LinkedIn and the Long Game
I teach my LinkedIn-ers (That’s a word. Okay, it is now.) that their activities on LinkedIn, be it interacting with other members, and especially their publishing efforts, are part of their marketing strategies – also known as Visibility -- and as you well know if you’ve studied business, marketing is a long game, not a sprint. (I mixed my metaphors there; sorry.)
That means you won’t see results overnight, and it’s important to know that so you don’t get discouraged.
You start with the strategy that you’re going to consistently share and teach what you know, not to get business RIGHT NOW but to place yourself top-of-mind with the reader on your particular subject.
[Vocabulary clarification: when I say “post” I mean either a short written post or a less-than 2 minute video unless I specify otherwise.]
Ideally you want to post 2 to 3 times per week; if that sounds intimidating then begin more infrequently with 2 to 3 times as your goal.
Post on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the mornings, then experiment. The only way to find out when the majority of your audience is regularly reading LinkedIn is to post at different times to discover what amount of feedback you get.
PRO TIP on how to get feedback:
No matter what the subject of my post, at the end I say, “If this information has been of help to you, please leave me a thumbs up right below so I’ll know the topics you’re interested in” or something along those lines. Remember to request instead of demand and most readers will be happy to do that (and may even leave a Comment).
Contents of posts: One post contains one gem of knowledge about your business that most people don’t know.
As an example, I could post about the definition of the word “optimization” since many people aren’t familiar with the term and it’s very important to your success with your LinkedIn profile. That’s it, that could be one of my LinkedIn posts for the week. I could do a 100-word post or a 2-minute video, which are generally more fun as long as the speaker manages not to ramble. :)
PRO TIP on coming up with topics:
When you’re relaxing or just going through your day, topics for posts will come to you. Don’t let them get away! Use an app on your phone, like a voice recorder or Notes, to capture your idea so you later you can add it to your formal list of Future Post Topics.
PRO TIP on organizing your LinkedIn marketing/visibility creation time:
Video Maven and my dear guru, Keri Murphy, has taught me to set aside a day for planning your visibility.
Because she is the Queen of Video, she uses video consistently. I like to mix it up between writing and video.
Whatever you decide to do, you’ll find that setting aside dedicated time, especially to record videos, will help you stay on track and organized.
Writing time can be done on the couch, in your pj’s, no fuss. You want it to be ~100 words, just a bite of information. And remember, you’re teaching, not asking for anything.
Do include relevant hashtags and your contact information (but not a live link leading off of LinkedIn or the LinkedIn Gods will punish you).
Videos take a little more planning to get your lighting and background the way you want it, plus now you have to put on makeup. :)
That’s why planning a day to shoot two to four videos is worth it: one set-up, one makeup sesh, you’re good to go. And say you post two videos/week … doing it this way you have two weeks’ worth in the bank!
Love that!
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Debbie will answer your LinkedIn questions every week here in YES I CAN Living Magazine. Write to her at info@LinkedInBossLady.com, subject LINKEDIN QUESTION.
For further help or support from her, you can schedule a one-on-one Profile Review right on her calendar at https://LinkedInBossLady.as.me.
You can also connect with her here:
💻 https://LinkedInBossLady.com
LinkedIn.com/in/DebbieMcCormick
@LinkedInBossLady
