LinkedIn feels like a weird place sometimes. New roles. Certifications. Launches. LinkedIn-Gurus sharing their magical AI prompts that will save you hundreds of hours (just comment “MAGIC”

And then there are those people who want to ‘connect to extend their network’ to then never ever hear of them again. No follow-up, no engagement, no interest in who you are or what you do.

But there is a difference between just collecting contacts and nurturing those connections as well. Being genuinely interested in who you are, what you do, the thoughts you share, and the brands/products you’re building.

Luckily, not everyone is like that. Some people actually care. They are interested in who you are and the thoughts you share, they repost your work, endorse your skills, and cheer you on. They’re not just building a network – they’re nurturing one. And yet, on LinkedIn, it’s not always easy to spot who’s engaging in these behaviors – who actually is that ‘meaningful connection’.

So what if we made this more clear?

This Redesign adds a Reciprocity Score to our LinkedIn profiles. It doesn’t measure job titles or degrees. It measures how often you interact and give back: commenting on someone’s update, endorsing a skill, sharing a post, replying to DMs, writing testimonials.

In short: it highlights who's not just here to network, but to nurture the network.

The Behavioral Science Behind It

The Reciprocity Score leverages the principle of reciprocity: when people give to us, we’re more likely to give back. By making this generosity visible, we reward it and encourage others to follow suit.

A Nuanced Take

This isn’t about turning kindness into a competition. It’s about spotlighting the quiet contributors who make professional communities more human and fun. And hopefully, it’ll nudge the rest of us to engage more meaningfully in return. Ultimately, that would make LinkedIn a way more enjoyable place to be in, wouldn’t it?