Get More from LinkedIn in 2024

It's a new year, the annual time when many people make resolutions. Perhaps resolutions to eat better, lose weight, travel more or even get a new job. Hopefully, people will also prioritize their LinkedIn presence in 2024. It's always a good time to use LinkedIn, but there are more reasons to do so now based on two significant platform milestones last year.

On May 5, 2003, LinkedIn reached its 20th anniversary. This milestone may be a surprise to some considering LinkedIn it is older than Facebook (launched on February 4, 2004), Twitter/X (launched on March 21, 2006) and even YouTube (launched on February 14, 2005). Another big LinkedIn milestone last year was when it reached 1 Billion members in November.

For a long time, LinkedIn has been the underdog of social media platforms. Instead of being caught up in the hype of getting massive users or chasing trends, it has consistently focused on maintaining a quality platform.

In recent years LinkedIn has been evolving at a rapid pace. Keeping up with the new features can be challenging. Those who may have been off the platform for many years will undoubtedly be pleasantly surprised with all the bells and whistles that it has now.

As a testament to the increased popularity of LinkedIn, it has drawn the attention of Snoop Dogg. He joined the platform last year in August. As noted in the screenshot below, Snoop stated:

"...this (LinkedIn) is the world's greatest personal brand building machine."

Snoop admitted that he wished he had known about LinkedIn much sooner. He is just one example of the new energy that the platform has. Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) continues singing its praises as well.

"There are too many still sleeping on LinkedIn. It's not enough just to have a page anymore. Get serious about a strategic, contextual creative ... post every day to show your expertise or give your two cents on an issue or topic affecting your industry. Do this consistently, and LinkedIn will be a major arbitrage for your business next year." (YouTube November 14, 2023)

Whether you are a job seeker, a career professional looking to use LinkedIn for brand ambassadorship purposes, an entrepreneur seeking quality business leads or investors or a CEO looking to drive more market share...this is the year to start maximizing LinkedIn more.

So how can you get more from LinkedIn in 2024?

No matter where you are on your professional journey, you will gain the greatest benefits from LinkedIn based on you not being a spectator, but an active user. This means consistently creating content. When doing so, keep in mind that the nature of content on the platform is different than on other ones. In June 2023, LinkedIn announced major changes to its algorithm. It now prioritizes knowledge-based content. This means content should provide value and lead to conversations in the comments.

Having a post go viral on LinkedIn should not be one's goal when creating content. In fact, here's what LinkedIn's editor-in-chief, Dan Roth, had to say about going viral:

"When things go viral on LinkedIn, usually that's a sign to us that we need to look into this, because that's not celebrated internally," (Entrepreneur, June 2023)

It can happen, but the frequency is rare due to the sophisticated algorithm. It's better to have a strategy that is less focused on trying to game the algorithm and more focused on quality content. Our mindsets should also be focused on the cumulative value of content. Instead of being overnight sensations or one-post wonders, seek to become a trusted source. This process takes time.

Because LinkedIn is a social selling platform, our focus should not just be on the content we provide. Prioritizing intentional and authentic engagement with content on our newsfeeds is equally important. LinkedIn's algorithm not only analyzes our content but also analyzes comments. Be sure to not just leave quick one-word or generic phrases, but comments that reflect that you truly read posts and what your thoughts were about them. We can't get away with doing what is the norm on other platforms. Keep in mind that it is the exclusive platform for professional and business purposes, so the standard is much higher.

More people are gravitating to LinkedIn as other social platforms continue to have problematic issues. The more crowded it gets, the harder it may be to gain visibility. Being strategic with your content can allow you to stand out on the newsfeed.

When creating content, ask yourself these questions before hitting the post button:

1. Does the caption provide value? Are you sharing some advice or insights?
2. Is the post in alignment with your brand themes?
3. What else can you add to the post to make sure it is a complete thought?

Sometimes it may be helpful to draft the posts and then step away from them to clear your head. It may also help to read the post out loud to capture errors and evoke other thoughts that you can add.

There's the statement that 'variety is the spice of life.' This statement holds true for LinkedIn content as well. Consider taking advantage of all the different options that LinkedIn provides in addition to regular posts with text and images. The options include; polls, native videos, articles, newsletters, LinkedIn Lives, LinkedIn Audio Events, etc.

Your content creation process should also include you bringing your authentic self to the platform. Accelerate the process of people getting to know, like and trust you by sharing glimpses into you as a person. Some may say it can be risky and believe they have to stay in a rigid box on the platform. It's all about networking. When networking in person, we get into casual conversations to build rapport with people. We don't just strictly talk about work or business. Building your brand online should include getting personal just. Here's another quote from Dan Roth that conveys the importance of this point:

“We are much more open as professionals to talk about what we do beyond our work and to show vulnerability in how we operate,” said Dan Roth, LinkedIn’s editor in chief and vice president. “There’s a craving for authenticity. You want to work with people who are real people, not bots.” (The Washington Post, August 2023)

Having a fully optimized profile and quality network is still important, but the game-changer on LinkedIn is quality content. It will elevate you as a subject matter expert, help you build community and generate offline results.

Clarene Mitchell is the Founder/CEO of TCM Communications. She changes the trajectory of lives and businesses through her results-orientated LinkedIn one-on-one coaching, group training, event speaking and ghostwriting services. In January 2021, LinkedIn recognized her 'Shine Online Bulletin' as a Top Pick for learning how to enhance your network and online visibility and in 2022 she was in LinkedIn's inaugural Technology & Innovation cohort of its Creator Accelerator Program (CAP). She is also the creator and host of 'LinkedIn News Digest & Insights w/Clarene,' a monthly LinkedIn Live show at 6 pm ET. She also offers free LinkedIn profile assessments via 30-minute Zoom sessions, you can schedule yours now.