Olivia Friedman is a Strategic Sustainable Brand Consultant at True Success Coaching.
As a brand consultant, I often tell people they shouldn’t worry if outsiders do not respond to their LinkedIn posts when they’re clearly useful to business. Because why waste time and energy trying to attract those who are not interested in what you have to say? Instead, focus on building relationships with people who are already interested in your industry or field of expertise. Here’s how:
Be consistent.
The more often you post, the more likely you are to reach your target audience. Even if your posts don’t get a lot of engagement at first, don’t give up. Keep posting consistently and you will eventually start to see results.
I watched a major sports association commissioner begin to post regarding approaching games. And within a month, I saw his engagement go up. The week prior to the actual event, I saw engagement soar after he posted a few key engagement elements. He told his story and shared details he deemed important about his past experiences. He added a post with his brother in the photo, reminiscing when his brother supported his journey through military service. Many veterans, law enforcement and other similar groups responded and engagement for his posts grew organically. Consistency, in moderation, is a must. He demonstrated this in real time and it paid off.
Start a conversation.
Write in a conversational tone that is engaging and not offensive. Ask questions, as this creates engagement that is supported by a conversation. Share personal stories that may resonate with others within your circle(s) or desired circle(s). Always respond to re-posts and comments. Finally, use hashtags and promote your posts on other social media channels so it makes it easier for others to find your content and join the conversation.
Periodically evaluate your content.
If you’re worried your content may not be engaging enough, take a step back and evaluate your content. Are you writing about topics that are relevant to your audience? Are you using clear and concise language? Are you providing value with your posts? If not, it may be time to make some much-needed changes, to achieve better results.
Pay attention to timing.
There are certain times of day when people are more likely to be online and engaged with social media—and LinkedIn, in particular. Try posting during these times to see if you get better results. Track your progress and experiment until you find the “sweet spot” for your audience.
Mix it up.
If you’re posting about the same topics over and over again, people are going to get bored. Mix things up and post about a variety of topics. Usually, if they’re under the same topic or premise, and you change it up enough, you’ll also likely get better engagement. Similarly, switch up your format. I always recommend using eye-catching visuals. Video is almost always a safe bet.
Remember these tips and you’ll be on your way to high-quality connection-building on LinkedIn.
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