Why We Need a New Social Network for Business — And It’s Not LinkedIn
LinkedIn has had a good run. It’s become the default space for professional networking, job hunting, and corporate self-promotion. But in my opinion, it’s no longer the platform it set out to be — and from what I’ve seen, a growing number of professionals are quietly tuning out.
What started as a useful tool for connecting with peers has, over the years, devolved into a noisy, self-congratulatory, algorithm-choked feed that does more to boost egos than to build meaningful professional relationships.
In short: LinkedIn is broken. And it’s time to build something better.
The Problems With LinkedIn Are No Longer Subtle
Let’s be honest — if you log into LinkedIn today, chances are you’ll be greeted with:
- Endless humble brags disguised as “lessons” or “vulnerability posts”
- Walls of AI-generated fluff offering generic business tips or motivational filler
- Sales pitches and automated outreach clogging up your inbox
- A feed that’s algorithmically tuned for engagement, not relevance
- Paywalled features that should be core — like advanced search, profile viewers, and messaging flexibility
From what I’ve seen, people aren’t making genuine connections anymore. They’re farming impressions. They’re optimising content for virality, not authenticity. And as a result, the platform feels more like a conference hallway full of people talking at each other than a space for meaningful conversation.
The Case for Something New
We need a business social network that encourages connection over performance. A space that puts real people, real ideas, and real voices at the centre — not clout-chasing and AI spam.
In my view, the future of business networking will look more like TikTok than LinkedIn — short-form, video-first, and highly curated. Here’s why:
- Video fosters authenticity. You can’t fake eye contact, tone, or personality. It encourages people to be human, not polished avatars.
- Curation trumps the feed. A For You-style feed that learns what you care about — whether it’s sales tips, founder stories, UX advice, or investor insights — is infinitely more engaging than LinkedIn’s jumbled timeline of self-promotion.
- Two-way interaction. Imagine business content that encourages replies, duets, or stitched responses — actual conversations, not just likes and "insightful!" comments.
Just as TikTok reinvented how we consume entertainment and Instagram reshaped personal branding, the next business network has the opportunity to redefine professional identity and networking for the modern age.
What This Could Look Like
Here’s the kind of platform I believe the market is ready for:
- User-generated video content: 60–90 second videos sharing insights, experience, or even questions — from founders, freelancers, developers, marketers, and beyond.
- Smart curation: A clean, distraction-free feed tailored to your interests, your industry, and the kinds of people you genuinely want to learn from.
- Meaningful connections: Less emphasis on connections-as-metrics, more on actual conversations. Comments, stitched replies, and collaborations over cold pitches.
- Freemium done right: Basic tools accessible to everyone. Paid features focused on discovery, visibility, or collaboration — not just locking people out of core functionality.
It’s Time to Evolve Business Networking
In my opinion, the social layer of business is overdue for disruption.
We live in a time where how you share matters just as much as what you share. People want to see and hear from real humans — not perfectly worded posts or AI-prompted life lessons.
A new generation of entrepreneurs, creators, and indie professionals are building amazing things, and they deserve a platform that reflects the way they think, work, and communicate.
LinkedIn had its moment. But it’s trying to be everything to everyone — and in doing so, it's lost the soul that made it valuable.
The future of business networking is real, human, and video-first. And I believe it’s only a matter of time before someone builds it.