LinkedIn articles can be a great tool to use in terms of your overall content marketing strategy. That said, if you try to go overly promotional or you don't really offer anything of value to readers and instead produce just fluff pieces, the articles probably aren't going to garner you much attention. And consequently, you will have spent time and energy to no avail. Below are a few tips when it comes to creating LinkedIn articles that work and help create more exposure for your brand.
Pay Attention to Your Headline
A headline needs to be engaging; it needs to tell the readers what the piece is about and do so in an exciting way. Nothing reads worse than a flat headline. And keep it relatively short and simple—try and stay under 50 characters.
Add Your Bio
At the end of the article insert a short 1-2 line bio about who you are and what company you represent.
Remember to Include a Photo
Photos are eye-catching. People love visuals connected to the pieces they read. Make sure the picture is relevant to that about which you are writing.
Keep Voice in Mind
That is to say, write like you. Don't create an article that is jargon-laden. Be true to your unique style. If anything, you may want to steer the piece in a more conversational direction; thereby, creating a more personal connection with the reader.
Write What You Know
Just as you need to keep it in your voice, you also need to stick to subjects you know something about. It is likely going to be related to your career—find those aspects of your job that you have expertise in. You want to sound credible and well-informed on the subject you choose.
Don't Be Afraid to Be Bold
Sometimes the bolder the idea or concept, the better. You don't always have to play it safe and write about what people expect to hear. The unexpected can often be a good thing. That said, shy away from making negative statements about people or anything.
Create a Content Calendar and Stick to It
Content can get away from us in terms of when things need to be posted and on what platform. Developing a well-composed content calendar and then adhering to this schedule will help make life easier for you in the end.
You Can Start Small
If you're not ready to commit to multiple articles per week, then don't. You probably have a lot of things on your plate and just don't have time to keep up with multiple articles in any given week. Start with one per week or even every other week. Gradually, you will build up a catalog of such articles tied to your LinkedIn profile.
Try and Publish First Thing
A good practice for these articles is to try and have them ready to go and published first thing in the morning. Studies suggest that the optimal times are between Tuesday and Thursday in the AM.
Learn From Previous Articles
And not just from your previous pieces but also from those who may be in the same field as you. See what's worked, what fell flat. Moving forward try and learn and utilize lessons from these kinds of LinkedIn pieces.
Don't Just Focus on Going Viral
Sure this would be great—who doesn't want to see one of their articles go viral. But more importantly, you want to be informative and also relevant.
Keep Learning as You Go
That is to say, when you do have a killer article that happens to attract attention, don't just sit back believing you've discovered the ultimate LinkedIn secret. Things are always evolving; best practices are certain to change from one year to the next—try and keep up with it.
It's Okay to Quote Popular Influencers
It may help you gain more attention for your piece. You should always mention them rather than just taking their quote and trying to pass them off as your own.
Get to Know LinkedIn Communities
When you find some that are of interest and/or relevant to your career, add them. These are hashtag based and so in adding communities you will see even more content that relates to what you do/is interested in.
Get Personal Now and Then
For instance, do you have a hobby of which you are avid? Use it. Pull from your experiences with this and figure out a clever way to tie it to a career piece. This again is a way to create a more personal connection with users.
Have an Idea of Trending Topics
Topics trend for a reason…And when they do it means that people are eager to find out all of the info they can on said topic. If you have a relevant opinion on one such topic, feel free to write about it.
Stick to a Writing Schedule
Just as you've devised a content calendar and are diligently sticking to that, you should do the same as far as carving out actual time to write these articles. Maybe it is before you start work in the morning, or perhaps you do better later at night.
Don't Hesitate to Use Grammarly
We're not all perfect writers, most of us are not. If you are concerned about grammar, then utilize Grammarly to ensure your piece is tight.
Only Create Genuine Content
This means that you need to write what you believe in. In other words, don't just write something because you think it's what people want to hear. In being genuine you establish trust, and this is so critical.
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