How to Write a Blog on LinkedIn

In speaking with a network connection today, we were discussing that he has a lot of expertise to share with his network. He is already a sought after speaker, and I suggested he start blogging on LinkedIn.

“Great idea,” he said. “But how?”

If you struggle with blog content, do what I do: blog when someone asks you for advice based on your industry.

Rather than just telling him, I’ve written this blog to share with all my followers. 

1. When logged into LinkedIn, go to your homepage and click “Write an Article.” This takes you to the LinkedIn blog area. FYI, LinkedIn refers to blogs as articles and you may sometimes see them in an area called “pulse.” They are all one and the same: LinkedIn blogs. Also FYI: “blog” is short for “web log,” which is essentially an online, public diary where you share your thoughts. I’ve found blogs work best when they are educational or information, and your sales push is subtle and included in the CTA (call to action) section at the end of every blog.
2. Give your blog a compelling headline. If you struggle with this, just put something in there for now and you can always change it later.
3. Write your blog. Focus on your areas of expertise. If you struggle with blog content, do what I do: blog when someone asks you for advice based on your industry.
4. Strive to write 300 – 1,200 words. I write my blogs first in Word, then I copy/paste into LinkedIn. That way, if there are any hiccups, you don’t lose your precious copy. Yes, this has happened to me before. UGH. If you’re not a strong writer, find someone to do the writing for you. This technique is common across all industries and there are people who do this for a living. Think about it this way: I COULD do an oil change on my car. I’d have to learn how. I know I would save the money spent going to an oil change shop every few months. But I have ZERO desire to do this myself. Same goes for writing: if you don’t enjoy writing, have someone do it for you. 
5. After you’ve written your blog, consider what images and / or videos you can add. Make it visually interesting. You may also consider numbered lists or bolding as I've done here.
6. Break your blog up into smaller sentences to make it mobile friendly. A paragraph containing 5-6 sentences stacks to show 12+ sentences on a mobile device. This makes it hard to skim. A skimmable blog that’s easy to read on mobile is better than a lengthy blog that looks like a lot of work to read, in my expert opinion. People are busy. Make it easy for them to skim and read, skim and read. 
7. Add a call-to-action section at the end of your blog. Check out mine at the bottom as an example. Include links to similar blogs to keep the reader reading.
8. Proofread your work. Spellcheck is a great tool, but it’s not perfect. Consider how the word “DEER” and “DEAR” are both words and spellcheck won’t flag either. 
9. Log into LinkedIn and post your blog in LinkedIn.
10. Once you're in LinkedIn, you may need to do some finessing with line spacing. Pull some text out in pullquotes to make it more interesting.
11. Share your blog on Google +. This helps your SEO almost immediately. UPDATE: Google+ no longer exists. Thanks Shawna for catching this!
12. Share your blog on LinkedIn as a status update and in relevant LinkedIn groups you belong to. Tell people a line or two about the article content. 
13. Share your blog on your company LinkedIn page. 
14. Share your blog on your Facebook personal page and company page.
15. Share your blog on Twitter. Note: items # 12 through # 15 may seem redundant, but they’re not. Your Facebook friends may not be on LinkedIn and vice versa. Your goal is to get as many people as possible reading your blog. 
16. Consider sharing your blog on your company website and link it to LinkedIn as the original blog source, or vice versa.
17. Once you’ve posted, monitor your readers' comments. Every comment deserves a comment in response. 

Once your blog is posted in LinkedIn, you may need to do some finessing with line spacing. Pull some text out in pull quotes to make it more interesting. Like this. 

Hope this helps. Happy Blogging!

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Let's connect on LinkedIn: www.dhirubhai.net/in/brendameller.

Check out these related blogs:

• Blog on LinkedIn? Why Bother? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/blog-linkedin-why-bother-brenda-meller-zawacki-/
• LinkedIn by the Numbers https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/linkedin-numbers-brenda-meller-zawacki-/
• How to Use LinkedIn for Marketing / Advertising https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/how-use-linkedin-marketing-advertising-brenda-meller-zawacki-/

Follow the Meller Marketing company page on LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/meller-marketing-llc/

Join my LinkedIn group: LinkedIn Experts "In the Know" https://www.dhirubhai.net/groups/8655127

Need help blogging? I work with individuals and organizations to help them with marketing and social media, specializing in LinkedIn. Visit https://www.mellermarketing.com/linkedin or email me at [email protected] to learn more.