So, who got one of these through the post then ?
As soon as the email dropped into the inbox, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn were awash with people posting their new-found ‘elite’ status. Whether you were in the top 1%, 5% or 10% it was a chance to raise the profile even more by telling everyone else about it. But with 200 million members even with a top 1% viewed profile you share that accolade with another 2m others, not so unique after all.
It quickly spawned new LinkedIn Groups for those lucky enough to make the cut and being a jaded cynic all I could think of was that it was a cheap ploy by the owners to farm a bit of attention and create a large group (after all, you’d think 2m people would rush to it) but strangely enough the “Top 1% Group” has only 40 members and a sister group 169, so it begs the question: what did it really achieve?
After all, it means that your profile was in the upper tier of those viewed but it’s not exactly brought you riches has it…..social media narcissism is alive and well it seems.
I’d be interested to hear just exactly what you intend to do, if anything, with this status ? How do you intend to capitalize on it?
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It was a cheap stunt by LinkedIn to get more PR driven by the egos of those of us in the top 1%. But it shows that LinkedIn understands how to exploit social media, which is why their value is on the increase.
I’ll add it to the list of other individually meaningless awards and recognitions received over the years and use them cumulatively to illustrate that my field of interest and expertise has some relevance!
Theo - I got this for being in the Top 5% and saw ‘tons’ of others making claims and it was all over my LinkedIn emails which told me it was nothing more than marketing by LI. When you do the math, as you did, being in the Top 5% of 200m is really not anything to write home about.
I deleted the email and find that those running around showing these emails may do nothing more than just view and click and comment but that is the cynic in me I guess.
And those 5%ers down to 1%ers are the ones most likely to shout about it…which is why they’re in that group to start with!!! Horribly circular.
Some people feel totally duped! From the marketer perspective it looks like it’s just a huge LinkedIn Scheme: http://jeffzelaya.com/2013/02/12/linkedin-top-10-percent-marketing-scheme/
However, I am adding this to my resume…it’s sure to impress those that don’t know better. lol
Why not!?!
I intend to let it pass and just remember from time to time. LinkedIn is good at marketing and maybe this will be good for 1% of the 1% of the 200 millions and that is a success.