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Are your LinkedIn followers viewing you as a thought leader? Are hordes of commenters applauding your advice on expanding your venture? Are headhunters making contact to discuss opportunities?

Should that not be the case, the explanation could be your gender.

The Test: Changing Gender Identity for Better Visibility

Numerous women participated in an organized LinkedIn experiment recently after viral posts indicated that switching their profile gender to "male" boosted their network presence.

Other testers modified their professional summaries to incorporate what they termed "masculine-oriented" terminology - adding action-focused business buzzwords like "propel", "transform" and "expedite". Anecdotally, their exposure also improved.

Algorithmic Bias Concerns Raised

The engagement increase has led some to speculate whether a built-in gender bias in LinkedIn's algorithm favors men who employ professional networking terminology.

Similar to most major networking sites, LinkedIn utilizes a computerized system to decide which content appear to which users - promoting some while reducing others.

Platform Response

Through a blog post, LinkedIn acknowledged the trend but claimed it does not consider "personal characteristics" when deciding post visibility. Instead, the company explained that "numerous factors" influence how content are received.

Modifying profile gender in your settings does not affect how your posts shows up in search or feed.

Personal Experiences

Simone Bonnett, who modified her pronouns to "male pronouns" and her profile name to "a masculine version", described remarkable outcomes.

"The statistics I'm observing indicate a 1,600% increase in profile views and a 1,300% increase in impressions," she noted.

Megan Cornish, a communications strategist, began experimenting after noticing her audience decrease significantly.

The Process

• First, she modified her profile gender to "male"
• Then, she used AI tools to rewrite her profile using "male-coded" wording
• Finally, she repurposed old posts with comparable "agentic" style

The outcome was instantaneous: a more than fourfold rise in reach within one week.

The Negative Aspect

Despite the success, Cornish voiced dissatisfaction with the method.

"Before, my content were softer - brief and insightful, but also friendly and human," she explained. "Currently, the masculine version was forceful and self-assured - like a white male swaggering around."

She abandoned the test after one week, stating "Each day I continued, and results improved, I became more frustrated."

Varying Outcomes

Some testers encountered positive results. Cass Cooper who changed both her profile gender to "man" and her ethnicity to "white" described a decrease in reach and interaction.

"We understand there's systemic preference, but it's very challenging to comprehend how it functions in particular situations or the reasons behind it," she remarked.

Broader Implications

These experiments coincide with continuing conversations about LinkedIn's distinctive role as both a professional network and social space.

Platform modifications in recent months have apparently caused women professionals experiencing markedly lower visibility, resulting in unofficial tests where the same posts by male and female users received dramatically unequal reach.

Technical Explanation

Per LinkedIn, the network uses artificial intelligence to classify and spread content based on various elements, including what's shared and the user's professional identity.

The company claims it regularly evaluates its systems, including "checks for gender-related disparities."

Company representative proposed that current reductions in some users' reach might originate from higher volume due to more content on the network.

Changing Landscape

According to a tester observed, "bro-coding" appears to be growing on the platform.

"People often view LinkedIn as more businesslike and polished," she commented. "This is evolving. It's becoming increasingly competitive and unpredictable."