It feels like LinkedIn has had a bit of a revival recently. The new layout seems to be working well. The app has improved. And, it seems that people are committing to putting content out via their personal LinkedIn profiles. I’m really enjoying being part of it!
But, I have seen a lot of posts recently on LinkedIn that have questioned what should go on LinkedIn and what should be saved for Facebook. I’ve also seen people be lambasted for posting something on LinkedIn, reminding them that it is a professional network and what they have been posted would have been better placed elsewhere.
The fact is, there are no rules when it comes to social media. I’m often asked to talk about the ‘etiquette’ of social media and the do’s and don’ts. The reality is, they don’t exist. Only in the eyes of the beholder!!! The important thing is to stick with what is right for you. I don’t swear on social media. It just doesn’t fit with me and my personality. But it doesn’t mean that not swearing is a rule. In fact, on some platforms, businesses are having huge success because they do swear and are using the same language as their target audience.
Yes, LinkedIn is a more business-focused platform. It’s a place to network with other business people. But go to a live networking event, and only around 50% of the conversations will centre around business. You may chat to someone about your dreadful journey getting there due to an RTA. Or talk about how the weather is unseasonably hot for November. Or about how your daughter kept you up all night (did you see my post about this on LinkedIn the other day?!). Networking doesn’t have to mean 100% business conversation. But if you don’t want to share personal details, that’s fine too. It comes down to choice after all.
There is a somewhat infamous article on LinkedIn (you can find it here. Be warned, if you don’t like bad language you may not want to read it!) that divided the opinions of its audience. The article has, at the time of writing, received nearly 10k likes and 1700 comments. If the author of the post was to just talk about how having a shed in the garden could be the answer to your home working problems, it definitely would never have received this kind of response. Does that mean you should follow suit? No, unless that fits with you and your brand, and your audience too.
We can choose to be bland, and the same as everyone else, to fit in, to make sure we’re not breaking any unwritten rules. But if we do this, we won’t stand out. Instead, we should embrace our personalities. You don’t leave your personality at the door when you enter a networking event, so why leave it on the login page of LinkedIn. Take it in there with you. It could well help you stand out.
All that said, what would my advice be for what you ‘could’ rather than ‘should’ post on LinkedIn?
1. SHARE KNOWLEDGE
People like to learn new things. So, share knowledge. This could be links to your own blog posts, links to articles or short tips.
2. WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?
It can be hard to understand what businesses do. Give people an insight in to what goes on in your business by sharing a snippet of your day.
3. OPINION PIECES
I think LinkedIn is a really great place for discussion. And the more comments your post receives, the more people that will see it. So, open up discussion around a topic by sharing your opinion.
4. ASK QUESTIONS
Yes, I shared a semi-personal post the other day about my daughter keeping me awake. But the point of the post is whether we should soldier on when hit with exhaustion as business owners, or should we accept defeat and rest when needed. It was turned in to a question. Asking questions raises discussion as well, so think of the questions you could be asking.
5. VIDEO
You can load video directly to LinkedIn rather than having to share a link to a YouTube or Vimeo video. I’ve been using this a lot lately, sharing around 3 short videos a week, and they’ve had a brilliant impact! They don’t have to be Steven Spielberg masterpieces. Just you talking to camera, recorded on your smartphone, is enough. This allows people to get to know you, plus you can share some of the knowledge you have!
6. LEAD CAPTURES
Direct people to a webpage where they can enter their name and email address to receive a document or video. These are great for building your email list.
7. OFFERS
None of the above focus on selling. But now and again, we need to remind people they can buy from us! Focus 80% of your posts on selling nothing, and then 20% on promoting your products or services.
These are just a few ideas. Of course, what you post is completely up to you!! There are no rules after all!!
I’m running a LIVE online LinkedIn course – Win Business With LinkedIn – on Tuesday 12th December. To find out more, and book your place, just CLICK HERE!
