Getting Started with LinkedIn's Publishing Platform

As a content marketer, it’s always a challenge to find fresh ideas and new mediums for your organization to explore - all in the name of finding an audience willing to lend their ears to your brand’s story. 

While the brand voice and consistency of your organization certainly matters, you, as a professional, have a voice too, and as an involved individual in your field, you have thoughts, opinions, and insight that others would be interested to hear. 

LinkedIn’s publishing platform, a blog-like feature offered by the social media network, provides the perfect way for LinkedIn users to develop their own professional identity, one that supports and amplifies the story of their organization and makes the most of the professional network they’ve built throughout their professional career. 

Ready to give LinkedIn Publishing a try? Here are a few tips!

Consider your Audience:

The demographics of LinkedIn are pretty unique compared to other social channels. Make sure they include the audience you want to appeal to. As a more professionally driven environment, it’s no surprise that about 50% of adult college graduates use LinkedIn. Because of its appeal to educated and career-oriented individuals, it is a fantastic content platform for professionals with the goal to position themselves as thought leaders within their field.

Share Your Perspective:

When it comes to selecting topics to write about via LinkedIn’s Publishing Platform, it is best to choose subject matters where you can offer your valuable, one-of-a-kind perspective. Think about what observations you’ve made, or consider sharing any impressions or firsthand experiences you’ve been privy to as someone in your unique position. 

People will be interested to know of the successes you’ve had as well as any failures you’ve experienced and how you learned from them. Explore topics that can shed a light on why you are inspired and driven to do what you do in the first place. Of course, you can always turn to the news and current events to offer your particular perspective on today’s headlines.

Treat it as you would a Blog:

The structure of a LinkedIn post is very similar to that of a blog post, so treat it as you would a blog entry. Most of the same rules apply; make your content skim-able, apply headings, use bullet points or numbers and include relevant links. Utilize bold and italicized text to stress or emphasize points within your content and don’t forget to find or create eye-catching graphics that entice interest in your content.

Add Your Own Personal Flair:

They say don’t mix your business and personal life. While that’s generally a good rule to follow, you should not be afraid to add a little personality to your posts. The connections you’ve made on LinkedIn are people, after all, and people are attracted to authenticity. Remember to be yourself, and don’t be scared to share some of your personal experiences or stories that are relevant in some way to the goal of your message. 

Final Thoughts:

Utilizing your personal LinkedIn profile in this way will not only help you to establish yourself as an expert in your field, but if leveraged appropriately, it can also help build brand awareness for your organization. The people behind the organization are a crucial part to successfully communicating a brand’s story, so do your part and start offering your unique perspective. As your brand exposure grows, you may also find that you are growing professionally right along with it! 

If you need help or have any questions about how to do branding of your business on LinkedIn, contact us today!