Arthuro seeks advice on gradually migrating their 30,000 LinkedIn professional network to Discourse, aiming to offer a more open, community-driven alternative free from LinkedIn’s restrictions—such as connection caps, content censorship, and lack of outgoing link support. They envision a space that’s not just for work but fosters broader conversation, possibly integrating a niche job board. merefield questions the incentive for users to switch, prompting Jagster to agree that the challenge is larger than theme selection. pfaffman suggests enabling LinkedIn logins and cross-posting to ease the transition. Arthuro explains their frustration with LinkedIn’s control and opacity, noting past account blocks and algorithmic suppression of posts with external links. They plan to use persuasive messaging (possibly with ChatGPT) and invite active LinkedIn publishers to bridge the gap. Arthuro considers a Reddit-like theme, while Arthuro outlines a long-term strategy: leveraging their job board, integrating job postings, and inviting LinkedIn publishers as early adopters. Arthuro thanks contributors for the bridge-building ideas, emphasizing a step-by-step approach to community migration.
Hello all!
I would like to gradually transfer my 30k network of professionals on LinkedIn to a Discourse environment. Is there an exceptionally suitable Discourse-theme for this?
Does anyone have any ideas, or did this transfer action before, on how to make this go smoothly?
Transfer in steps, use both communities temporarily (or permanently) side by side?
The ‘problem’ of course is to take my connections and followers with me 
I greatly appreciate any suggestion!
You are intending to try to persuade 30,000 LinkedIn users to sign up on your Discourse? Interesting and very ambitious! What is in it for them?
I’m really keen to see this happening too. Because it would solve out tons of issues with social media followers.
But I would guess it is not matter of used theme. It is way bigger task.
You’d configure linked in logins.
Then you’d post new topics to linked in, I guess.
You’d try to recruit some active members to do stuff on Discourse.
Thanks for responding, Robert @merefield!
Yes, that’s the key question. I have to find out if my connections are feeling not comfortable with LinkedIn, like me. Tired of the control of a, for me, working in The Netherlands, anonymous USA-based company.
For me it is the pressure of LinkedIn taking control of everything (see the 30k connections restriction. Why is this 30k, not 20k, or 50k ). And, if I do wrong in their opinion, they block me. What happened once. Years of building gone in the future?
The app is working well, that’s a plus, but Li does not like outgoing links. Why is that? They cut my views of posts that way. I work under their restrictions. I have had it
But that question… I wanna offer a home for my connections, not just a business forum for work. There’s a lot more to talk about.
I’ll check out what ChatGPT has to offer in terms of tempting texts. The app has previously baked something wonderful for an informative text I needed. 
Thank you, Jay! That’s a good idea. I know people who like to publish everywhere.
Do you think the Reddit like theme is a good option?
Hi Jakke, thanks!
A long run, my idea. But if it goes step by step, time is not my enemy
I need to construct a USP. LinkedIn of course has it’s weaknesses…
I run a niche job board, much cheaper than LinkedIn advertising. I’m going to keep this close to the community, integrate postings to jobs. After inviting publishers on LinkedIn, maybe that’s another strategy to pull potential community members from Li.
Thanks Jay, that should be a effective part of the strategy to build the bridge. Kind regards, Arthur