How to amplify your brand + career on LinkedIn
When I strategize with my clients on their personal brand, they inevitably all say the same thing…”[sigh] I know I should post on LinkedIn [sigh], but...” You’ve probably said or thought this a few times yourself.
A lot of the personal brand strategies Meredith mentioned in the last newsletter (corporate bios, stronger intros) are comfortable and in your wheelhouse. You will probably update them this week.
But LinkedIn…
Eek, no way, massive resistance.
I get it. It is not comfortable to start posting in front of your professional network. It has all the usual hang-ups of social media (will anyone like my post?!) amplified by the career impact (am I saying the right thing? Do I sound thoughtful?).
But it is also an opportunity to put a megaphone on your professional accomplishments and expertise.
That’s why I asked Meredith Farley, CEO of Medbury, to share her tips for an effective LinkedIn strategy. She helps executives master this every single day. Who better to help you get started?
Over to Meredith…
Hi Friends. If you read my last send - so glad to be back here with you. (If you didn’t, perhaps check it out.) Today, I’m going to get into LinkedIn.
“LinkedIn is so powerful” is something people generally say when they want you to get on LinkedIn. But, I regret to inform you, LinkedIn is SO powerful.
For individuals, it can help you attract and land jobs, consulting work, great connections and other aligned opportunities. And companies can use it to find talent and clients, shape the industry conversation, make their execs semi-famous, land PR, and even create some wildly targeted ads.
But - it’s a long game. It requires time. It can take a while to get the hang of. And you might, at times, find yourself feeling a little vulnerable. DO IT ANYWAY!
Ok, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.
Optimizing your profile
General rules of thumb: Don’t overthink it. Lean minimalist. Strike a balance between professional and personable (you want a recruiter to want to get to know you). Trust your own taste and judgment, check out what other people are doing, and ask a friend for her opinion. Fill out all the sections, and make sure there are no typos. A few profiles I admire are Jess Cook, Emily Kramer, and, of course, Cydnee’s.
Avoid: Overly “transformational” messaging in a personal headline or banner. And, this is subjective, but I firmly believe that all “About” sections should be in 1st person, not 3rd.
Creating posts
Strategize
1-2 posts a week is a great starting point. If you’re not sure what to write about, try a 10-post structure. I outlined one here. A few topics you can experiment with – work anniversaries or milestones, public work accomplishments (i.e., product launch, white paper publication), leadership lessons, a recent learning or aha moment, hot take on an industry trend or best practice, and speaking appearances.
[Note from Cydnee: A few women who do LinkedIn posts well are Madeleine Livingston (a member of our community!), Allison Grant, Anne Pao and Wes Kao. Follow them for inspiration.]
Keep it simple.
Aim for a 10th-grade reading level or under. (ChatGPT can help with that - just say “Please revise this to a 10th-grade reading level or under" and paste in your post draft.)
And succinct.
Attention spans are short, phone screens are small and brevity is kindness. Short paragraphs, short sentences, and lots of white space all help.
The first sentence matters.
You don’t need super gimmicky hooks or tacky intros - but the first line of your post is the only bit that a reader can see before deciding to click “read more” or keep scrolling. So use the intro to your advantage by being clear and interesting.
Draft it. Let it sit. Revisit and revise.
Your professional brand is so valuable and important. And it is possible to make a mistake that lands you on Best of LinkedIn. While some folks might say: “Just start publishing and experiment!” that’s not my vibe or advice. You should be as careful as possible with what you put out there. I recommend drafting your content, letting it sit for a few days, having a friend or colleague review and offer thoughts, and then post.
Engagement + Networking
In LinkedIn parlance, “engagement” means liking and commenting on other people’s content. And engagement is really important on LinkedIn. If you “engage” for about 20 minutes immediately after you post (and you gotta comment, not just like stuff), it significantly improves the performance of your own content.
I recommend creating a spreadsheet with the names and profile links of people you want to support or stay top of mind for. A few times a week (and directly after you post, if you’re posting) like and comment on the most recent posts from the folks on your list. This approach keeps your engagement time targeted and intentional so you don’t fall down any LinkedIn rabbit holes. (At Medbury, we manage this “ghost engagement” on behalf of our clients, and it absolutely improves their post-performance.)
Also, don’t be afraid to mobilize your people to like your first few posts. You don’t want to be holding your breath waiting for people to like it. Be shameless in sending it to your best friend, partner, aunt, group chat, Cydnee, etc. It will build momentum and allow you to breathe a sigh of relief.
Networking
Do Not Sleep on this! If there’s someone you admire or want to know, shoot them a DM with your Calendly link and ask them if they’d like to grab a digital coffee. It’s not weird - it’s totally normal on LinkedIn. I’ve met clients, contractors, employees, and cool friends (Cydnee!) from LinkedIn.
Back to you Cydnee…
THANK YOU MEREDITH. Meredith and the team at Medbury are experts at LinkedIn content and strategy.
Follow Meredith on LinkedIn, subscribe to her newsletter and check out her website. If you or your company would benefit from an intentional LinkedIn strategy, send her a note at meredith@medburyagency.com.
I hope you’re already drafting posts. Remember, draft it. Let it sit. Revisit and revise. Send it to me for a 2nd set of eyes. But don’t forget to post.
Happy posting!
Warmly,
Cydnee
P.P.S. CalmOS is coming back this fall! CalmOS is my 8-week group coaching bootcamp to help you change the way you operate so you can work (and live) with more ease, confidence + balance.
Applications open Sept. 10th. Check out the details and join the waitlist so you have early access and are eligible for special bonuses!
