The F?i?v?e? Six W's of LinkedIn Posts

Why should the reader care about your brag?

You’ve probably seen the humble braggart’s LinkedIn post often:

I’m excited to speak at this event.

I am thrilled to join COMPANY.

What’s in it for the reader of this post?

Sure, your close colleagues will congratulate you on your new job or the speaking gig.

What does the casual reader, scrolling through posts, learn that may be helpful to them?

Everyone listens to the world’s greatest radio station WII-FM, also known as What’s In It For Me. That self-congratulatory post does not tell them anything meaningful.

Let’s revisit the five W’s of journalism, adding a SIXTH W for WHAT and WII-FM. Keep in mind the WHY as well:

1. WHO is the audience you address

2. WHAT do they care about

3. WHEN, is this time sensitive

4. WHERE are they looking for information

5. WHY should they care

Now, the addition:

6. WHAT do you want them to do next

Here are two generic posts, followed by gentle edits to improve them with an eye on the interest of the reader. The author must look beyond any self-congratulatory note to consider WHY the reader should care and WHAT action they are being prompted to take.

Original: I am excited to speak at the NAME OF EVENT on DATE in CITY. It will be an amazing and informative conference. Register here.

Revised: I am excited to speak at the NAME OF EVENT on DATE in CITY. My subject is TOPIC A, TOPIC B and how these issues affect TOPIC C. Register here.

Now that the reader has learned the subject of the program, they will think one of the following:

* NAME is speaking on TOPIC B. I will sign up.

* I don’t know NAME, but I am interested in TOPIC A. I will look at their profile or website and see whether it might be worthwhile for me to attend the event.

* NAME is speaking, but I cannot go that day. I should invite them to speak at my organization.

Original: I’m really excited to announce that I’ve joined COMPANY. The executive team are an extremely talented group and I look forward to working with them.

Revised: I’m really excited to announce that I’ve joined COMPANY. As a Marketing Communications professional, I'll ensure our promotional materials correspond to the local culture when entering new markets in Europe.

Reader’s thought:

* How interesting that COMPANY is expanding its presence in Europe! That may represent an opportunity for licensing their products and collaboration. I’ll invite NAME for a drink to celebrate and get an update.

* Wow! Perhaps our European division can sell more widgets to COMPANY. I’ll contact NAME and congratulate them, so I can learn more.

This Month's Tip

LinkedIn posts are about YOU, but that does not mean YOURSELF. They are about YOU, the reader. Focus on WHY someone should care and, having read what you wrote, WHAT you want them to do. Emphasize the takeaways and action steps suggested by the post. No one wants to listen to a braggart.

Contact

What are the WHAT and WHY of your latest LinkedIn posts? Contact me at [email protected], book an appointment here or call me at 212.677.5770. Let’s add that sixth W to your posts on LinkedIn and keep the reader in mind.

See also WII-FM? Why Should a Dentist, Landlord or Supermarket Clerk Care About Your Nonprofit or Business?