How to grow on LinkedIn by blog posting in 2022
With 850 million users across the globe, LinkedIn is one of the largest social media platforms in the world. It’s also one of the most important tools for any business looking to grow and connect with customers — which is why it’s important that you know how to use it effectively.One of the best ways to grow on LinkedIn is by blogging. That way, you can create and share valuable content with your target audience — as well as drive traffic back to your website.
Why should you start blog posting on LinkedIn?
Besides its large number of users, LinkedIn is also where business professionals network and connect with other people in similar industries.In fact, according to The Content Marketing Institute's annual report, 93% of B2B content marketers use the platform to generate organic leads, and 77% agree that LinkedIn is the most effective at achieving good results.To put these numbers into perspective, Facebook was valued at second place with 37%, while Instagram and Youtube scored under 30%. It's clear that although those platforms are great for business, too, organic leads are not their primary focus.
How to write and publish a blog on LinkedIn: Step-by-Step
Let's get started assuming you have already created a profile on LinkedIn and established your presence.First, click on the icon labelled "Write an article" on the right-hand side of the update menu. This will take you to this page, where you can create an article from scratch.The first step is to give your post a title, which should be descriptive and specific enough for users to understand what they will get from reading it. However, try and keep it under ten words so that you don't lose the attention of users scrolling through their newsfeed.Next, write your blog post in full and add any relevant images or videos if applicable. You can also add tags by clicking on them once they appear below your content; these are useful for helping people find your blog posts when searching for keywords related to the content.Once finished, click "Preview" at the top right of the screen to see how it looks before publishing. If you're happy with how it looks, click "Publish" at the bottom of the screen.
Best practices for blogging on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional network, so you should treat it as such. Use the platform to share your expertise and build trust with your audience.However, keep in mind that LinkedIn users are not just looking for entertainment or news; they want information that will help them solve problems.Here are some additional best practices that you can use to maximize your LinkedIn blogging efforts:
1. Avoid misleading headlines
You want to attract readers but don’t want them to feel misled. Avoid using clickbait titles that don’t deliver on their promise.
2. Be mindful of mentions
LinkedIn announced that when you mention another LinkedIn member, hashtag, or page on one of your blogs, they will be immediately notified and automatically hyperlinked in the article.So, the next time you reference a person, company, or brand on a post, make sure you do it in a truthful and respectful way.If you are referencing something negative, make sure it’s more than just a passing comment and that you provide context so readers can understand why you made the decision to mention them.
3. Follow standard formatting guidelines
Make sure that your content is easy to read. Use appropriate font size, line spacing, and paragraph length. Be sure to include headers, subheaders and bolded text when applicable.This will make your blog easy to skim and scan, which will make it more likely for readers to find what they are looking for.
4. Use images and videos when appropriate
We’ve all heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and that is especially true when it comes to blog posts. Not only do images help break up the text, but they can also be used to illustrate what you are talking about.Videos can be a great way to provide additional context for your points or help explain technical concepts in an easy-to-understand format.
5. Reference reputable sources
Citing reputable sources is a great way to build credibility. It shows that you are familiar with the topic at hand and have done some research into it before writing your post.If possible, try to link to the sources you use in your blog posts so that readers can follow up on them if they want more information or context.
6. Include actionable advice
Your readers are interested in learning about a topic, but they also want to know how they can apply what they have learned. So be sure to include some actionable advice in your blog post to help people take the next step and progress on their goals.
LinkedIn vs WordPress: What’s the difference?
Although widely used in content marketing and to achieve organic growth, LinkedIn and WordPress are not directly comparable.Here’s a quick breakdown of the key differences:
- LinkedIn is a social platform, while WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS).
- LinkedIn is designed for professionals to connect with each other. It’s used by B2B companies to create company pages and build relationships with industry influencers and customers. On the other hand, WordPress allows users to publish content on their own websites or blogs.
- In WordPress, website owners have complete control of their hosting and monetization, but on LinkedIn, these elements are non-existent to users.
Overall, the answer here lies in understanding that the two platforms are designed for very different purposes.However, the better you understand what each platform does best, the more likely it is that you will find an approach that leverages each of their strengths to complement each other and have a more robust digital marketing strategy.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Our goal is to provide you with the tips, tools and resources necessary to help you thrive in the digital marketing world.That is why we have put together some of the most frequently asked questions about how to grow on LinkedIn by blog posting.However, if you don’t find the answer you are looking for or need additional guidance, please reach out to us, and we will be happy to chat.
Who should be blogging on LinkedIn?
Anyone who wants to grow their business. Whether you’re looking for ways to attract more prospects, increase sales or generate more leads, blogging on LinkedIn is a great way to get started.
What’s the key to writing a good blog post on LinkedIn?
It’s not just about writing a blog post that gets people to click; it’s about writing a blog post that gets people to read and share. The best way to do this is by providing value for your audience.Here are some examples of good blog post ideas for LinkedIn:
- A helpful tip or resource on a topic that your audience is interested in.
- An opinion piece that adds value to the conversation happening around your industry or niche.
- An interesting story about something that happened in your business that could be useful for other people who are facing similar challenges.
Always remember that your blog is a way to communicate with your audience, not just sell them something. If you write with the goal of providing value, then people will naturally want to share it.
How long should a LinkedIn blog post be?
LinkedIn blog posts should be at least 2,000 words, and actually, the longer, the better. This is because LinkedIn is a professional network and people expect posts to be more in-depth than they would on other platforms.You also want to make sure you’re covering all of the bases when it comes to sharing valuable, actionable information with your audience. Of course, don't drift off-topic just to meet a word count, as this is just a guideline and not a rule.
How can you promote blog posts on LinkedIn?
Now that you've got writing and publishing down, it's crucial to understand how to go about promoting blog posts on LinkedIn.Here are a few strategies to consider:
1. Share to other social media platforms
If you’re sharing the post on LinkedIn, make sure to also share the link to it on other social media platforms. This will help increase exposure across digital channels and allow you to build your audience over time.Furthermore, your audience might appreciate the different content you're sharing on LinkedIn because it's more reflective and thought-provoking. Other sites are better suited for showcasing your business' persona in a more relaxed and humorous way.
2. Notify and update your network
Prior to publishing a blog on LinkedIn, the platform will prompt you to post an update on your feed, which will notify your network about the new blog.It's smart not to ignore this step, as your network will most likely support you by liking, commenting, and/or sharing your post, which will ultimately help you grow on the platform.
3. Engage in relevant discussions
If you want to grow your following on LinkedIn, it's important to engage in relevant discussions with other users. This can be done by joining a group or looking for conversations that are already happening on the platform.Once you find a discussion worth commenting on, make sure to add value by sharing your expertise and opinions on the topic at hand. This is the perfect opportunity to link your blog posts and drive traffic back to your profile.
4. Leverage your email list
If you have an email list, it's important to leverage this resource for growth on LinkedIn. One of the best ways to do that is by sending out a newsletter every time you publish a new blog post. This will help build your audience while engaging with them on another platform.
5. Give people a reminder
LinkedIn users are professionals, so naturally, most are busy a lot of the time. Consequently, they may not be able to check their LinkedIn feeds as often as they'd like.To navigate this, another way to drive traffic back to your account is by sharing a reminder about your latest post. This can be done through a LinkedIn status update or by adding an update to your profile summary.Finally, note that to grow on LinkedIn by blog posting, the pieces need to be seen — and read by your target audience. That's why using any of the above strategies, a combination of a couple, or all, will help you achieve your business goals.
How can you add blog posts to LinkedIn?
If you would like to add existing blog posts to LinkedIn, a number of online tools act as plugins to publish these blogs to your profile automatically.If you want to go this route, we suggest choosing a tool that preserves your formatting so you don’t have to put in any extra effort.
Conclusion
Creating a blog is the way to go if you want to build a more extensive network and gain more followers. While it may seem like a lot of work at first, once you get into a groove, it will become second nature to post regularly.Also, blogging on LinkedIn will help you establish yourself as an industry expert, leading to more opportunities down the road. So, what are you waiting for? Start writing!