LinkedIn done right

900 million users worldwide. 16% of the world’s population can be reached by advertising on the platform.

Now that’s caught your attention, right? Us B2B Marketers know the power of LinkedIn. Hell, we’re on it every day. 

The same can be said for all other professions - from Finance to HR, Legal to Cyber. 

Yet, here’s the thing. Most people don’t know how to do LinkedIn ‘right’. 

And here’s another statistic to make you think – less than 5% of the 900 million users publish any content or 'show their face'. They are there – lurking. 

Sure, getting started can be scary. But why turn down a huge opportunity to:

• Build – an audience, a community, a following
• Showcase – your expertise, your knowledge, your credentials
• Become known – for your beliefs, actions, and services

So, how should you use LinkedIn? 

From what good looks like, to what to post (or not!) and how to engage your audience little by little; take a look at these tips from our CMO, Declan Mulkeen, for LinkedIn done right. 

5 reasons you should be active on LinkedIn

1. LinkedIn is your CV, or résumé. It’s your professional profile! So, use it to showcase your achievements, skills, expertise – and network!
   
   
2. LinkedIn is your forum. In an ever-changing world of work, LinkedIn is a free forum for expertise, shared knowledge and understanding of industry trends.
   
   
   
   
3. LinkedIn is about connections. Life, professional and personal, is about making connections, collaborating, and supporting each other. LinkedIn is a tool to do just that.
   
   
4. LinkedIn helps you showcase credibility. Every profession is about credibility. Build trust on LinkedIn and you’ll build a following who inherently associate your personal brand with your professional expertise – that’s a win-win.
   
   
5. LinkedIn is good for business! Aside from the personal and professional benefits of building a strong LinkedIn presence, being active on the platform will only increase the visibility and awareness of your employer; that’s if you’ve optimized and updated your profile to reflect your current role, of course!

What does good look like?

Want to get active? Before you start posting, make sure you:

Get the basics right

Take a look at your LinkedIn profile. It’s your shop window, so make sure you complete the display!

An up-to-date profile picture, banner image, custom URL, and a good headline that describes your expertise are great places to start. 

Make sure that your work experience, featured content, and skillset sections are as complete as possible, and that your page visibility is set to ‘all LinkedIn members’ for best reach.

When it comes to your ‘about’ section bio, it’s time to show your human side. Don’t jump right in with your product; introduce yourself, position yourself as a topic expert, and then highlight your services and how they help your audience (without the hard sell). 

Stand for something

What do you want to be known for? Maybe you’re an expert at a certain type of Marketing. Maybe you’re an incredible Designer. Maybe you also podcast in your spare time. Pick one to three things you want to be known for, then consistently engage and post around those topics to build your presence. 

Don't post!

Sounds contradictory? Until you’ve done some groundwork, it’s hard to know what to post – and you won’t have the relevant audience and connections there to engage! So, before jumping in with that update, make sure you…

Follow people in your industry, your customers, your potential customers, and more

LinkedIn has an incredible search feature. So use it! Find and follow relevant leaders, contacts, clients, and experts in your industry to build your presence and network. This is a never-ending activity, but once you have a solid foundation, it’s time to engage!

Like!

So many LinkedIn users are lurkers. If you want to raise your profile, don’t hide in the dark – engage! Show your audience and network that you care with a ‘like’ on their content updates.

Comment

Think you could add value to that update? It’s time to share your opinion in the comment section. For best results, say something worthwhile – don’t just say “Great post!”. Add your thoughts and ideas, ask a question, share your own experience, and encourage a conversation!

Build your connections

This part takes time. But your impact and reach will only be as strong as your network! Aim to connect with at least 10 people (who are relevant to your topics of expertise) or more per day. 

Direct message

Don’t be afraid to start conversations! If you see that someone has an achievement, anniversary, will be attending an event you’re at – or has just posted some great content – why not drop them a quick, conversational message? You never know where a friendly chat will go. 

Done all of that, and are doing so regularly? Now you’re ready to post!

What the hell do I post on LinkedIn?

If writer's block is stopping you from posting, check out these three main ways to avoid it!

Consider posting:

• Content that teaches something. You’re an expert at what you do. So share lessons you’ve learnt, challenges you face, and how to overcome them. Are your customers always asking the same questions? Share content that answers them!
• Content that entertains. Not all lessons need to be boring! Share something engaging – a poll, an image, a video – and experiment to see what works for your network.
• Content that shows who you are. LinkedIn is a professional network. But that doesn’t mean you can’t show your personal side. People love to connect with authenticity. So, share that picture of you, your dog, or your day. Stand out in the timeline by being yourself – we’re all humans! 

Remember, ideas for LinkedIn posts can come at any time, so why not jot them down on your phone or notepad? It’s worth taking the time to think, and to write up a great post!

Still stuck on what to share? Try writing about:

    •    Mistakes and lessons learned
    •    Frameworks you use
    •    Ideas and thoughts on the future
    •    Your point of view on your category
    •    Myths in your industry

Just remember that:

• Your content should teach your audience something
• Your posts should be consistent. Whether it’s once a day or once a week, be consistent and post at a volume you can handle.
• You should keep engaging with other people’s content, as well as posting your own.
• Often the most valuable relationships develop in the comments, or through direct messages.
• Your content must have personality. Don't be afraid to add your own voice to content and engage your readers.
• You must have an opinion about something. Whatever that opinion is, it’ll spark engagement in the comments! Don’t be afraid to share it!

Do all of that, and you’ll be on track to be a LinkedIn leader in your space!