10 Steps to Start Marketing Yourself on LinkedIn
Not sure how to start marketing yourself on LinkedIn? Or feeling in a rut when it comes to posting valuable content? Trust me, you are not the only one! In fact, only a very small percentage of LinkedIn users actually use the social media platform to its fullest potential.
Here’s the thing—LinkedIn is swimming with opportunities. Not only are the majority of its members driving business decisions at their companies, but they are also regularly logging on to see the latest news and updates from their connections. In 2020, LinkedIn sessions increased significantly, presumably because of the pandemic and the need to network more online.
If you dedicate one to three mornings a week to post on LinkedIn, you are bound to see a return on your investment. Especially if you are posting from your personal profile because that is where you have the most connections.
Here are the 10 steps I recommend to start marketing yourself on LinkedIn:
EXPLORE YOUR WHY. Before you dive into marketing yourself on LinkedIn, take some time to think about the "Why" behind your business. Use your "Why" to tell a story that is authentic to your brand.
OPTIMIZE YOUR PROFILE. The last thing you want to do is post on LinkedIn and drive people to your incomplete profile. Spend a few minutes optimizing your profile by adding keywords and content tailored to your target audience. At the very least, update your headline to accurately portray WHAT you do, not the position you currently hold.
KEEP YOUR BRAND CONSISTENT. Ensure your profile and original content have the appearance of your brand. Keep your brand colors and fonts consistent, so people know it is you. For example, I always use black and yellow so my audience knows I am posting before they even see my headshot and headline.
USE PAIN POINTS. The best content marketing is thoughtful and specific to your audience. Keep your eyes peeled and ears open for what topics are most pressing to your clients right now. And regularly take a moment to think about the "pain points" of your ideal client. What is keeping them up at night? What conversations have you had with them lately? THESE are the topics you should be focusing on for your content marketing.
STAY ACCOUNTABLE. Create a calendar event to remind yourself to post every weekday around 8:00 am and/or 12:00 pm. These are proven to be the best times to post on LinkedIn, but you can play around with them to see what works best for your audience.
MIX IT UP. Mix up your posts by sharing articles, creating original content, writing articles, promoting your business or an upcoming event, and recording videos. Right now, the most popular content on LinkedIn are simple, plain text posts. People are sharing their stories, experiences, and tips in a raw and relatable manner. And LinkedIn users are LOVING it.
REPURPOSE CONTENT. Work smarter, not harder. Repurpose your content in different formats. For example, you can turn one blog post into several smaller pieces, pulling highlights and tips to share one piece at a time.
SET UP GOOGLE ALERTS. Set up daily Google Alerts for your industry to share relevant articles and news with your connections. You can choose to share articles from reputable sources directly or use the articles to inspire your original content that is relevant and timely.
ADD VALUE. Remember to add value, not noise. There is enough noise on social media already! Focus on relevant thoughts or stories related to what you do, and share content that your audience is interested in.
BE CONSISTENT. The best way to see results is to get comfortable regularly posting and growing a following. The more consistent you are, the better!
So, there you have it. Those are my 10 steps to start marketing yourself on LinkedIn. I hope you feel inspired to get started. Remember, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Still not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! Correnti Marketing can help you manage + optimize your LinkedIn profile. Contact us to learn more.
