LinkedIn articles for non-writers: 5 essential how-tos, whats & whys

I do not have the time to write LinkedIn articles! I frankly speaking do not know what to write, or even where to start. Is it really worth pushing through the messy process of writing something? What is it good for anyway?

One of the biggest challenges, which not only my clients but also various members of my social network seem to face, is writing LinkedIn articles. So let's have a look at this "problem" today. No fluff, let's get directly into action.

1.Which problem does your article solve?

If it does not solve a problem, it could reflect on one and get one step closer towards a solution. If this question does not help, try the following one: What is your message? Please do not write for the sake of writing. Create value.

If you feel stuck in reflecting on a potential topic, have a look at this article I wrote a while ago. And yes, start with short articles of 300-400 words, increase them to 700-800 after three months. If you want to, you can even go up to 1500-1800 words. Search engines will love you for that (SEO).

When it comes to finding a provocative title, which needs to mention the problem you solve, Nathalie Nahai is my personal heroine. Check out her SlideShare (page 51 onwards) for more inspiration.

2.An impressive beginning & great ending

Attract the reader's attention through a personal story, a provocative statement, a quote and/or an unconventional question that you pose. This is the moment where you have the chance to fascinate your audience. If this approach seems to be too tough for you - no worries -, start with the body (item three) and draft the beginning after finishing your LinkedIn article.

A lot of individuals miss out on the opportunity of a powerful ending. This part is essential, as it's the element of your article the majority of people will remember the most (they might have listened in the beginning, lost you in the middle and in the end continue being fully focused).

Experiment with the following strategies: A short summing up of your content in one to threes sentences. A conclusion, a call to action and/ or question; for example: Did you observe something similar in your office? Book your slot for our next webinar on this topic now!

3.The body. Time to persuade.

The body is the main part of your article and serves the purpose of elaborating your idea/message. Toastmasters International taught me that the best speakers use three till five pieces of information in their speeches. In my opinion this also applies to articles.

As a next step, prove these points with additional information. For this you can make use of statistics, quote experts, share a personal story, info graphics, anecdotes etc. Please also think of transitions like furthermore, in addition to that, last but not least.

When it comes to the question how to structure your body, try the following approaches:

• Problem (part A) - Solution (part B)
• Chronological (e.g. if you talk about the development of something, start with the oldest date, work towards today's status quo)
• Comparative (e.g. the advantages and disadvantages of solution x vs. solution y)
• Topical (e.g. within the music industry you will find classic, electronic, rock, country and jazz music, explain each of them separately)
• Spatial (e.g. when you explain how to optimally use the space in your house; in the living room...in the bed room... in the kitchen...)

4.Use VISUAL guidance 

This point is so SO underestimated. Please put yourself in the shoes of your audience. What do you think when you see a text of 1800 words without any sub headings and five paragraphs. Exactly. "Next item on my to-do list. I am not going to read that!"

Use concise sub headings, bullet points if needed, font styles (bold, italic, underline), create short paragraphs of three to five lines. Why? Many individuals firstly read through the sub headings and the conclusion and decide after that if they will read the whole article.

Posting an appealing photo on the top of the article is almost as important as an eye-catching title. "But I do not have the cash for stock images!" - No need for that. Platforms like Pixabay offer free pictures - without the must to credit the photographer. Various influencers and magazines I follow on social media work with this tool.

5.A few last insider hacks

I republish my blog articles on LinkedIn. It is a "copy & paste job" of maximum three minutes. Some other individuals only publish the first three till five paragraphs of their articles and then link to their blog, which is a great way of getting more traffic on your web page.

Another way of achieving the same target is mentioning old articles in your current article. And if you want to maximize your exposure, also tell your Twitter followers that you published a post. There is a button for that on LinkedIn as well.

One last thought: LinkedIn wants you to write articles, which means they are prepared for your questions. Do not hesitate to check out their Help center!

The why and summing it up

Writing LinkedIn articles is a powerful, cost-efficient tool for your business. On the one hand, it supports you in making your LinkedIn profile look more impressive (articles appear above the summary section). On the other hand, you can showcase your expertise and build your brand through it.

In addition to that I see publishing LinkedIn articles as a pull marketing tool: As a way of selling less and giving (back) more. Once your clients genuinely like your way of thinking and solving challenges; once they trust you, the likeliness that they will purchase your services - next time they need them - radically increases. This is at least what I have learned over the last years.

So, when will you publish your first LinkedIn article?