The [Content Marketing x Personal Branding] Guide For Everyone on LinkedIn

When I first started out with personal branding and content marketing, let me tell you—I was completely overwhelmed.?

There is just so much advice out there—create a website, build a social media following, post every day—that it is paralyzing. I didn’t know where to begin.

But over time, I found my way.

Revision - Guide Basics and Quick Checklists

Phase 1 Checklist | Phase 2 Checklist | Phase 3 Checklist

Phase 4 Checklist | Phase 5 Checklist | Phase 6 Checklist

What worked for me was breaking everything down into a process—a step-by-step method. And once I figured that out, it became much simpler.

Not easy, but manageable. Let’s get started, phase by phase.

Phase 1: The Strategy Phase

Without a solid strategy, everything you build will lack direction. Before you dive into creating anything, you’ve got to ask yourself: What do I stand for? Who am I even talking to? Your niche might be totally different from mine. Whatever it is, the rule stays the same: find your unique value and narrow it down to a specific audience.

Step 1: Choose Your Platforms

Selecting your platforms can be tricky because there are so many options—Quora, LinkedIn, Medium, newsletters, and more. And if you’re just starting out, your first instinct might be, “Why not be everywhere?”?

But trust me, that gets overwhelmingly fast. So, it’s better to scale back and focus on two core platforms: LinkedIn for thought leadership and Quora for building authority through Q&A.

Platforms I'd suggest:

• Quora is a great place to answer niche-specific questions and build authority.
• LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professionals. It’s fantastic for networking, sharing your expertise, and building a personal brand.
• Substack (or any other) newsletter platform is essential for creating a direct line of communication with your audience.
• Your website or blog could be your home base where all your long-form content lives.

When you're just starting out on any of these platforms, it’s easy to feel like, “Who am I to give advice?” But you should push through. Answer a few questions.

Share what you know and link back to your newly created blog. People may start following you, which can lead to traffic on your website.

Step 2: Build Your Digital Presence

The next step in the strategy phase is setting up your digital presence. Think of it like this: you need a digital home. A place people can visit to learn about you and what you do.

Create a website

I built my website using WordPress and Hostinger. It’s simple, customizable, and, most importantly, allows you to have full control over your content.?

Start blogging

Not ready for a full-on website?

Medium is also a great place to start. I used to write there first, which allowed me to write consistently without the pressure of running a full site. Plus, the built-in audience is a nice little bonus.

Pro Tip - You don’t have to build all of this overnight. When I was starting out, I launched my website first, then gradually added a blog and newsletter. Focus on one platform at a time.

Phase 2: The Execution Phase

This phase is when you really start to see the wheels turning as you create and share content that supports your personal brand. When I first got here, I was pumped but a little overwhelmed. There are so many moving parts! Let me break it down step by step.

Step 1: Decide Your Content Pillars

Think of content pillars as the main themes or topics you’ll consistently cover. For me, I chose personal branding, content marketing, and fintech because those were the areas I had the most expertise and passion for. Identifying these pillars was crucial because they became the backbone of everything I published.

Once you figure out your 2-3 main themes that line up with your interests and skills, everything else just clicks into place. Your content has a direction. When I focused on my core pillars, suddenly, I had a brand narrative that made sense. I knew what to post, and my audience knew what to expect from me.?

Step 2: Make a List of Profiles to Target

Once you have your content pillars, think about who you want to engage with. Make a list of profiles that match your content pillars. These could be:

• influencers
• decision-makers
• even potential collaborators

Use LinkedIn and Quora to identify who is active in your niche.

For example, if you’re in fintech, you might want to jot down fintech influencers, content marketers, and startup founders. If they're active on LinkedIn and Quora, they’re probably worth your time.

Step 3: Recall a Personal Story Around Each Pillar

Do you know what really connects with people? Storytelling. I made it a point to weave personal stories into every piece of content. These stories made my content relatable and more authentic.

I remember the time I got a bit inactive online. Life happened. So, I decided to share the reason behind it with a personal story. I spilled the beans in my newsletter on what I was going through, and it resonated with my audience because it was real.?

Step 4: Publish a Newsletter Related to Your Story

Once you’ve recalled a personal story, turn it into a newsletter. Newsletters are a great way to deliver value straight to your audience’s inbox. For me, newsletters became one of my most valuable content assets. I shared personal experiences, tips, and insights that aligned with my content pillars.

Step 5: Search for Relevant Quora Questions

Quora is a goldmine for engagement and visibility. Answer questions related to your content pillars and include links to your blog posts and newsletters. Search for two Quora questions that align with your content pillars. Focus on questions where your personal story or expertise can add value.

Step 6: Answer a Quora Question with Personal Storytelling

When answering Quora questions, I always tried to bring in personal storytelling. This made my answers more engaging and helped differentiate me from other experts. Storytelling makes your answer more than just a collection of facts; it becomes a conversation.

Step 7: Publish a LinkedIn Post Based on Your Story

After answering questions on Quora, repurpose it into a LinkedIn post. Take what you’ve written and give it a fresh spin. Share the story, share the wisdom. Let them in on your insights. Then, ask them to subscribe to your newsletter. Be sure to drop a direct link in the comments for easy access.?

Step 8: Finalize a Blog Topic and Sub-Topics

Pick a blog topic that fits nicely with your content pillars. Something that actually matters to your audience.?

Next, divide it into two subtopics. Why? People love bite-sized chunks of information, and we’re going to spread it out a bit.?

Your website should host the main blog, while you can publish the sub-topics on Medium. This not only boosted my SEO but also kept my audience engaged across multiple channels.

Step 9: Interlink Your Content for Maximum Impact

Interlink your main blog and sub-topics with the sub-topics. Connect everything! Your Quora answers, newsletters, LinkedIn posts—get them all on the same page. This creates a cohesive web of content that drives traffic across all platforms. This is crucial for SEO and user engagement.

Phase 3: The Distribution Phase

Without effective distribution, even the best content will fall flat. The goal here is simple: maximize visibility. Get your content out there! Drive engagement. You want the right people to like, share, and comment on it.

Early on, I thought that publishing a blog or posting on LinkedIn was enough, but I soon realized that it wasn’t. You need to distribute it strategically across various platforms to reach a wider audience. Here’s the step-by-step process I followed:

Step 1: Answer Questions on Quora (with useful links)

So, here’s one of my favorite tricks from the distribution phase: answer at least two Quora questions related to your niche. When you answer that second question, put in a link to your main blog. This drives traffic to your website and gives readers a place to explore more of your content.

Here's one of my Quora answers -

Pro Tip - When answering Quora questions, don’t just drop a link. Add value: answer the question thoroughly, share your insights, and throw in a few personal stories if you can. Make it engaging! Once you’ve given a nice answer, integrate your link as a resource for further reading.

Step 2: Publish Quora Posts with LinkedIn Links

You can also create standalone Quora posts on one of your content pillars or topics. At the end of your post, toss in a link inviting readers to follow you on LinkedIn.?

Why do this? Well, Quora is all about the topics. People go there to soak up knowledge and get answers. But LinkedIn is where you show your professional side. You get to share all that content you’ve created and connect with your network.

Step 3: Publish LinkedIn Posts (with Blog Links)

LinkedIn is great for anyone building a personal brand, especially in professional or niche industries. So, publish a LinkedIn post on your main content topic. Keep it engaging, whether it’s:

• a personal story
• a new insight
• a major takeaway from your blog

In the comments section, include the link to your main blog. This way, your post stays clean, and those who are interested can easily click through to your blog.

Pro Tip - Use your LinkedIn post to spark engagement. Ask questions or include a call to action to encourage comments. This will increase your visibility and reach within the platform’s algorithm.

Step 4: Share Sub-Topics and Link to Your Medium Blog

Do not make the mistake of only focusing on the main topics. Subtopics are smaller, nuanced pieces of content that can open up new conversations and engagement.

So, publish a LinkedIn post focusing on a specific subtopic related to your main blog post. In the comments, drop a link to your Medium blog where you’ve published a more detailed article on the subtopic. You’re getting people to engage across different platforms and leading them to check out more of your content.?

Step 5: Publish LinkedIn Posts About Using Quora

Another super effective strategy is to cross-promote your work on different platforms. For example, when you’re active on Quora, tell your LinkedIn audience about it.

Publish a LinkedIn post talking about your Quora activity, why it’s valuable, and how it has helped you build your brand. Insert a link inviting your LinkedIn followers to follow you on Quora as well. Your LinkedIn audience would get a peek at what you’re doing on Quora, and your Quora audience would see your LinkedIn expertise.?

Step 6: Publish Your Newsletter and Promote It Everywhere

Publishing a "banger" newsletter is one thing, but getting people to subscribe and read it is another. I’ve found that LinkedIn is a powerful tool to drive newsletter subscribers.?

Post about it on LinkedIn, but don’t just mention that it’s out. Craft a post explaining why this particular edition is valuable and why people should read it.?

Also, consider creating a LinkedIn article that ties into the newsletter content. Include the highlights of your latest newsletter or what you pulled off with it. It works like a teaser for what’s inside your newsletter.?

Step 7: Link Everything Together Like Your Life Depends on It

When you’re distributing content across multiple platforms, make sure all roads lead back to your main hubs—whether that’s your LinkedIn, website, blog, or newsletter. The more interconnected your content is, the more you’ll keep people engaged and moving through your content ecosystem.

Add links in all your posts, whether it’s:

• a blog link in a LinkedIn post comment
• a LinkedIn profile link in your Quora answers
• newsletter links in your articles

Here's what I did on Twitter (X) -

Step 8: Create More Content and Link Back to Your Previous Posts

Once you’ve distributed your first round of content, keep creating, keep distributing, and keep linking back to previous content to keep it relevant. Create more blogs, LinkedIn posts, Quora answers, and newsletters. This time, insert the link to your latest LinkedIn article in all of them.?

This is how you build a content ecosystem: Everything connects, everything leads somewhere, and you continually drive traffic between your platforms.

Phase 4: The Performance Phase

Once your content is live and you’ve begun distributing it across platforms, evaluate how it’s performing.?

Step 1: Pick KPIs for Each Channel

When I first reached this phase, I was too focused on vanity metrics—things like likes and shares, which didn’t tell me the full story. Over time, I realized that success in content marketing and personal branding goes far deeper. You've to look at the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and use that data to refine your approach.?

Each platform has its own unique set of indicators. To make this easier, I focused on the most critical KPIs for each platform.

• For Quora, upvotes and comments are a direct indicator of how useful and engaging your answers are.
• Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares) and followers on LinkedIn show how well your posts resonate with your audience and if your thought leadership is growing.
• Subscribers and open rates for your newsletter tell you how well your newsletter is capturing and keeping the attention of your audience.
• Website traffic, new users, and user events (such as clicks or downloads) show how well the site is attracting and engaging visitors.
• Followers, blog views, and traffic sources on Medium show how well your writing is performing and where your readers are coming from.

Set up tracking tools for each platform to monitor these KPIs:

• Google Analytics for your website and Medium
• LinkedIn Analytics for social engagement
• Your newsletter provider’s built-in metrics (like Mailchimp or Substack analytics)

Step 2: Create Detailed Reports with Insights

Once I had gathered enough data, I found that creating monthly reports allowed me to see trends over time. Rather than looking at data in isolation, I could compare performance over weeks or months to spot patterns.

Use charts and graphs

Visual aids like charts and graphs help you understand your data at a glance. I initially used Google Sheets to create graphs for metrics like LinkedIn engagement and Quora upvotes.

Highlight trends

Instead of just showing raw data, focus on key insights and trends. Are certain types of content performing better than others? Are your followers growing at a consistent rate? These trends will help guide your next steps.

Pro Tip - I started by tracking just a few KPIs each month and slowly added more as I got comfortable with the process. Just be consistent. Even if your content doesn’t perform as expected for one month, keep tracking, as it will give you amazing insights over time.

Step 3: Compare Engagement Rates Across Platforms

Once you have data from multiple channels, compare engagement rates across platforms. I found that LinkedIn was driving the most engagement, while Quora was great for authority-building but didn’t bring as much traffic to my website.

I’d recommend creating a comparison chart for each platform, measuring engagement rates like comments, shares, upvotes, or followers gained. Once you have a clear picture, you can make more informed decisions about where to focus your energy moving forward.

Step 4: Adjust Strategy Based on Statistical Insights

I realized that not all content was created equal, and some topics resonated better with my audience than others. This is where you’ll take action based on the insights from your reports.

Here’s how you can adjust your strategy:

• Based on what’s working (or not), you can set new, realistic performance targets for each platform.
• If you find that certain KPIs aren’t giving you the full picture, add new metrics to your reports. For example, I started tracking LinkedIn post reach in addition to engagement.
• Based on your analysis, you may discover that some content pillars are performing better than others. Adjust your content strategy to focus more on high-performing topics and cut back on the ones that aren’t working.
• If the data shows that your audience is engaging more with certain topics or formats (like personal stories vs. industry news), shift your content to align with these preferences.

Pro Tip - Based on your findings, create a new action plan every quarter. This keeps your strategy dynamic and ensures you don’t get stuck in a cycle of producing unproductive content.

Step 5: Document All Findings for Pitching and Promotion

I used to think that performance reports were only for personal reference, but they turned out to be incredibly valuable during the pitching and promotion phases. Having detailed data at your fingertips helps you prove your value to potential collaborators or clients. It shows them that your content strategy is not just creative but also data-driven. Here’s how:

Maintain a real-time portfolio

Keep your portfolio updated with your latest performance reports. This can be a dedicated section on your website or a personal folder you share with potential collaborators.

Link reports to assets and posts

Add links in your portfolio that connect specific reports to your content. For example, you can link a performance report on your LinkedIn post engagement to the actual post.

Pro Tip - Keep a running document (Google Drive, Dropbox, or your website) with your key findings, charts, and graphs. This will be a powerful tool for showcasing your results in your pitching and promotion phases.

Phase 5: The Promotion Phase

When I reached this phase, I realized that creating great content alone wasn’t enough; I had to be intentional about promoting it effectively. Of course, promotion isn’t just about shouting into the void; it’s about leveraging different formats, platforms, and collaborations to engage your audience.?

Step 1: Publish Purposeful LinkedIn Posts

Your LinkedIn posts should do more than just talk about what you’re working on. You need to give value, share insights, and demonstrate why you’ve chosen certain strategies.

Post on Why You Have a Website

Publish a post explaining why you created a personal website. Detail how it serves as your digital portfolio.?

You may use the carousel format to make it more engaging and add screenshots of your website and reports. It would visually walk people through your thought process.?

Don't forget to share the blog link in the comment section to drive traffic.

Post on Why You Use Medium

Share a post about why you publish on Medium, with an inserted screenshot of your blog stats to show the impact Medium has had on your reach.?

Again, add the blog link in the comments to encourage people to visit and explore further.

Post on Why You Use Quora

Post about why you chose Quora as a platform for answering niche-specific questions. Include Quora analytics in the post to show how answering questions drives traffic to your other platforms and link to your newsletter in the comments.?

Post on Why You Have a Newsletter

Publish a LinkedIn post about why you started a newsletter and include performance analytics from your latest campaign.?

Again, share the link to subscribe in the comments section. This would help you grow your email list quickly while also establishing your authority on the subject.

Step 2: Showcase Performance in a LinkedIn Article

Write a LinkedIn article summarizing your performance across all platforms. It's a great way to tie everything together.?

In this article, talk about your experiences with each platform—LinkedIn, Medium, Quora, your blog, and your newsletter—and provide insights and data points on how they have performed.

Step 3: Experiment with Different Formats and Collaborations

One thing that helped me stand out during this phase was trying different post formats and collaborating with others in my industry. I experimented with:

• videos
• images
• stories

I reached different segments of my audience. Visual content tends to catch more attention, especially when people are scrolling quickly through their feeds.

For example, this LinkedIn post -

You can also contact other creators and professionals in your niche to collaborate on content. This would help you reach their audiences and vice versa, creating a mutually beneficial promotional opportunity!?

Step 4: Launch Campaigns to Boost KPIs

After analyzing your performance in Phase 4, you should have a clear idea of what’s working and what isn’t. Use that data to launch targeted campaigns aimed at boosting your KPIs.?

Suppose you notice that engagement on your LinkedIn posts is lagging behind your blog views, so launch a campaign focused on increasing LinkedIn engagement by:

• posting more frequently
• using better visuals
• driving discussions in the comments

Use A/B testing to experiment with different types of:

• content
• post times
• formats

For example, you can try using polls or asking open-ended questions to encourage more interaction.

Step 5: Repurpose and Reintroduce Your Content Pillars

Instead of constantly creating new content, repurpose all your content from one platform to another. For example, turn a blog post into a LinkedIn article or a Quora answer into a Twitter thread. This not only saves time but also ensures that your audience sees your key messages more than once.

Step 6: Engage with Your Community

Remember that promotion is not just about posting; it’s also about engaging with your audience. Respond to comments, join discussions, and interact with people who are talking about similar topics. The more active you are in these conversations, the more visible your personal brand becomes. This is a great way to build relationships and keep your name on top of your mind.

Phase 6: The Pitching Phase

This phase is where all your hard work begins to pay off. Don’t make pitching all about being pushy or salesy—it’s more like building meaningful relationships with potential clients or collaborators.

Step 1: Identify Potential Clients and Collaborators

You want to pitch to the right people—those who are aligned with your niche and can benefit from your services or expertise. When I first started pitching, I made a list of companies and decision-makers in the fintech sector that I thought would resonate with my content and ideas.

So, research companies and individuals within your industry through LinkedIn, professional forums, or even Quora. When I first started reaching out to potential collaborators, I quickly learned that a generic LinkedIn invite wasn’t enough. Instead, I read their posts and found something specific to mention in my connection request.?

So, once you have a list, dig deeper by studying:

• their LinkedIn profiles
• their posts
• their company culture

This personalization significantly increased my connection acceptance rate. For instance, I once connected with a fintech startup founder by referencing a recent blog post they’d posted, which sparked an immediate conversation.

Step 2: Engage Consistently with Your New Connections

Pitching should never feel cold. Don’t jump straight to selling. I spent days, sometimes weeks, just engaging with my prospects’ posts and offering valuable comments or insights. This way, when I eventually pitched my services, it didn’t feel forced—it felt like a natural progression.

So, you should:

• interact with their posts by liking, commenting, or sharing
• give thoughtful feedback or spark a conversation
• message them with a non-pitch note, maybe discussing a topic they’ve recently posted about

Step 3: Create Shareable Resources

I always go prepared with materials that showcase my value, whether it’s:

• a personalized sample
• a pitch deck
• data from past performance

Having something tangible to share has always worked for me. After all, I'm not just telling them what I can do—I’m showing them.

Create personalized resources like:

• Samples tailored to their business needs
• A concise, visually appealing pitch deck
• Data from past reports (e.g., Quora upvotes, LinkedIn engagement, newsletter open rates)
• Campaign roadmaps that demonstrate how you can add value to their strategy
• A content portfolio linking all your best work (blog posts, articles, case studies)

For one of my pitches to a major fintech firm, I included a detailed roadmap of how I could improve their social media engagement using personal branding and content marketing strategies. I also included data from my past campaigns, which showed growth across various platforms. This personalized approach led to a long-term collaboration.

Step 4: Track and Maintain Notes of Your Interactions

Pitching doesn’t stop after you send out your first message. You should track your interactions and maintain detailed notes on each potential client or collaborator. I make it a point to document every engagement—whether it’s a comment I made on their post or a note they sent me. This helps keep the conversation personal and adjust the approach if needed.?

Create a system to keep track of:

• When you connect with someone
• What conversations you’ve had
• What feedback or interest they’ve shown
• What resources you’ve shared with them

Use this information to refine your next steps. Continuously edit your templates and resources based on what’s working and what’s not. For instance, if you notice that clients respond better to roadmaps over case studies, adjust your pitch accordingly.

After a few months of tracking my pitches and analyzing the responses, I realized that different industries responded to different types of pitches. For tech clients, showing them performance data worked best, but for creative industries, the storytelling aspect won them over.

Phase 7: The Results Phase

Reflect, evaluate, and strategize. In this phase, you'll carefully review each aspect of your strategy to gain valuable insights. These insights will guide your next steps and enhance your approach.?

Step 1: Review Channel Performances from Phase 1

Look at how each platform (Quora, LinkedIn, your blog, etc.) has contributed to your brand growth and engagement. Create a summary table of each channel’s performance over time, comparing:

• follower growth
• engagement rates
• traffic

When I first looked back at my channel performances, I was surprised to find that while my blog had great content, my LinkedIn presence had driven the most engagement and connections. This insight helped me decide where to focus my efforts in the coming months.

Step 2: Compile Engagement Metrics from Phase 2

Next, gather the engagement metrics you collected during the Execution Phase. Look at metrics like:

• likes, comments, shares, and saves on your posts
• open rates and click-through rates for your newsletters

Analyze how well your content resonated with your audience across various platforms.?

Step 3: Study and Update the Reports from Phase 3

As you review your content distribution efforts, update your reports from the Distribution Phase. Note any patterns or trends that have emerged from your distribution efforts, including:

• which types of content were most shareable
• what formats garnered the most engagement

These reports should reflect how effectively you’ve been able to get your content in front of your audience.

Step 4: Evaluate All Your Overall KPIs from Phase 4

With all your data gathered, evaluate your overall KPIs established in the Performance Phase. Create a KPI dashboard that provides a visual representation of your performance. Compare these KPIs against your goals to identify areas where you excelled and areas needing improvement. Assess how your strategies have aligned with your goals and identify any discrepancies.

Step 5: Review the Content Visibility from Phase 5

Take a closer look at how visible your content has been across different platforms by analyzing:

• the reach of your posts
• how often they were shared
• any feedback or conversations they sparked

This step helps you understand how effectively your promotion efforts have translated into audience engagement.

Step 6: Assess the Leads Generated from Phase 6

In the Pitching Phase, you focused on engaging with potential clients and collaborators. Now, assess how many leads were generated from your pitching efforts. Track any leads, partnerships, or clients you secured as a result of your pitching. Create a separate log to categorize leads based on source and conversion status.

Step 7: A/B Test Your High-Performing Resources

Identify your top-performing content pieces and run A/B tests to see how you can optimize them further. To see what drives even more engagement on your best-performing posts, experiment with:

• different headlines
• different images
• different calls to action

This testing will help you refine your approach and increase engagement on future content.

Step 8: Launch New Thought Leadership Campaigns

With all your insights in hand, you’re ready to launch new campaigns that position you as a thought leader in your niche. Use the data you’ve collected to design campaigns that leverage your strengths and fill in any gaps you’ve identified.

Step 9: Identify Content Gaps & Areas for Improvement

As you review your performance metrics, look for content gaps that need to be addressed. These gaps represent opportunities for you to create new content that will resonate with your audience. Create a list of topics and themes that your audience is interested in but that you haven’t yet covered. Use tools like Google Trends or AnswerThePublic to discover what your audience is searching for.

Step 10: Update Your Portfolio with Top-Performing Assets

Finally, refresh your portfolio. Include your best-performing content. Curate your top articles, posts, and case studies into a visually appealing portfolio that highlights your skills and achievements. This will showcase your expertise and provide social proof to potential clients and collaborators.

It's a Wrap (But Not for You)

Building a personal brand through content marketing is more like a marathon. It takes time, effort, and a dash of patience. But if you stick to this 7-phase action plan, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the authority in your niche.?

Just remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your personal brand won't pop up overnight, either. But trust me, if you keep executing your strategy and fine-tuning it along the way, those results will start rolling in.

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