The next time you hear someone waxing eloquent about the wonders of social media just tell them about Charlotte’s Web. Yes, tell them that LinkedIn is locking up crucial information that could protect you, your time and your wallet.
We bumped into Charlotte’s Stallings again this week out on the speaking trail. We hadn’t seen her for some months and it has been almost 11 months now since we wrote about her in Run, Charlotte, Run!!
We chatted for a short time before she zipped off to the airport. We didn’t have the heart to tell her that the valuable information she had learned from her trusted fellow speakers in the National Speakers Association Linkedin Group had been washed down the drain.
Discussions Held Hostage by LinkedIn
Here’s the problem. Smart, savvy speakers are asking their group (in this case the National Speakers Association Group on LinkedIn) if they know anything about a company called the International Speakers Network.
Again this week, another speaker, Shawn Kershaw, asked – “International Speakers Network – Anybody had experience, positive or negative, with them?”
What Shawn didn’t know is that there have already been two major discussions within the NSA LinkedIn Group about the International Speakers Network.
Yes, Charlotte Stallings asked the same question 11 months ago. The responses added up to the most comments ever up to that point. Almost 100% of the comments were explicit warnings, a few of which we listed in Run, Charlotte, Run!!
Then, just a couple of weeks ago, Orvel Ray Wilson asked the NSA Group about a sister company of ISN, with the same results – tons of warnings about the business practices of ISN and its ilk:
“Let’s call it like it is — Both Brenda and her last employer ISN are scam artists and we’ve all lost way too much money to them.”
“I think you get the message: Stay away. Period. Many of us learned the hard way. “
“She promised me lots of stuff at her last job, took my money and I never heard from her again.”
These two discussions are a treasure trove of warnings about this questionable company. But, they are more than that. They are not just warnings from anyone. They are warnings from current NSA members who have had first hand experience and know what they are talking about.
Poor Shawn, however, might never see these warnings. Isn’t the search function of any web site what really provides its power by saving you time? Instead, LinkedIn’s pathetic search system is keeping this information from the very group members who need it the most.
Try This at Home
Try this yourself if you are a member of the National Speakers Association LinkedIn Group (or try similar searches within the LinkedIn Groups you belong to).
To properly search within a LinkedIn Group, you must be signed in to LinkedIn and be in the “Discussion Section” of your particular group.
Take a look what happens when Shawn does her most likely search for International Speakers Network.
She gets absolutely nothing about ISN. Nada. She does get 5 results that have nothing to do with the International Speakers Network. And, it doesn’t even matter if she puts her search terms in quotation marks.
After such a search, Shawn would have no idea that at least two speakers have already asked her question – and received tons of emphatic warnings.
Oddly, if Shawn were lucky enough to do a search for the initials “ISN,” she would connect to the two most relevant results in the NSA Discussion Section that we have shown above.
This is not just odd or unfortunate. It’s a huge problem.
In order to be effective, group sites such as this need to be searchable – and effectively so. Otherwise, the same questions and the same answers will continue to recycle, and who’s going to waste their valuable time doing that?
Editors Note: We have not linked to the International Speakers Network for obvious reasons. Go there are your own peril. We have also not linked to any of the Group Discussions in LinkedIn because they will not work unless you are a member of LinkedIn (and sometimes even a member of a specific group).
6 comments ↓
On the other hand, Michael, if you just perform a simple Google search on International Speakers Network 4 of the first 5 listings are negative reviews of ISN (see http://twitpic.com/145p62). Sometimes it’s a simple matter of using the right tool for the right job… Part of the problem, as well, is that the function of Linkedin’s search is not to provide general, google-like search capability but, as we’re all so spoiled by Google and its brethren we expect search to be search to be search. LI may want to or may well be moving in this direction but at present that’s not its focus. By the way, Willow Mist’s own site showed below a negative review when searching on those terms.
Hi Tom,
Yes, ISN’s reputation precedes them even on Google. What Google can’t give you that LinkedIn could (if they cared to fix their search mechanisms) is the trusted, experienced responses from people in a specific group – in this case, the National Speakers Association. Google gets everyone’s response, but often way too many and not people I trust. But, as always, love to hear your opinion, Mr. Gray.
Okay, Michael, it’s also knowing how to use the tool that can spell the difference between success and frustration.. You forced me to join the NSA Group on Linkedin (and they were gracious enough to let me in) to get this information.
If I search for International Speakers Network using the NSA Discussions Search box it quickly pulls up all of the discussions you mention in your post (see http://twitpic.com/14778p). The difference between your failure and my success? Capitals. I capitalized my search terms whereas you didn’t.
So I’m giving this one to you; any search function that provides totally different results based upon capitalization needs a serious overhaul!
I never thought I’d say this, but you are a freaking genius, Mr. Gray!
Wow, I just went to the LinkedIn NSA Group – and replicated your search, and sure enough, I do find both Orvel Ray’s and Charlotte Stallings’ Discussions. As you say, that’s even more surprising than I could ever imagine.
So, does anyone, anywhere know how to communicate with the anti-social networking folks at LinkedIn? We’ve tried everything – sending them emails, asking people on Twitter, searching the best we can. LinkedIn – is there any way to get your attention?!!
Wow! Having Michael Benidt call me a ‘freaking genius’ is the acme of my professional life
I think that LinkedIn is making a huge mistake in not bringing its search facility up to web standards.. One of the factors fueling Facebook buzz is the use of its robust search capabilities to supplant google. LinkedIn needs to get on board.
Tom,
Gratifying to get a “discussion” going. That’s rare thing, these days on blogs – especially smaller non-celebrity blogs. Pretty hard to get people to do what you do and express an opinion – they must worry that it might hurt them if they ever run for political office.
But, it’s even harder to sustain a blog “back-and-forth” discussion like we’ve had here. Thanks for trying to get this issue out on Twitter, too.
Nicely done, sir.
Leave a Comment