Today we’re talking about curating, creating and sharing content on LinkedIn. Doing these things will make you stand out more in your network, resulting in more job opportunities for those looking for work, and business opportunities for those who are employed.
Can you write? Can you write well? I’m not talking Pulitzer Prize writing here. Moreso, can you write in clear coherent sentences that don’t contain things like “lol” or “omg?”
Writing is a SUPER important skill to have in the business world. Whether it’s writing emails to your coworkers, or sending pitches to clients—you need to be able to communicate effectively via the written word. And the easiest way to improve is by writing about a subject that you are knowledgeable or passionate about.
But Dave, how do I figure out what topic to write about?
Don’t put any unnecessary pressure on yourself here. What you write about doesn’t have to be the latest hot topic, like Bitcoin, or the paleo/keto//Whole 30 diet. If you’re struggling to find something to write about, my advice is to write about the one thing that you know best—yourself and your life. No, this doesn’t mean writing about what you had for lunch, or what’s going on in your dating life (that’s what Facebook’s for). Instead, you can write about your job search, or the last networking event that you attended. Or, if you recently started a new job, you could talk about getting adjusted to office life. Heck, you could even talk about what it’s like transitioning from college to the “adult world.” “Adulting,” as the kids call it these days, isn’t easy. And your unique insight into how you are adjusting provides a nice personal touch to your network. Revealing your personal side makes you more approachable, both in life and in the business world.
One more thing.
If you don’t think of yourself as a writer, or if the thought of that Microsoft Word cursor blinking in place on your blank Word doc makes you break out into a cold sweat, fear not, there are other ways to share content on LinkedIn.
1. Sharing articles
Ever read an article online that moves you and clicked that “Share” icon on Facebook or LinkedIn? If you have, great. If you haven’t, no worries. What makes this strategy so simple is that all it requires is one sentence or two with your reaction to whatever article you just read. So, from now on, instead of just sharing an article that you thought was cool, write 1-2 takeaways you got from the piece. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, ask a question. This might spark a conversation with somebody in your network.
2. Following influencers
Well Dave, you make that sound so easy, but what articles should I share? Who shares the kind of content that I would want to share with my network?
There’s no real right answer here. I personally find it easiest to follow certain influencers whose content I find interesting, like Ariana Huffington, Ray Dalio, and Deepak Chopra. You can also follow publications like the Harvard Business Review and the New York Times. Following influencers and media outlets is super simple. All you have to do is go to your search bar on LinkedIn.com (or in the LI app), and search the name of the person that you want to follow. Then, once you are transported to their profile, you see an option to follow this person. Much like you would on Twitter, when you follow someone on LinkedIn, your newsfeed will display posts and articles posted by this person as they publish new content. All you have to do now is react to a post or two a few times a week. Why so often? Because creating and curating content on a regular basis gets your profile viewed more often. Don’t feel like you have to overdo it though. On LinkedIn, much like other content sharing platforms, quality is better than quantity.
Learn how to see who’s viewed your posts and your profile here.
3. Tagging posts and direct message sharing
Now that you’re writing articles and sharing cool content with your network, let’s take this one a step further. Tagging individuals in your network is a great way to engage with specific people within in your network. To tag a person or a company in your post, all you have to do is type the “@” symbol, followed by their name. A drop-down selection will appear where you can select the person (or company) that you wish to tag.
And, if you have a specific individual in mind with whom you want to share your content, a great, personalized way to do this would be via direct message. To send someone a link to an article, first you’ll go to your message center, type in the recipient’s name, then drop the link into the message box with a few sentences along the lines of, “Hey Bill! Hope you’re doing well. I read this article that I thought you might find interesting. I’d love to hear your take on the subject. Best, David”
Now that you’re armed with these strategies, it’s time to implement them! We recommend logging on to Linked at least 2-3 times per week for 15 minutes to check in on your network. Do this on a regular basis and your profile will start to get more views—which means more job opportunities for you!
If you’re just getting started out on LinkedIn, here are two more blog posts that are worth a read:
College Students: These 8 Simple Tips Will Make You a LinkedIn All-Star
College Students: 4 Easy Tips to Make You Stand Out on LinkedIn
You can also check out the Job Seekers section of our blog for additional resources.