Social media has come a long way since it became popular among the young and the old. All thanks to the advancement of technology over the years. Not only can we connect to the global world of the internet from the comfort of our zone, but we can also be a step ahead of our competitors by staying up-to-date with trends in our industry.
Amid highly experienced professionals on a platform like LinkedIn, how can one stand out from the crowd and become influential? This is one question that people often ask and one that we will answer in this article.
The answer you seek is simple, and it's by putting together pieces of writings and blog posts that your audience will hold in high regard.
Below are other tips that you can use to become influential through your LinkedIn posts, and some of them include:
Tips
1. Have a clue of the kind of message you want to convey
It’s important that you have a basic idea and in-depth understanding of the kind of message you’re trying to convey to your target audience.
Your long-term goal could be to position yourself as a niche expert and expand your reach. Your ultimate goal could also be to build professional value and gain experiences to take your brand to the height you have envisioned it. When you must have gotten a clear mental picture of what you want to achieve, it's now time for you to have a laser focus on your goals so all your hard work will pay off. You also need to ensure that every post you make on LinkedIn speak volume and is also under your goal. Also, try to be consistent with whatever post you convey the message you have in mind, and over time, you will be able to attract and retain the attention of your visitors who already have an idea of what your brand is gearing to be.
2. Have the interest of your target audience at heart
Curating the type of content that fits what you have in mind is one thing and having your target audience in mind while doing so is another.
You need to consider this point, regardless of whether you're trying to establish a brand or you already have one running. Have your audience at a subconscious level when curating your content, as it will help give you a clearer mental picture of what will interest them.
3. Go for what you know best
It's easy to find yourself in a confused state where you constantly debate what it is that you should write to stand out from the crowd. Whenever it seems as though you're getting confused about what you should do, remember to always go for what you know best.
But take precautionary measures about implementing this tip because what you know can easily become outdated if you're not always searching for information to add to what you know. Again, it's not a must that you should only stick to what you know to be on the safe side. If you are interested in other areas similar to your expertise and want to create posts about it, it's advised that you first understudy it for a while before you take it on fully.
4. Curate posts around things you’re passionate about
Creating posts around what you have vast knowledge or experience on is great, but most times, it isn't all that you need to create something outstanding. It would be best if you also were passionate about whatever you're creating. Why is it important? There will be times where you may pick a pen to write down a plan of action on how to go about creating relevant LinkedIn articles or blog posts for the week and find yourself in a clueless state with no idea whatsoever.
At times, such moments are short-lived, while there are other times where it may linger for a while. Without a burning desire to get through this phase, you might find yourself procrastinating.
Taking some time off from brainstorming may help, but then it's easy to get lazy in such moments. Apart from falling into the temptation of procrastinating at the slightest possible moment, being passionate about what you do can also help you develop many ideas that may have never crossed your mind if you didn't have the zeal.
5. Always be on the lookout for trends
Always staying on top of trendy topics in your industry is one that can set you apart from the crowd. If you're active on LinkedIn, you will come across some of these trendy topics that some of the platform's editors will promote. Depending on how big the stories are, some are bound to go viral sooner than others. So the moment you come to see these trends, research to gain more knowledge and insight concerning it and start creating content before it fades away.
6. Think! Think! Think!
As someone who desires to be influential in their industry, you must learn to think outside the box. And to do that, you will need to brainstorm a lot. While brainstorming, you will also discover that there will be times where you're trying to write down an idea, and so much many of them are flooding in simultaneously. Please don't wait till you finish writing all the step-by-step plans of the current idea you have as you might forget some of it. What you need to do in such moments is to jot down these ideas somewhere as they come and then revisit them once you're done with other critical ideas. Note, you must not go into writing those ideas in detail as they come. A headline is all you need to prevent that idea from varnishing into thin air.
7. More information is always better than less
Information, they say, is key. How do you feel when you drop facts after facts that are verifiable during a conversation or argument compared to when you have to speak or contribute on occasion? Have you also noticed the aura of confidence that surrounds intelligent people when they speak? However they choose to put together the facts, you should know that it is coming from a place where knowledge or information is sufficient. And this is one of the reasons why LinkedIn readers are often on the platform constantly searching for information to add to what they already know to make their personal goals become a reality.
If you want to become influential in your niche, you should make it a duty to avail voracious readers of the information they need to address certain problems in their niche.
8. Don’t be a ghost on LinkedIn
Providing your target audience with the information that they need to excel may be the right way forward, but then a little more than that will be required to keep them coming back. Don't forget that your readers and page visitors are humans just like you. And while tips for tackling problems may be paramount, most of these visitors may also get curious to know more about you. In such moments, sharing a little bit of yourself will help these people develop a sense of connection with you and your posts. This will help them trust you more. You must not reveal your entire personal detail, such as where you live and your family history, but you can share some of your experiences and problems that you have encountered in the industry and how you overcame them.
9. Be consistent
Being consistent in everything we do is one easy way to expand our target audience and build trust among some of the newbies.
10. Be social
Advertising your post is a great way to get before more of your potential target audience. But there’s more to social media than providing solutions or tips to problems and promoting content. Never forget that in the end, LinkedIn is still a social media platform like the rest that are available. So try to connect with people personally as this can be a way to generate leads.
If you want to encourage people to like and comment on your posts, you have to show it by your actions and not words. Liking, commenting, and sharing isn't all that is required to be socially active. You may equally need to join some LinkedIn groups (secret weapon) that are quite similar to your industry and be a part of their conversation. Doing all these will help you grow quicker than you can imagine.
Conclusion
Becoming influential isn't something that will happen overnight. It's something that will require constant brainstorming (time), effort, resources, and your undivided attention. If you think it's hard work, then it's okay to throw in the towel and be the regular person in the crowd. But if you have ambitions to be that person whose voice will not be suppressed but instead heard, then follow these tips as they will assist you in getting to the top.