Give Them A Reason: Deep Dive

Recently, I wrote an article about how to never be ghosted on LinkedIn again. If you haven’t read it, check it out here first: Give Them a Reason.

To get the most out of LinkedIn, my team and I are focusing on providing actionable ways for you to grow your business and leverage your network the right way. To get you started, let’s revisit and provide more context on how to deliver content that keeps your network wanting more.

For every post to succeed, there are 3 areas to keep in mind before blasting your newsfeed. 

1. Content is king

2. Prime your audience

3. Position yourself

Let’s dive into each one in more detail.

Content is king.

To generate traction on your post, the first thing to nail is the post itself. Variety, feel-good value, quickly consumed and educational should be at the top of your list when choosing content. Here are a few dos and don’ts to get you on the right track.

Do:

• Find articles and media that relate to your industry.

• Use how-tos, think tips, and checklists for quickly consuming content.

• Add a brief caption that sparks engagement. For example, pose a question?

• Mix up what you're posting regularly; whether it’s outside articles, recent company news, shouting out a teammate or celebrating an accomplishment, think outside the box to bring variety.

• Promote yourself occasionally. Yes, you have my permission to share your offerings once in a while to stay top of mind with your network.

Don’t:

• Pick content that won't resonate with your audience or industry. Keep it relevant and professional!

• Post long-form or extensive content that will take over 7 minutes to consume.

• Leave an empty caption when you could be offering your own perspective.

• Post too often (multiple times a day). We don’t want you to appear spammy.

• Oversell yourself. Keep your self-promotion short and sweet while not overdoing it.
  
  

Prime your audience.

This step can often be one of the most overlooked, but ever so important. In order for a post to succeed, you’ve got to help others succeed too. Engaging with other members of your network before and after your post launches will drive traffic to your content. 

Tip: Set a timer for 5 minutes before you go live with your post and another 5 minutes after your post goes live. In that window, here’s what to do:

• React to other posts in your feed

• Comment on your network’s content

• Respond to messages and start new conversations

This simple habit will be a game changer for building traction.
 

Position yourself.

Engaging your network is all about creating a collaborative environment that positions yourself for opportunities. In short, help others and they will help you. 

The simplest way to stay top of mind and add value to your network is to think of LinkedIn as a team sport. Like most sports, success comes from working together rather than lone-wolf. 

I’ve made an entire guide dedicated to help you become the ultimate teammate on LinkedIn. Check out it right here: 9 Essential Ways to Be the Best Teammate on LinkedIn

Grab my guide and you’ll be able to apply everything in this article to maximize your LinkedIn potential. After that, get out there and give your network a reason to work with you!