Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
“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 not a better way to send out valuable content on a consistent basis than using status updates. Every time to 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.
During our FREE LinkedIn training sessions, we share the best strategy when doing this. 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.
Choose Engaging Content
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), infographics, 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.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
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.
Ask Questions
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 you 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!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Post Frequently
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 1 x/ 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!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Case Study
LinkedIn did a case study on Hewlett-Packard who ran a month long campaign May of 2014 where they posted 3 x/ day, 76 times in that month. Below is the breakdown of their content, which you can find at the following link:
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 center.
Take Action
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 me, the business will come. You can certainly talk about your products, but I always like to follow the 10:1 rule- for every mention about your products or services, make sure you’ve already contributed 10 pieces of content that has added value. That way, one product update or upcoming webinar mention will entice your connections, not turn them off.
How do you take advantage of the “What’s on Your Mind” section? What has been working for you? Please join the community by commenting below and sharing your best practices.
“FREE” WEBINAR: DISCOVER THE 3 STEPS TO LINKEDIN MASTERY
Attend the upcoming webinar to learn how you can use LinkedIn to generate media exposure, secure joint venture partnerships and hundreds of new leads for your business.
Over 10,000 businesses have now attended the training and the results have been amazing. Register Now to discover how you too can start generating more leads in one month than most competitors would in one year!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The post 3 Ways to Position Yourself as an Expert Using LinkedIn Status Updates appeared first on Linkfluencer.