How do you engage with LinkedIn? Are you a Lover, Luddite or Lurker? I’m a self-confessed LinkedIn Lover. I invest a fair bit of time engaging with the platform. Some might say too much! However, my investment has paid significant dividends. Here I share what I’ve found to be effective in building up a community of like-minded professionals.
You may share my enthusiasm for LinkedIn, but many people don’t make the best use of it. That can be down to confidence or a lack of knowledge of the ways it can be useful.
Approaches to engaging with LinkedIn
People approach LinkedIn in different ways.
- Some use LinkedIn to simply promote their services and products and don’t nuance their messaging when they contact you to try and ‘sell’ you something. e.g. Would I like to pay in excess of $1,500 for the ‘privilege’ of being a speaker at a conference? No thanks. These people may have a living to make but they won’t build a community through this kind of practice.
- Others are keen to ‘sell’ to you and to self-promote very regularly, with posts sharing their successes and event photos and awards. These people are mainly interested in transmitting their brand and services. Some engage in conversation through comments but others not so much. It’s a good way to be ‘seen’- by regular and consistent posting you’ll become known in specific LinkedIn circles for what you do.
- Then there are those who both promote what they do but also engage with others and are keen to exchange thoughts and ideas. They take a more altruistic approach and consider posting content that may be useful or interesting to others
Finding the the sweet spot
This third group is how I approach LinkedIn. If you focus on concerns about what others may think of you and the thought of ‘selling’ yourself makes you feel slightly queasy, you may hang back and be reluctant to post or comment on others’ posts. By shifting your mindset to focus on what others may find useful or interesting, you shift sideways out of the spotlight and start to engage in meaningful ways. By initiating discussions you start to ‘drive’ your engagement in ways that will be useful, rather than simply ‘lurking and liking’ posts.
How I’ve engaged and the benefits
- As I moved into self-employment, I was keen to remain connected with those who already knew me, but I also wanted to build connections and create more of a ‘tribe.’ For me, that’s meant extending my network with people who work outside the HE Careers sector as well as in it. As a result of my key interests: women’s development in HE, career coaching, leadership and strengths, my circle has widened.
- I’ve met with connections who are writing books or hosting podcasts. Through engaging in conversations and providing 2-way support and encouragement, I’ve also been quoted and acknowledged in others’ books and been a guest on podcasts. In turn, I’ve invited them to contribute guest blog posts to my blog, through which they can promote their book/podcast. I then reshare my posts through LinkedIn, helping to promote their work.
- I repost my blog posts each week on LinkedIn. The posts I’ve published have led to speaker engagements and offers of paid work. On the strength of one blog post on AI, for example, I was invited to participate in a global panel to discuss AI and the future of work as someone spotted my post and were sourcing guests.
- My regular posts have increased engagement with readers and also the number of followers I have.
- Through my connections I was recommended a great website designer and professional photographer.
- I’ve been approached to deliver training in different Universities.
- I’ve received referrals from my contacts for career coaching and also referred others to different coaches within my network.
- I’ve collaborated for mutual benefit with others to deliver bespoke careers-related webinars.
- I’ve re-shared posts I think others in my network would find useful and had some of mine reshared to others’ networks.
- I’ve made new professional friends, some of whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in person as well as collaborating with.
How to get started
- What do you want your profile to say about you? Maybe it’s time for a refresh. The ‘About Me’ section is an opportunity reflect your key interests which are often far wider than your job role.
- You’re an expert in your area- no matter what you do. You’ll know more about your area of work than many others and will have things to say about it. If there is something you’ve discovered that’s useful, share it with your network. Tell others why you’ve found it interesting on insightful.
- If you not only ‘like’ but comment on posts you find interesting, your follower numbers will soon increase and you’ll enjoy receiving comments and feedback.
- Explore the many professional groups within LinkedIn. Request to join 1 or 2 groups where it’s clear members are actively contributing. There may be opportunities for collaborating.
- The more you comment on topics you’re interested in, the more other people with similar interests will appear in your feed.
- Approach those who look interesting and follow them. Invite them to connect with you. A personalised note is a nice way to say ‘hello’ but I confess I don’t always bother.
- When someone comment on one of your posts, why not reach out and suggest a 20 minute meeting to say ‘hello’ and share your thoughts with your new connection? You’re not asking a favour- just suggesting a ‘getting to know you’ conversation. It’s a great way to build meaningful, reciprocal relationships.
Once you start to reap the benefits of LinkedIn, you’ll wonder why you didn’t engage with it sooner.
Networking is more about farming than it is about hunting. It’s about cultivating relationships.” Ivan Misner