12 Mistakes Executives Should Never Make on LinkedIn

Having a strong presence on LinkedIn is crucial to your personal and business brand reputation, regardless of whether you're considering a career change. As an executive, you wield significant influence over the direction of your company or organization.

LinkedIn is a crucial part of the conversation about you, your company, and your products or services. The significance of your reputation and network on LinkedIn extends far beyond the original scope of the job networking site it was many years ago, as it holds value to those who already know you and those who will come to know you in the future.

With more than 900 million members in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, LinkedIn is the largest social network for professionals and the business community – and its connection base is hugely powerful to an industry leader.

Use it in the right way and it can build your career, bring forth opportunities, and promote your personal and business brand. Make a rookie mistake and you risk undermining your social presence and potentially damaging your credibility - and that of your business.

But fear not. This third issue of The Content Connection is a deep dive into how to avoid glaring missteps on the platform and how to amplify your online presence.

Building Your Brand

DON’T TREAT LINKEDIN AS A JOB BOARD: The first and most fatal misconception is to limit yourself on LinkedIn. The site is rich and powerful – not just a job search platform. Limiting content to ads or job posting causes users to ignore its meaningful potential to build professional relationships, showcase brands, and connect with (or become) a thought leader.

DON’T BE A CLOSED BOOK: Executives should recognize the potential of LinkedIn and embrace the significance of authenticity in promoting their personal brand. Numerous marketers emphasize the importance of openly sharing personal stories and perspectives.

DON’T SKIMP ON YOUR PROFILE: ?Underestimating the importance of a strong profile is an enormous error. A weak, jargon-filled, or incomplete profile can hinder opportunities. Inadvertently indicating a lack of attention to details and data will not make a good impression on potential and existing employers, clients, and colleagues.

DON’T BE CHEAP: Free LinkedIn plans provide the basics—but that’s about it. You’re at the top of your game so pay up for a monthly plan, which allows you to send messages to those you to whom you are not connected, get clear data on who is visiting your posts and profile, and expands your search functions dramatically.

Posting Your Content

DON’T SHARE EVERY DAY: Consistency in posting, commenting, and liking is important but inundating the feeds of others won’t help. You want to get noticed without oversharing. Posting 1-3 times weekly is the best way to create helpful content that users can engage with in a timely manner.

DON’T WRITE TOO MUCH: The adage “less is more” never rings truer than on LinkedIn. Newsfeed posts should be punchy and engaging: four to five short paragraphs. If you have something of great note or significance, feel free to delve in but, remember, most people are only on the site for a short time.

DON’T OVER-VALUE POST VIEWS: It’s exciting to see a high number of post views but don’t be fooled into thinking those are actual engagements with a post. Post views on LinkedIn mean “impressions” – someone saw the post in their feed but didn’t necessarily read on or click through.

DON’T RELY ON ROBOTS: AI is changing the automation landscape but the tech still has a lot of limitations. Transcription errors, syntax problems, and replication of ideas can lead to posts which won’t be taken seriously… which is the last thing you want.

Engaging Your Network

DON’T JUST REPOST: Want to share an awesome piece from a friend? Write your own introduction and link to the content, rather than just repost theirs. An original post will get significantly higher engagement thanks to LinkedIn’s algorithms.

DON’T FEAR CONNECTIONS WITH STRANGERS: LinkedIn is a cocktail party—feel free to introduce yourself to others. Your network shouldn’t be limited to people you know in real life. Reaching out through direct messages and comments to people you value or admire – it can yield incredible results.

DON’T FORGET TO TAILOR YOUR MESSAGES: If you do engage with strangers, tailor the connection request. rather than sending a connection request without a personal message or any context. Impersonal or empty scattershot requests can be perceived as spammy and hurt your personal brand.

DON’T SAY YES TO EVERYONE: While you should expand your network from all sources, make sure requests are credible. Accept connections from people that have relevance to you or those with intriguing expertise, much as you would do with face-to-face business.

LinkedIn presents immense opportunities for professionals to establish their personal brand, network, and showcase their expertise in their industry. However, it is crucial to avoid common mistakes that can limit the platform's effectiveness.

By regularly creating engaging and authentic content, optimizing their profiles, and actively engaging with their network, business leaders can effectively leverage the power of LinkedIn to build lasting professional relationships and establish themselves as thought leaders in their field.

In doing so, they can reap the rewards of a strong and influential online presence that can lead to new business opportunities and even greater career growth.