You do not have to be a professional writer to create great content and engaging posts that stand out on most social network platforms.
However, if you have a LinkedIn page you want to make sure it is kept professional as opposed posting on Instagram or Facebook where you can be more sociable.
LinkedIn after all is a platform where professionals meet and network versus sharing photos of what they did over the weekend or where the shopped for the best blouse ever.
On LinkedIn, you can get more social engagement amongst your clients and prospective clients by posting and creating quality posts. Here are some examples of what you might want to try in the weeks and months ahead while setting up your LinkedIn page or updating it.
An easy way to start a dialogue with your connections and remain on their radar is to increase your engagement by posting current and relevant topics within your industry.
Make sure you choose things that are positive and affect you as well as your connections without being offensive. Maybe talk about how your industry has done well or made changes over the past few months during the COVID-19 pandemic and offer tips and hints on how to keep abreast of business considering shutdowns, etc.
Of course, you should stay clear of posting non-business-related topics, and rather post things that may offer inspiration to current clients and prospective clients. Think about important issues in your shared industry or at the very least what is happening positive in the business world around you.
Keep in mind the content and how you share it with others; it should be thoughtful and inspire productive dialogue instead of arguments.
Since LinkedIn is a social network, and the goal on your part is to build relationships with people you may want to share something personal in some of your posts.
There is nothing wrong with occasionally sharing and posting things about yourself into your LinkedIn status updates. Just make sure the posts are related to your profession or work-related i.e. achievements, accolades, or even changes to your job.
Maybe you were promoted, switched jobs, signed a new client, or learned something important about the business overall that you want to share with others.
Go ahead and tell your connections about any of the above and let them share in your achievements and professionally engage with them.
Again, while you want to keep your LinkedIn posts and content professional, it is OK to share something about your own life. Just be sure you do it the right way and keep it limited. Clients and prospective clients can know a little bit about your life outside of work, but not too much.
Remember, too much personal sharing should not center on private secrets and things you do not want others to know about you. You can post you have a dog, maybe what your ideas of a perfect office atmosphere might be, and so on.
One way to decide if you are posting something that is perhaps too personal is to ask if it is a topic you want a large group to know. Is it something you are willing to lose current clients or future clients over if they indeed find it offensive? Is it something too personal or too controversial that they might disagree or be turned off by your view?
General ideas about posting topics such as these will hopefully help you keep your LinkedIn appearance safe and the way you want it without jeopardizing its initial intent – being and staying professional.