⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐♏CEO, evyAI -AI LinkedIn™ Trainer, Business Development Training B2B Marketing via Ajax Union // Networking Connector, Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, AI Expert, Single Father👭👨👦🧑🤝🧑
54,297 followers
Just finished a LinkedIn Live breaking down how I created this infographic with AI. But the REAL story? LinkedIn's 2025 search changes are a masterclass in what happens when platforms prioritize "ease of use" over power-user control. The Black Box Problem: LinkedIn removed the Title filter, Name filters, and traditional dropdown search logic—replacing it all with "natural language AI search." On the surface: More intuitive for casual users. In reality: You just lost the ability to strategically target prospects, recruits, and partners. Here's what most people don't realize about black box systems: → No visibility = No optimization You can't improve what you can't measure. When you don't know how the AI ranks results, you can't reverse-engineer success. → Profile relevance is now AI-determined Your carefully crafted headline and experience? LinkedIn's algorithm decides if you're "relevant"—not the person searching for you. → Monetization through limitation Want precision search back? Sales Navigator is $79-$165/month. The features you had for free are now paywalled. (We have a 6 hour Sales Nav Bootcamp that breaks it all down...) Why this matters for your business: If you're doing recruitment, sales prospecting, partnership development, or competitive intelligence—your LinkedIn workflow just got 10x harder. You're now guessing what phrases will surface the right people. And worse? You have no idea if YOUR profile is being surfaced when prospects search for someone like you. The strategic response: Optimize for semantic relevance → LinkedIn's AI reads for intent, not keywords. Your About section needs outcomes, not buzzwords. Test natural language queries → Experiment with conversational search terms and track which profiles surface (reverse-engineer the black box). Consider Sales Navigator → If precision matters to your revenue, it's no longer optional. (They actually have a TRIAL) Diversify your platform strategy → Never build 100% of your pipeline on a platform you don't control. Bottom line: AI-driven search isn't the problem. Removing user control is. LinkedIn could have given us natural language search AND traditional filters. They chose not to. That's a business decision—not a technical limitation. And it's a wake-up call for anyone who thought LinkedIn would always prioritize user agency over algorithmic dependency. What's your take? Are you adapting—or looking for alternatives?