Why you need to write articles on LinkedIn

These days it’s more important than ever to have a keyword optimised LinkedIn profile and to be sharing the right content online. However, the most powerful and credible content will always come directly from you. If you get it right, blogging is the perfect way to make you more memorable than your peers and this can lead to a whole range of new career opportunities.

Creating vs curating content

I recently wrote an article about why it matters to curate content on LinkedIn – sharing articles by other people that provide vital insights into your chosen field of expertise. This is a great way of building your reputation as someone who knows a lot about your specialist area; sharing and commenting will draw people to view your LinkedIn profile. But it’s only through telling your own stories, disclosing your own experiences, knowledge, and ideas, that you will come to be recognised as an expert in your field.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the only purpose of blogging is to attract customers. While this is something it can do very effectively, blogging also serves the purposes of raising your profile in your field and making your opinions sought-after. This not only boosts your credibility with your peers, it also increases how stakeholders, collaborators and employers think of you.

Why every company needs a good blogger

The term “thought leadership” might well make a lot of us cringe, but it’s a highly valued skill in the professional world. Every company needs someone who can make their vision accessible to others, present complex concepts in an understandable and interesting way; and most importantly, generate enthusiasm and support.

In other words, every company needs a storyteller. And this is why blogging is your chance to shine.

How often should you blog?

It’s important to share regular content; ideally weekly or at least fortnightly. This will drive views to your profile and remind your network of what you are interested in and what your expertise covers. However, blogging is more time-consuming than a quick share, so most people put it on their 'nice-to-do' list, and never get around to it.

The good news is – the new user interface only makes one blog post visible at a time. That 'See 24 more articles' is missed by most viewers of my profile. So you don't need to have lots of articles, just one is a great starting point to evidence that you know what you are talking about, and can communicate persuasively...

What to write and how to write about it

Our society is absolutely hung up on the idea of expertise – so the aim of your blog should be to prove you are an expert by sounding like one. Keep your focus narrow, and dive deep into your subject. Offer advice and action points that make you a go-to resource for people wanting to explore your subject further.

Carry a notebook with you everywhere you go. Fill it with whatever has inspired you and others you’ve spoken to – what were you talking about when you saw those light bulb moments in the eyes of your customers, peers or employees?

If you’ve said something insightful, it deserves to be written down and shared!

Find your passion and how it relates to your career

If you want to attract work that aligns with your interests and you really want companies begging you to work for them - you need to stand out from the crowd by blogging about topics that interest you. Being interested as well as interesting is key, because as leading success coach Jack Canfield often points out "it is a universal principle that you get more of what you think about, talk about and feel strongly about." If you’re not sure where your field of interest lies, check out some of the practical exercises and videos I’ve previously written about.

It’s worth pointing out that I mention in all my articles that I write winning resumes and LinkedIn profiles that get you found fast. This is not an accident. I’m also pretty blunt about the fact that I can’t find your purpose for you and in September's RU-OK blog I spoke openly about how listening is a work-in-progress for me. (I hesitated in being so raw about my failings, but I figure it's best for everybody if I attract clients who are comfortable with a very forthright style). Explaining what you do, and don’t do, is essential if you want your blog to lead to the best opportunities...

Once you’ve found your specialist area, set aside time for continuously improving your knowledge. Google what interests you. Read everything about and around your field. (The Blinkist app is a great reading time-saver if you want to collect and collate lots of ideas quickly.) Clue yourself up so thoroughly that you’ll always have something to offer to others. Austin Kleon expresses it best in his stunning book Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

“Be curious about the world in which you live. Look things up. Chase down every reference. Go deeper than anybody else – that’s how you’ll get noticed.”

How to blog if you struggle with writing

Many of us have the thoughts, ideas and insights that would make for really interesting and informative blogs, but struggle to write them down in a cohesive format. If this is the case, you can get your articles ghostwritten for you by trying a copy agency like GetACopywriter, or talk over your requirements with expert blog writer Kate Parker.

After all, a lot of us are better at speaking than we are at writing and ironically, one of the main benefits of blogging is that it can lead to speaking engagements, as your views become respected enough for people to want to listen to them.

At least two of my contacts, the employee experience expert Dr. Richard Claydon and resilience coach Paul Lyons have become such respected bloggers that they are now highly sought-after, handsomely paid speakers who regularly travel for speaking engagements throughout Asia. I’m not at that level yet (probably a great relief to hubby – it’s hard enough juggling two small children with one parent constantly travelling!). But it’s as a direct result of my blogging that I’ve secured regular speaking gigs here in Sydney at Beaumont and at the AICD.

Blogging is the best way to get known for what you’re interested in. And if that’s not what you currently do, it’s the perfect means of progressing your career and landing the dream role that fires your passion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you found this article useful, I'd appreciate a ‘like’ or comment or ‘follow me' as I share weekly career tips that will show up in your personal feed. Keen to read the blogs I've published so far? Click on my page, scroll down a bit, and beneath my latest article click "See more articles". Or click on the links below...

Karen Tisdell ? 0404 083 678 ? [email protected] ? LinkedIn enthusiast and coach ? Speaker ? Creator of Profiles that Win you the Work you Want...