Maximizing LinkedIn??: Strategies for Articles, Newsletters, and Collaborative Articles

LinkedIn?? is more than just a networking site; it's a powerhouse for anyone looking to up their game in content creation and share their expertise. With everything from articles and newsletters to the newer collaborative articles, LinkedIn gives you plenty of ways to get your voice out there, share what you know, and pick up a few things along the way.

First, a few stats – just 4% of posts on LI are articles, with 34% being part of newsletters. Despite their low reach, however, articles have the potential to grow your brand as they are indexed by Google.

ARTICLES (THE FOUNDATION)

Let's begin by diving into articles; LinkedIn articles are a great way to share your expertise and build your reputation as a thought leader.

If you’re a service professional, like a coach or consultant, you might want to use articles to answer common questions you get asked by clients or potential clients.

Besides being indexed by Google, LinkedIn also supports embedding images and videos in articles. So you can provide step-by-step instructions for those who learn by reading and share a video demonstration for people who learn by watching.

Article Ideas

??Discussing industry trends, where your industry is heading, where it will be in 5 years

??Business lessons you’ve learned or what you would change if you were starting over

??Sales strategies that work and don't work, and why

Content

??Aim for a length of around 1000 words, with short paragraphs and clear headlines.

??Add media such as images, graphics, or videos to aid learning or add context

??Create a compelling cover image to draw your audience in

Promote your articles by sharing it in a post where you can highlight “what’s inside” or share a few takeaways.

BONUS: People can view articles on your profile without being logged in to LinkedIn.

NEWSLETTERS (EXPAND REACH)

Recently I had a conversation with someone who started writing articles to build his reputation as a thought leader. I suggested creating a newsletter to increase his reach.

If you're not already aware, all of your LinkedIn connections and followers will be notified when you publish the first edition of your newsletter.

This is why it's essential to make sure your first article is so packed with great information that they will immediately subscribe.

After the first edition, your newsletter subscribers will be notified via email whenever you publish a new article.

LinkedIn will prompt you to share each article in a post as well.

More recently, LinkedIn added another reason to publish a newsletter: whenever someone Follows you, LinkedIn asks them if they want to subscribe to your newsletter

Setting Up Your Newsletter

It only takes a few minutes to create your newsletter. You will need to choose a name, provide a very brief description, and upload a small newsletter image (think headshot or logo).

Next, select how often you will publish

??Daily

??Weekly

??Every other week

??Monthly

Don’t panic, any or all of these can be changed.

While LinkedIn warns that changing the name of your newsletter can confuse subscribers, I’ve changed my newsletter name 3 times.

The newsletter began as Smarter Career Moves (which was the name of my LinkedIn Live show and podcast at the time). It evolved into Smarter Business Moves, and then to the current Smarter Marketing Moves.

If you decide to create a newsletter, publishing regularly is important.

So, choose a publishing schedule you can maintain.

After being on a monthly schedule, I recently shifted my newsletter to 2X a month. However, most of the newsletters I subscribe to are published monthly.

While I’ve been pretty consistent since I launched my newsletter just over two years ago, like many of my colleagues I’ve missed a month here and there.

Don't beat yourself up if life gets in the way.

Watch this video to see how to create a newsletter

COLLABORATIVE ARTICLES (EASIEST)

Moving on to a more recent opportunity to share your expertise: Collaborative Articles. ?

The purpose of Collaborative Articles, which are generated by AI, is to give members an opportunity to share their expertise and learn from others in the community.

Contributing to Collaborative Articles consistently will help you earn and maintain yellow community badges that you can share on your LinkedIn profile to showcase an area of expertise.

Right now, I have a Top Content Development Voice community badge.

You may get notifications in your feed inviting you to respond to various Collaborative Articles. Unfortunately, not all will be in your area of expertise.

An easy way to save time and focus on your areas of expertise is to use LinkedIn’s list of collaborative articles, which allows you to search by topic.

Link to Collaborative Articles page on LinkedIn

BONUS: As noted in the video about articles above, your contributions to these articles are visible to people not logged into the LinkedIn platform.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN

LinkedIn articles, newsletters, and collaborative articles are opportunities to share our knowledge and connect with others. Each option has pros and cons.

Writing articles can be time-consuming, and creating a newsletter requires a bit of commitment to publish at least once a month.

To earn and maintain community badges, you need to contribute to the same topic consistently.

For me, newsletters are the big winner because

1) articles are indexed by Google

2) they can help you maintain focus on an area of expertise

3) new followers are invited to subscribe.

But, as with any other type of content, you need to decide what will work best for you.

5 Top Takeaways (In case you'd rather skim ??)

Diversify Your Content: Use articles for depth, newsletters for regular engagement, and collaborative articles to showcase expertise and gain visibility.

Quality Over Quantity: Despite lower reach, well-crafted articles can significantly boost your brand because they're searchable outside LinkedIn.

First Impressions Count: Make your first newsletter article count; it's your one shot at capturing a wide audience's attention on LinkedIn.

Consistency Is Key: Stick to a regular publishing schedule for newsletters to keep your audience engaged and looking forward to your content.

Leverage Collaborative Articles: Earn recognition and showcase your expertise through consistent contributions, helping you stand out in your professional community.

Thanks for reading, I hope you found this edition relevant. If you did, please share your thoughts in the comments. Share with someone else. And SUBSCRIBE.

Thanks!

Annette ??

Content Marketing School Livestream and Podcast

Don't miss any of the amazing guests who will be joining me on my weekly Live show, which broadcasts on Thursdays at 1 pm ET to LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

4/4 - Power of Systems and Processes For Business Growth with Regina Baker-Chenier LinkedIn Live (Rescheduled from 3/21)

4/4 - Content Marketing Strategies For Company Pages w Michelle J Raymond LinkedIn Live?[?????????????? ???????? ?? ???? ????]

4/11 Creating Content To Generate Clients w Stella Da Silva LinkedIn Live

4/18 Content Creators Guide To Building A Brand On YouTube w Kevin D. Turner - LinkedIn Live

4/25 Using Guides And Courses In Your Content Marketing Strategy w Bridget Weide Brooks -??LinkedIn Live

Media Mavens Talk Audio Event

4/24 - SAVE THE DATE (?????? -?????? ????)

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