“People don’t want to be sold. What people do want is news and information about the things they care about.”— Larry Weber
Status updates are the most effective way to build your credibility on LinkedIn, but are most often overlooked. Now found under What’s on your Mind, there is no better way to send out valuable content on a consistent basis than using status updates. Every time you engage, your network is notified of the information you provided, so if you choose wisely, you can build a network of raving fans in very little time.
People only have so much time in a day, and if you fill up their notifications box with irrelevant information, you could lose them as a connection. However, if you find information that is relevant, fun and informative, you could have a winning strategy on your hands.
Now is your time to shine! With the interests of your connections in mind, choose content that will inspire, motivate or intrigue them! Share your blog articles (shortening the link using bit.ly or other link shortening software), info-graphics, quotes, news articles, link to other people’s content, books you are reading that relates to your target market, videos… the sky is the limit! The great news is that you do not have to create all the content yourself.
If you are surfing the web, many articles now have a LinkedIn share button that you can easily post to your profile. If a share button is not available, you can copy and paste the link to your status update, and a picture of the article will appear below.
As much as you need to keep the content professional, have FUN with it! You will connect with your target more easily if you get a laugh out of them. There is nothing wrong with showing a bit of your personality as long as you keep it aligned to your connections and industry.
One way to engage your audience is to ask questions. Use the status updates section to poll your connections, get them to actively engage in a conversation or get feedback on ideas for your next eBook.
Sure, the group forums are great places to do this, but why limit your questions to one area? The difference in posting your question as a status update is that all of your connections will be pinged when you post a status update- so you get more engagement with your connections.
People will be more likely to comment and share valuable answers to your questions, and you may even learn something! It is a great way to stay top of mind, connect with your followers and collect opinions- all at once!
When you are choosing engaging content that connects with your network, the more you post, the more your content will be consumed….eagerly. A recommended frequency is 1x / day.
Now, before you get overwhelmed remember that you do not have to create all of this content yourself. You simply need to find content that will interest your audience, write a short introduction to the content, send it on out!
LinkedIn did a case study on Hewlett-Packard who ran a month long campaign May of 2014 where they posted 3x / day, 76 times in that month. Here is a link where you can find the breakdown of their content: http://linkd.in/1qvZWE7.
As you can see, you can mix it up a little in what types of content you share and comment. HP posted 3x / day, used the above metrics, and saw an increase in their company page followers, likes and comments.
However, a great start is 1x / day. One thing you can do is find five categories that relate to your own business or career efforts and determine how often you will post in each category. This way, your content is compelling, stays fresh and keeps your name front and centre.
At the end of the day, PLEASE remember to keep your content specific to what your audience wants to consume. Status updates are NOT the area for you to simply self-promote and spam your connections.
Add value first, keep your audience engaged, and trust us, the business will come. You can certainly talk about your products, but always a good rule to follow is the 10:1 rule- for every mention of your products or services, make sure you’ve already contributed 10 pieces of content that have added value. That way, one product update or upcoming webinar mention will entice your connections, not turn them off.
Over the years, LinkedIn has grown to be the most popular and powerful business networking site online. Millions of business owners are turning to...
There is no doubt LinkedIn has become one of, if not the most powerful marketing tools of the 21st Century. With over 500 million members and 49% of...
Still early days, but I've done just over
$50,000.
We're celebrating the launch of Jayla by giving our first 500 customers access to our VIC club. As a 'Very Important Customer' you won't just feel special, you'll get notified of the release first and have the price of your subscription fixed for life.
On top of all that you'll get priority support and an invite to an exclusive live masterclass with our founder Alex Pirouz. This is strictly limited to only 500 VIC's available.
We’re celebrating the launch of Jayla by giving our first 500 customers access to our VIC club. As a ‘Very Important Customer’ you get access to Jayla weeks before the public, price of your subscription fixed for life, priority support and an exclusive live masterclass.
Fill out your name and email to be in the know.
