The Trust Recession: Why Your LinkedIn Strategy Stopped Working (And What to Do Instead)
Written by Natasha Walstra
I heard this term earlier this year and haven't been able to shake it since: we're in a trust recession. (In fact, I even heard someone go as far to say we're in a trust depression!) People’s guards are higher than ever…get-rich-quick schemes flooding feeds, AI-generated content everywhere, people pitching before they even say hello. No wonder everyone's skeptical!
If you've been showing up consistently on LinkedIn but seeing diminishing returns, you're not imagining it. Something has shifted. The tactics that worked two years ago don't land the same way anymore. And it's not because you're doing something wrong, it's because the entire landscape has changed.
Yes, organic reach is down and the algorithm keeps changing. But aside from these technical shifts (which would need its own blog post!), there's something much bigger happening: a fundamental erosion of trust that's changing how people engage on the platform entirely.
Understanding the Trust Problem
Trust is at an all-time low on professional platforms, and for good reason—everyone claims to be an expert with a framework that promises to 10x your results. The barrier to entry for claiming expertise has never been lower. You can spin up a website, create some AI-generated content, and position yourself as a thought leader in a matter of days. This has created an environment where discernment is harder than ever.
As a business owner, you're feeling this from both sides. You're competing with people who may or may not actually deliver results. And you're being pitched by dozens of people who may or may not be legitimate. The noise is overwhelming.
Add to this the fact that organic reach is down across the platform. The algorithm has changed. You've probably noticed it: posts that used to get solid engagement are now getting a fraction of the views.
It's frustrating, sure. But you can't control the algorithm. You can control how you show up and who you build relationships with.
And honestly? The algorithm changes might be the best thing that could happen to your strategy. Because while everyone else is panicking about vanity metrics, you can focus on what actually drives business: real relationships.
Why Traditional Tactics Are Failing
Let's be honest about what's not working anymore.
The spray-and-pray approach to connection requests? Dead. People can spot a mass message from a mile away, and they're tired of it.
The pitch-slap? It's actively poisoning your reputation. When someone accepts your connection request and gets pitched within minutes, they're not thinking '"great, an opportunity.'" They're thinking '"another one'" and mentally filing you under spam.
Generic engagement? Commenting '"Great post!'" on dozens of pieces of content hoping someone notices you? It's transparent and it's not building relationships.
Even good content isn't enough anymore. You can share valuable insights, post consistently, and offer genuine expertise, and still get crickets. Because value alone doesn't cut through the noise when everyone's guard is up and the algorithm is limiting your reach.
What Actually Works in a Trust Recession
I've grown my business to over half a million in revenue in under 2 years on LinkedIn during this exact period of declining trust and changing algorithms, and I've done it as someone who genuinely hates traditional networking and cold outreach. So I've had to figure out what actually works when people's defenses are high and organic reach is down.
The answer isn't to shout louder or pitch smarter. It's to focus on the one thing that can't be faked or automated: genuine relationships.
Here's what recession-proofing your LinkedIn strategy actually looks like.
Show Up Consistently as Yourself
Not as an AI-generated version of you. Not as the polished, corporate version of yourself that you think LinkedIn wants. As you.
People can spot inauthenticity instantly now. They've been trained by thousands of generic posts and templated messages. When something feels real, it stands out immediately.
This means your content should sound like you actually talk. Your comments should reflect your real thoughts, not what you think will get likes (fun fact: comments can act as daily micro-conversations). Your messages should be things you'd actually say to someone in person. I tell my clients to apply the '"coffee shop test'" to everything they do on LinkedIn: Would you say this if you ran into someone at Starbucks? If not, don't say it on LinkedIn either.
Build Social Proof That Can't Be Faked
In a trust recession, social proof becomes more valuable than ever. It's one of the few trust-builders that actually cuts through skepticism.
Case studies with specific results and screenshots matter more than generic claims about your expertise. Recommendations from real people with real names and real titles sharing how you helped them matter more than you realize. Behind-the-scenes content showing your actual work matters more than polished, professional posts.
LinkedIn's algorithm has actually confirmed this. They're not just evaluating the value of your posts. They're evaluating whether you're an authority in what you're posting about. They're looking to see that you're building a community around knowledge-sharing that you're uniquely qualified to discuss.
Treat Your Network Like Colleagues, Not Prospects
This might be the most important shift you can make. Stop thinking about your LinkedIn connections as potential leads and start thinking about them as professional colleagues. When you shift to this mindset, the pressure to '"network'" disappears. You're not trying to work the room or make strategic connections. You're just being a good colleague.
What does that look like practically? You engage without an agenda, celebrate other people's wins, offer help before being asked, and share resources freely. You show up to conversations because you're genuinely interested, not because you're trying to position yourself for a sale. This approach takes longer, and that's exactly why it works. Quick wins and growth hacks are what created the trust recession in the first place. Genuine relationship-building is what gets you out of it.
And here's the beautiful thing: when reach is down and the algorithm is unpredictable, relationships become even more valuable. Because people who know and trust you don't need the algorithm to show them your content. They're already paying attention.
Nurture Relationships Before You Need Them
Most people only reach out when they want something. They connect when they need a referral. They engage when they're looking for clients. They message when they have something to sell.
This transactional approach worked when trust was higher. It doesn't work now. Instead, invest in relationships when you don't need anything. Comment on someone's post just because it was interesting. Send a message congratulating someone on a win with no ask attached. Make introductions between people in your network who could help each other.
When you do this consistently, opportunities arise naturally. People think of you when they need what you offer, not because you pitched them, but because you've shown up as a generous, helpful presence in their professional life.
Your Recession-Proof Action Plan
If you want to build a LinkedIn presence that actually works in this environment, start here:
1. Audit your current approach through the lens of trust. Look at your recent posts, comments,
and messages. Would you trust someone who showed up the way you're showing up?
2. Commit to showing up consistently as yourself. Not the version of yourself you think LinkedIn
wants, but your actual personality, voice, and perspective.
3. Focus on one relationship-building activity every single day. Comment thoughtfully on
someone's content. Send a message with no ask. Make an introduction. Share a resource.
4. Gather and display social proof. Ask happy clients for recommendations. Share case studies.
Show evidence that you do what you say you do.
5. Give it time. Rebuilding trust in a trust recession doesn't happen overnight. But the people
who stick with authentic relationship-building will be the ones who come out ahead.
The Bottom Line
The trust recession isn't going away. The algorithm will keep changing. Organic reach might continue to decline.
But here's what you can control: how you show up, who you build relationships with, and the value you provide.
While everyone else panics about vanity metrics and algorithm changes, you can build something that doesn't depend on either: a network of genuine relationships with people who know, like, and trust you.
Your competitors can copy your tactics. They can't copy your authentic voice and genuine Relationships.
That's your recession-proof advantage.
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Natasha Walstra is the founder of NearPoint Strategies, where she helps business owners and
executives build authentic LinkedIn strategies through her REALationship Growth Method.
