5 Tips for Boosting Engagement on LinkedIn
Whether you’re building your network or promoting a brand, having a strong LinkedIn page will bring trust and credibility to your profile or business. If you’re trying to build a larger following on this platform, here are a few tips to boost engagement.
More than ever before, careers and business opportunities are being found and conducted online. A 2016 survey found that 87% of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn, which is known to its users as the “professional social networking site.” It’s important to stay active and connected online, regardless if you’re networking, seeking a job, recruiting for one, or promoting your brand. Read on for how to build your LinkedIn page to grow your number of followers and increase engagement.
Tip #1: Start with a strong headline
Your LinkedIn headline, which appears at the top of the page under your name, should summarize your expertise and knowledge in your niche. If you’re wondering how to succinctly craft your headline, think “what topic or field do I want to share content and gain followers for?” Your headline can be an opportunity to speak directly to your audience and show how you will help them. For example:
Public Speaking Coach | I Help Professionals Build Confidence and Public Speaking Skills in Just 30 Minutes a Day
If you have a website, it’s also helpful to include the link in the headline as well. Here’s an example from the LinkedIn page of our Modern Mentor podcast:
Tip #2: Make your posts easy to read
While image and video posts do well on many social networks, like Instagram and Facebook, text posts are generally most favored on LinkedIn. Since this is a professional site, people tend to seek advice on self-improvement, productivity, and career advancement, which is why text-based posts do better.
If you’re sharing a website link to an article, consider removing the preview image so that the post contains a plain link within the text. There will be an “X” button to remove the preview image.
Format your post content into 1 to 2 sentences per paragraph. This way, the text is easier to read and keeps your audience’s attention. Feel free to use emojis or bullets to list items!
End your posts with a call to action, like asking your audience a question or for their opinion. This encourages your audience to engage with your content which will boost your posts!
Tip #3: Use tried-and-true content formats
If you’re scratching your head wondering exactly what to write about, here are 4 ideas to get you started. These formats are commonly used on LinkedIn and reward engagement.
1. Share a personal story
People want to engage with people (over brands) and learn from you! Stories typically capture attention in the feed more effectively than plain facts or tips. Telling stories will get your posts read and shared more, and help readers better understand the advice you’re sharing.
Consider sharing a personal before-and-after story about how you used to struggle with something related to your topic or niche and how you overcame it. Another idea is to share a success story about a student, client, or reader you’ve helped, following a similar before-and-after format.
Stories typically capture attention in the feed more effectively than plain facts or tips. Telling stories will get your posts read and shared more, and help readers better understand the advice you’re sharing.
2. Facilitate an open discussion
Ask an unbiased question or start an open-ended debate in your post to get your audience’s opinions and start a discussion thread.
3. Bust a common myth related to your area of expertise.
Think about what insider knowledge or experiences you have, and then brainstorm some common beliefs that are false and are holding people back in your industry.
4. Share positive encouragement
Posts with positive sentiment tend to do well on LinkedIn. Additionally, posts with positive encouragement help break up the pattern of informational posts, which people tend to share. Showing that you’ve struggled with the same things as your audience makes you more relatable. When crafting post content, it may also be helpful to think: “what emotion am I getting out of someone by posting this?” If the answer is none, then you can assume that it won’t do too well.
Tip #4: Know when to post your content
LinkedIn is one of the platforms people check when they get into the office or right after lunch, on weekdays between 8-10am and 1-2pm. Try to post around those times, since most of your followers will likely be online around then.
When crafting content, think “what emotion am I getting out of someone by posting this?” If the answer is none, you can assume that it won’t do too well.
Tip #5: Develop your audience
Start with who you know. Connect with friends and coworkers, or if you have a brand page, invite your own connections to follow the page!
Use what you have. If you took part in an interview or collaborated with someone on a project, ask those people to post recommendations of you on LinkedIn and tag your page.
Be strategic with engagement. During the first hour the post goes live, reply to anyone who comments on the post. According to research on the LinkedIn algorithm, responding to comments during this first hour is helpful for boosting the post and showing it in your followers’ feeds.
RESOURCES:
LinkedIn Statistics (Kinsta)
Ways to Boost LinkedIn Engagement (Inc)
4 Tips to Increase LinkedIn Engagement (Social Media Examiner)
20 LinkedIn Tips to Help Boost Engagement (Social Media Today)
4 Strategies That Actually Increase LinkedIn Engagement (The Success Bug)
How to Make the LinkedIn Algorithm Work for You (LinkedIn)
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