How to boost your LinkedIn posts

LinkedIn is no longer a set-it-and-forget-it site. You used to be able to write your profile, ignore the site, and BOOM - recruiters are reaching out to you.

Not anymore. LinkedIn changed its algorithm in 2023 and now it rewards KNOWLEDGE and ENGAGEMENT.

You can tackle both by writing posts on LinkedIn.

Posts help your job search and personal brand in several ways:

? Posts are a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, which helps you stand out as a job candidate.

? Posts increase your profile's reach, which in turn expands your network and potential contacts.

? Posts are a wonderful way to start building your brand and community, both of which are critical to today's job search.

But if you haven't been too active on LI, a few things can happen when you post:

? You don't post at all because it's scary to put yourself out there.

? You post, but don't get any traction or engagement with your posts.

? You lose steam because you don't know what to say or you're discouraged after a few posts.

Today I'm sharing tips to combat all of those problems. First, I'll talk about what to post on LinkedIn, then I'll share tips on how to maximize those posts.

WHAT TO POST ABOUT ON LINKEDIN

This is a great opportunity to showcase your knowledge and position yourself as a skilled candidate. Here are some post ideas:

1) Share stories about your professional experience. Successes, accomplishments, challenges you overcame, problems you solved, and lessons learned. For example, if you're applying for social media roles, talk about your past social media successes like getting new followers or making viral campaigns.

2) Talk about your skills. Particularly highlight the skills your target employers want. (Including soft skills like "leadership" and "teamwork".) You can also talk about the new skills you’re learning, books you're reading, and resources you’re exploring.

3) Your activity. Share what's happening in your day. You can talk about professional and personal development like preparing for a conference, attending a webinar, or participating in a networking event.

You can also write about personal activities too - LinkedIn has gotten more "social" and we like to know the person behind the profile. You can talk about your hobbies and activities, pets, family, weekend activities, and even selfies. Authenticity and vulnerability go a long way.

4) Write about the skills/keywords you see in job descriptions. For example, if your ideal jobs want experience with Salesforce, talk about your experience using the platform.

5) Search your topic/job title/industry in the search bar and click on “Posts." What are other people saying on the topic? Get ideas and inspiration for your posts.

BONUS: Which posts/topics are most popular??Leave a comment on a popular post and then turn your comment into a post.

6) Look at the LinkedIn News tab in the upper right corner of your home page. Are there any trending conversations you could write about? (While you're there, comment on other people’s posts, the ones that have a lot of comments.)

7) If you just applied for a job, write a post about it and tag the company. "I can do x, y, z skills and that's why I just applied for the x role at @thecompany."

HOW TO BOOST YOUR LINKEDIN POSTS

When it comes to LinkedIn, you get out what you put in. If you’re posting on LI and not getting the traction you want, try this before you post:

1) Comment on the site for at least 30 minutes before you post. LinkedIn rewards engagement, so this “warms up” the algorithm on your behalf. If you haven't posted or interacted with LI for a bit, I recommend commenting and interacting with the site for a few days before you post.

2) After you post, comment for another 30 minutes. Aim for at least 10 comments total, if not more.

3) Reply to all comments in your post, especially in the “golden hour," which is the first 60 minutes after posting. This helps boost the post’s reach.

4) If it’s an important post, like you’re writing about being #OpentoWork, message some contacts with the link to the post and ask them to like/interact with the post. This will also boost engagement. (PS: If you're writing about #OpentoWork, please use my Open to Work Info Sheet.)

5) If you’re writing an important post, don’t publish it on the weekends. Wait for the workweek, when more people are on LI.?I like Tuesdays and Wednesdays for important posts. I have found the best time to post is lunchtime/early afternoon (for my time zone, EST).

LINKEDIN POST MINDSET

I want to wrap up today's newsletter with a mental check-in. If you are intimidated or worried about posting on LinkedIn - "What will people think?" - I'm here to assuage you of those worries.

1) No one thinks about you as much as you think about you. I assure you, no one is out there tracking your posts and saying, "That Emily, what a dumba**." We're all too busy wrapped up in our own lives and insecurities to pay attention to someone else.

2) You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable. No risk, no reward, right? It's time to get comfortable putting yourself out there, boasting about your experience, and sharing your skills, especially if you've been avoiding it in the past.

3) Start small. If you're not ready to highlight your skills or experience yet, no worries! You can start by sharing an article and adding your personal take on the topic. Or share an inspirational quote, a funny picture, or ask a question to your network. As you build up confidence with posting, you can talk more about your background and expertise.

4) Leave comments. This is truly the best way to start small on LinkedIn while increasing engagement. If you're REALLY not ready to post yet, please challenge yourself to leave 10 comments a day on other posts. The algorithm likes it and you can start getting your name out there.

I'm rooting for you. ??

PS: Are you stuck on LinkedIn? Don't know how to write your profile, attract recruiters, or what the heck do to on LinkedIn? Do you need to "do LinkedIn more" but hate it or don't know where to start? Join my LINKEDIN FOR JOBSEEKERS group course starting next week! https://emilyworden.com/linkedin-for-jobseekers

Thanks for reading this newsletter. I share practical career advice about the job search, personal branding, networking, LinkedIn, and building career confidence. The job search sucks. Let me help you make it a little easier.

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EMILY WORDEN is a certified professional career coach helping driven job seekers get hired, get paid, and get more confident in their personal and professional lives. She helps mid-career professionals with career transitions, whether they want to move into a new industry or return to work after a career pause. Emily created a proven five-step SMART job search method to help people find jobs they love for more money than they were expecting - the typical client receives a job offer in three months with a 20% pay increase. Kick your career in gear at www.emilyworden.com.