John Nemo — January 25, 2017 Follow @JohnNemoPRWith its sleek new desktop overhaul, LinkedIn is betting big that users will spend more time on the site. Here’s how to take advantage.
LinkedIn recently announced its updated desktop design will hit profiles worldwide within the next several weeks.
The biggest takeaway is an improved ability for you to leverage any original content you publish on the platform as a gateway to new business.
Here’s why: The new LinkedIn desktop features aim at surfacing and showing users more relevant posts and content in both the home news feed and search results.
LinkedIn doesn’t want users leaving the site to find tips, blog posts or training that will help them solve a problem or achieve a goal. Instead, they want users to find what they need right on LinkedIn itself, whether that comes in the form of a LinkedIn blog post, a LinkedIn Learning course or other content.
“With a combination of algorithms and human editors working together, we’ve fine tuned your Feed to surface the most relevant content from people and publishers you care most about,” LinkedIn noted in a press release. “We’ll also be adding new ways for you to dive deep into specific topics relevant to you and follow trending stories. You can refine your search by using filter options on the right hand side, with the ability to search posts coming soon.”
Now more than ever, your content is what earns you the time and attention of potential prospects on LinkedIn and elsewhere online.
Bring Value, Demonstrate Expertise
Remember, your potential customers are using LinkedIn to find and engage with helpful, relevant and actionable content that helps them solve their biggest problems.
There is no better way to get “front of mind” with those prospects than by demonstrating your unique ability to solve their problems through the content you create.
As you consider a topic to share, be sure you identify your target audience — the more specific and niche you can be, the better traction your post will get.
Also, it should go without saying that any content you create and share on LinkedIn must bring actual value to the intended audience. It cannot simply be a sales pitch. The key is to demonstrate your authority and expertise versus just claiming it.
When done right, your content can be an incredibly effective tool to build the “Know,” “Like” and “Trust” factors critical to any client relationship or potential sale.
Optimize, Always
To ensure the content you’re sharing on LinkedIn has the best chance of getting properly “found” on the network, you’ll want it optimize it.
Make sure your post uses keywords in its headline, body, subheads and then hashtags at the bottom of your post. You will also use these hashtags in status updates promoting the posts on social media to try to get your content spread as far and wide as you can.
The reason keywords are so important is that you want to make sure LinkedIn will index, save and sort your content (meaning your blog posts, status updates, etc.) correctly, so that when someone uses LinkedIn’s gigantic, internal search engine to look for something like “SEO tips”, “Choosing a Business Coach” or “Minneapolis architect”, your content (be it your profile page, your posts, your status updates, etc.) will show up prominently as a result.
Remember that LinkedIn wants to be a “one stop shop” for professionals worldwide. With two new members joining the platform every second, and with nearly 500 million members in 200 countries, LinkedIn has a very distinctive (and captive) audience ready to engage with your expertise.
And, with a new desktop overhaul designed to surface more relevant, useful and value-driven posts, it’s a golden opportunity to let your content buy the time, attention and interest of prospects on the platform!
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