11 hacks for writing more engaging LinkedIn posts

Over 50% of all social media traffic directed to business websites originates from LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a potent lead generator for your business. If it's not already part of your marketing strategy, I strongly recommend considering it.

I have been actively using LinkedIn since 2020, and it's fair to say that I have explored various strategies. I have crafted posts that garnered 500,000 views and some that didn't perform as expected.

Here's what has proven effective in engaging my connections and enhancing my LinkedIn profile:

1. Simplicity is key. Stick to plain text

I have achieved considerable success with plain-text posts, and that's what I advocate. You don't require all the frills and fancy visuals. You need a compelling message, an 'aha moment,' if you will.

Before you start writing, clarify in your mind:

• The purpose of your post
• How it benefits your connections

2. Incorporate emojis into your posts

Emojis (????) are seen as unprofessional by some. However, they do help in emphasizing ideas and making your content more digestible.

? Emojis can make your post stand out by:

• Breaking up text
• Adding a touch of personality
• Infusing colour into your post

?? Taken from Dr Schwab’s research, the probability of 100 likes on a post without using an emoji is 3.09%. Using one emoji increases the probability to 4.24%. Upping to 15-16 emojis in your post correlated to a 10.38% probability. To read his research and more on how to use emojis, read on here.

There are more than 3,500 emojis to choose from. But, exercise restraint when using emojis. There's such a thing as overdoing it.

3. Craft a compelling headline

Surprisingly, you have only about two seconds to capture a user's attention. Therefore, you need a headline or opening statement that makes them pause and think, 'I need to know more.'

Channel your inner journalist and focus on delivering impact. The following approaches tend to work well on LinkedIn:

• Statistics
• Inspirational or motivational quotes
• Thought-provoking questions
• How-to offerings
• Humor
• Intriguing statements
• Attention-grabbing headlines

4. Start with a narrative

You are dealing with humans, and they respond to shared experiences. Beginning with a story fosters a sense of connection and instant relatability.

Many of the most successful marketing campaigns center around human-to-human marketing. Remember that time you could purchase Coca-Cola bottles with your names on...

5. Avoid long blocks of text

Long paragraphs can be daunting, while concise sentences are easy to digest and visually pleasing.

Include three or four hard paragraph breaks between your headline and opening sentence. This creates curiosity as the user has to click 'see more' to read further.

6. Mention well-known connections.

Expand the reach of your post by mentioning someone, especially if they have notable status.

It's even more effective if you've already established a relationship with this person. Perhaps they have influenced your business or career, offered valuable advice, authored a book, or featured you on their podcast, among other things.

The goal is to elicit a response or comment from them. If they engage, your LinkedIn post is more likely to appear in their connections' feeds.

7. Provide specific instructions

After sharing your insights, instruct your readers on what to do next.

Do you want them to comment, like your post, answer a question, or share it with someone who could benefit? This is an excellent way to expand your network.

Giving clear instructions encourages engagement, initiates a two-way conversation, and helps build relationships. In my experience, posts with specific instructions outperform those without.

8. Always conclude by asking a question

Ending your post with a question prompts comments, which are crucial for three reasons:

• LinkedIn rewards posts with comments.
• Posts with more comments are more likely to trend.
• Trending posts are more likely to appear in the feeds of second-and third-degree connections.

Additionally, asking for your connections' viewpoints is flattering.

9. Share valuable intellectual property (IP)

But what exactly is intellectual property (IP)? IP refers to content created based on your professional experience. Consider it the 'gold standard' of how to accomplish something, grounded in facts and results.

You can share:

• Checklists or How-to guides
• Free guidance
• Instructional videos

As long as you have valuable content to share, don't hesitate to post it on LinkedIn.

10. Use up to 10 hashtags

Hashtags are an effective way to reach an audience beyond your network. I recommend using up to ten hashtags and consider creating a branded one.

Choose a mix of niche and popular hashtags, which can be found by searching keywords or phrases in the search bar. LinkedIn also suggests hashtags based on your post's content.

11. Avoid including external links in your post without a positioning from you!

Do not include links to external sites. LinkedIn penalises this when you put no positioning to it resulting in low engagement and poor views.

LinkedIn aims to keep users on its platform as long as possible, so linking to your website, podcast, article, YouTube video, or any external content can negatively impact your post's performance.

Many believe adding the link to comments generates much more engagement.

That said, one of my most engaged posts promoted a YouTube video (over 274,000 views) --> read the post here. The difference is, I gave my opinion on why my community should watch.

Final thoughts...

In conclusion, consistency is the key to growing your LinkedIn following.

With 1,300 characters, you can establish your authority, build rapport, and entice your audience to engage. Make every character count. Craft your headline, share a story, select emojis and hashtags thoughtfully, ask questions, and be clear about the actions you want your connections to take.

Most importantly, respond to any comments you receive.

This is part of?LinkedIn's new Newsletter Series 'how to win on LinkedIn'. To get fortnightly tips, advice, and how-to's for positioning you - your personal brand - hit the "subscribe" button.