically, editorial illustrator Maksym Filipenko calls out the “annoying AI features on every corner that nobody really needs” and laments how this “usually makes posts bland and uninteresting. It’s just spam, noise.”
Ben Mottershead, founder and creative director of Never Dull Group, offers a balanced take on all of this. “LinkedIn is 100% an engagement trap,” he argues. “But if you already have a bit of a personal brand, it can be a good space to find leads and opportunities.”
He adds that while some of his best relationships have formed on the platform, “it’s definitely a shadow of what it was in 2017/18 in terms of the value it offers.”
Illustrator Matt Saunders agrees. “It’s just constant opinions and AI pushing now rather than actual work,” he argues. That said, he adds: “I do think it’s a great way to reach outside of a bubble.”
Finding value in the noise
Despite these challenges, many creatives have developed strategies to extract value from LinkedIn while minimising frustration.
“Like so many things, it works if you work at it,” says commercial photographer Neil Shearer. “Regular posting and regular interactions make a massive difference. And following people you actually WANT to engage with makes it easier to do so.”
Consultant Iain Worgan takes a similar line. “If you take the time to find the right conversations and communities, there’s a lot of value to still be taken away,” he maintains. This selective engagement strategy—actively curating one’s feed and connections—emerges as a common thread among those who continue to find LinkedIn valuable.
Meanwhile Eliza Evans, a creative strategy consultant, suggests an even more proactive approach: using LinkedIn’s algorithmic preferences to creatives’ advantage. “Artists are meant to PUSH mediums, not obey them,” she argues. In that light, she encourages creatives to leverage LinkedIn’s preference for short-form video content by turning it into “experimental design spaces” and using motion, typography, and storytelling to “break algorithmic expectations.”
Graphic designer and copywriter Jaheed Hussain has reimagined how he uses the platform entirely: “I’m using it at the moment as a digital journal really,” he says. “There are no limitations to what I’m posting, and that can always attract the right opportunities.”
Finding your path forward
What emerges from these diverse perspectives is that whether LinkedIn has value is not a simple yes-or-no answer. Instead, it depends on how you approach it.
For many, LinkedIn remains valuable—particularly for finding work, building professional relationships, and maintaining industry visibility. Yet, at the same time, it requires more intentional management than it once did.
As creative strategist Vicky Tomlinson observes: “There’s definitely a shift happening on LinkedIn. It’s moving away from the digital CV format and becoming more of a platform for sharing insights, ideas, and personal stories.”
For creatives deciding whether to invest time here, then, several considerations emerge:
Define your purpose: Those with clear goals for using LinkedIn (networking, client acquisition, industry visibility) report more satisfaction than those using it casually.
Curate aggressively: Following and engaging only with connections who provide value can significantly improve the LinkedIn experience.
Prioritise authenticity: In a space increasingly crowded with AI-generated content, genuine human expression stands out.
Set boundaries: Many successful creatives limit their time on the platform, treating it as a focused business tool rather than a scroll-worthy distraction.
As Luigi Carnovale, founder and creative director at Design LSC, notes: “LinkedIn stands out because it’s a space for meaningful connections. It’s where I can celebrate others’ achievements, showcase the work I’m most proud of for my clients, and both share and gain valuable insights.”
In a digital landscape where big platforms regularly fall short of their promise, LinkedIn may not be perfect for creatives—but it remains perhaps the least bad option.
The real question may not be whether LinkedIn is still useful for creatives but whether creatives are willing to adapt their approach to extract the value that still exists there.
