Social media is an essential channel for sharing your important message, and we've already discussed that the best approach to your social media strategy is slow and steady engagement.
What social media platforms are best? You are probably using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and maybe even something niche like Pinterest or Reddit. But what about LinkedIn? The professional platform isn't just for job hunting and personal networking, it can be a powerful tool to connect your message with your audience.
LinkedIn can seem daunting since it is not the first outlet we think of when it comes to content. But in today’s social media climate, maybe it should be. Here are three reasons why LinkedIn could be a linchpin for your content strategy.
1. Less Nonsense
If you want to see photos of your friends’ cats and kids, you head over to Instagram or Facebook. If you want to debate politics or see the latest conspiracy theory, you head over to Twitter or, well, Facebook again.
LinkedIn, however, has become a safe haven for those who just want to focus on professional wins, success stories, or brand building. The vibe is positive, yet professional—basically the opposite of most social media platforms!
This is in large part because there is minimal political nonsense on the platform. Users are extremely protective of the professional zeitgeist, so member-policing is a huge part of how the platform has been able to keep political shenanigans and personal posts to a minimum. When a rogue troll makes a political statement, they are quickly swarmed by tons of members telling them to take that somewhere else.
This user self-regulation, in combination with LinkedIn’s algorithm, has prevented LinkedIn from becoming another politicized outlet, which has made it an invaluable tool for companies who just want to talk about their brand and services instead of worrying about the political noise that seems to infiltrate every other platform.
2. Captive Audience
Because LinkedIn users are mostly trying to avoid the noise found on other platforms, whenever you post, you automatically have found a more captive audience. If you are looking for a platform to share your thought leadership, LinkedIn is full of members who could benefit from your expertise.
LinkedIn users are seeking to enrich themselves; they want to learn how to improve their skills, catch up on industry news, and be the first to find new career opportunities. As a thought leader in your space, you can create and share content through your LinkedIn page that connects with that audience and fulfills their expectations.
You can find your captive audience on LinkedIn by engaging with the relevant trending hashtags, industry groups, and other thought leaders. Pro-tip: the algorithm will favor your posting if you interact with other people more, so be sure to give a LinkedIn lightbulb reaction on your favorite posts.
3. Publishing Platform
LinkedIn’s engagement offerings aren’t limited to sharing on their feed—the platform provides a unique publishing platform that anyone can use. If you don’t have an established blog or site, you have an opportunity to create and promote your content directly on LinkedIn. In fact, many respected brands and thought leaders use LinkedIn as their sole publishing outlet.
When publishing on LinkedIn, it’s important to remember these rules:
- Keep your external links to a minimum. Their algorithm will deprioritize articles with an excessive amount of links because, like any website, they don’t want users to leave.
- Timing is everything. Most people access LinkedIn while they are at work. Peak time to publish your articles is between 10 and 11 in the morning, Tuesday through Thursday. The users get to work, sit down at their desk with their cup of coffee, catch up on their emails and look at their daily calendars, and then they need a few minutes to decompress before they get started for the day. When I think about my own average workday, the timing makes sense.
These three reasons are why I recommend you utilize LinkedIn for your content and thought leadership. Doing so will enable you to establish thought leadership with less noise.
That should encourage you if the idea of running one more social platform is daunting. Don’t think of LinkedIn as just another platform in your stack—think of it as one of the best for your content strategy!
On that note, don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn!
Photo by Helena Hertz on Unsplash
