Going into 2019, LinkedIn is becoming one of the leading social media platforms for professionals and content creators. With user oversaturation on other platforms like Instagram, it’s hard to game the algorithm so your content is displayed; hence, why LinkedIn is becoming the go-to social media platform to express your personal brand.
Daunted by the thought of posting on LinkedIn? You’re not alone. By being strategic about your LinkedIn content and committing to a posting cadence that works for you, you can optimize reach and engage your audience.
Here are five ways to up your LinkedIn content game:
Prioritize Video
This Hootsuite analysis shows that video captures 3x the views of text posts, and there are many ways to use video on LinkedIn.
Let’s start with the simplest way! Since you probably already have video content produced for yourself or company, you can upload YouTube or Vimeo content onto LinkedIn. It’s a great way to utilize your content library and help cross-promote to gain YouTube views. The video content will play in-line, but the algorithm isn’t optimized to show non-native video.
Here are some other ways to produce videos using other platforms and upload them as LinkedIn content.
Instagram’s Boomerang product does very well on LinkedIn, since it’s eye-catching and a good way to use video without having to put in much effort. Since Boomerangs don’t really tell a story within three seconds, you’ll need to use that to supplement your text content.
Diving deeper into creating video content that is educational in nature, you can upload produced video content specific for LinkedIn that centers on professional endeavors. John Carter, a seasoned engineer and product developer, created “One Minute with John” videos that discuss hot topics such as AI or delve into his interesting work experiences from his days as chief engineer for Bose. Through understanding that his audience is probably scrolling on mobile with the sound off, he added subtitles and a call-to-action at the end of the video to learn more about his consulting practice.
The hardest for many to execute upon yet the one that has the most reach is to post natively on LinkedIn using the in-app camera feature. One of LinkedIn’s Top Voices, Goldie Chan, has created over 500 LinkedIn videos and amassed over 40,000 followers, leading her to be named the “Oprah of LinkedIn.” She has fully embraced the power of the selfie native video.
She posts interviews and behind-the-scenes content that are short and fun at industry events like VidCon and CES. Since LinkedIn wants you to use their video camera to produce content, they will give more visibility to your content if you do so. And, it’s as easy as flipping the camera and taking quick selfie videos showcasing your knowledge and thought leadership.
By choosing which type of video you feel comfortable with and executing upon it, you’ll find incredible results because the newsfeed algorithm favors video.
Post Inspirational Content
Let’s be real, on any social media platform, inspirational content is gold—everyone loves some #mondaymotivation! On LinkedIn, quotes from business leaders like Sir Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Oprah, and countless others frequently garner high engagement. To engage your audience, ask them to like the photo if they agree and comment if they have an experience that relates to that quote. This way your LinkedIn content will gain traction amongst your community and beyond.
In addition to posting curated content, you can also share your own story of inspiration. Everyone loves a hero story where the underdog learns something and overcomes a challenge. Think back to your career and a moment where you struggled, but were able to find learning lessons. Share your story in a condensed and engaging story format. Some have used the ‘broetry” method of posting the updates sentence-by-sentence, so a single post takes up more real estate in LinkedIn feeds, however, do what is best for your audience.
Understand the LinkedIn Content Hacks
It is imperative to understand how to craft your LinkedIn content for reach. LinkedIn has generated a couple of ways to make sure your content gets seen by many. Taking a nod from social networks like Twitter and Instagram, LinkedIn has started to integrate hashtags as a way for users to search for relevant content. On every post, make sure to include at least five hashtags. Since there are no character limits, the more the better. And, hashtags help your content become even more discoverable beyond your own network. LinkedIn even makes it easy by suggesting hashtags that relate to your post.
A way to expand beyond your own followers is to tag people in your network. You can do this when you pose a question and want feedback from specific contacts or shout out to those who helped you along the way. As you can see from my post, I included lawyers who helped me prepare and learn the ropes for my position as a Snapchat expert witness position in a trial—the first time I’ve ever done anything like that. This way, their LinkedIn communities see that they’re tagged in your post, expanding your reach to second- and third-degree connections.
As most social networks want you to stay on the platform, LinkedIn does not give links much reach. My posts with photos can gain up to 12,000 views, but one with a link, even with a photo, gets 400 views at best. That being said, you still want your LinkedIn content to include article links. To do so, end photo posts with “link to article in the first comment” as the best way to include information and use the algorithm to your advantage.
Post Your Accomplishments
LinkedIn is all about professional connections. That’s its key differentiator. So why wouldn’t you use it to share your work wins? Whether you’re speaking at a conference, launching a new campaign, or starting a new job, post that to your community so they are aware of your updates. Being open about your professional life allows others to cheer you on and even seek out partnerships that could benefit your career. You can use any content medium to do so from video to LinkedIn Pulse blog to a photo. There is no downside to posting your wins.
With LinkedIn gaining traction as the social network of 2019, and with their expansion into new forms of communication with Stories, now is the time to invest in your LinkedIn content strategy. The best part is that it goes beyond likes and shares and into building business relationships and partnerships that can have a positive effect on your career trajectory.
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