If you are a LinkedIn user, then you may have noticed a dip in your follower counts. You are not alone in this regard – industry analyst Matt Navarra noted in a Threads post that multiple users have noted steep drops in their follower counts – drops that result in the loss of hundreds (even thousands) of connections overnight. Now, following hours of speculation and rumours, LinkedIn has officially commented on the matter.
“We heard some members may have seen a change in their connection and follower count,” the company said in a post on micro-blogging site X. “Our team quickly looked into this. We’re happy to report this has now been resolved.”
LinkedIn, at 03:00 PDT, first announced that some members “may be experiencing issues with their follower and connection count on LinkedIn. We’re actively working on this.” Seven hours down the line, the platform broke its silence, announcing that the issue has been resolved and apologized for the inconvenience caused.
We heard some members may have seen a change in their connection and follower count. Our team quickly looked into this. We're happy to report this has now been resolved.
— LinkedIn Help (@LinkedInHelp) October 22, 2024
LinkedIn remained silent on exactly what caused this purge, and seven hours of silence did not help matters. In the absence of an immediate explanation, LinkedIn users spun their theories about probable causes of the drop in connections, including speculation about whether the platform was taking a page out of X’s book and conducting a mass purge to eliminate fake, duplicate, or inactive accounts. Such purges are commonly seen on platforms like the erstwhile Twitter. Other speculations include fears that user accounts had been flagged or restricted.
Whatever the reason is, this steep drop in connections has made professionals and businesses alike concerned. Unlike Facebook or X, LinkedIn focuses on professional credibility and connections, connecting businesses and individuals in a professional network. On LinkedIn, follower counts matter more than just vanity metrics. For many, maintaining a strong LinkedIn profile is essential for visibility, networking, and personal branding, and the number of connections they have on the platform have close ties to career development (for individuals) and growth (for businesses). Thus, the latest steep drops in follower counts (without any visible reason) could prove to have an adverse impact upon their credibility, especially since algorithms favor higher engagement, and follower losses could reduce the organic reach of posts on the platform.
