Things you need to know when you start on LinkedIn

It can feel a bit much when you start out on LinkedIn.

"What do you post?"; "how should I come across?"; "what do I say?"... sound familiar?

I've posted over 300 times in two years - and everyone has a view on what works and what doesn't. For me, visual is best (I'm not so great with words!) while others don't use a single visual and craft elegant worded posts that resonate.

I saw a post from Michael Kirsten - and I wanted to share my voiceover to his tips. To get started, here are six of his considerations:

Your landing page

Your LinkedIn profile is your landing page. It's your always-on CV.

When others search for you online, your profile will be the website that appears first. So it needs to be a reflection of you. Have a profile photo that is you - and still current you. Edit your bio, experiences, skills, and other assets you want to showcase and tell others.

Your network

The mission of LinkedIn is simple: connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful. So your network is key to a good LinkedIn presence.

Connect with your friends, co-workers, previous co-workers, those that you met at school, college, university, that event, or networking gathering. Get out your phone (or business card roller-deck if you still have one ??) and connect with them on LinkedIn.

Naturally the more you are connected with, then the bigger your reach - but it is best advised that your network knows you for you. Engage with them and share your stories.

Storytell

Think of your favourite film - what do you remember about it?

Chances are it has the main character, a hooking storyline, and an ending that leaves you wanting more. And this is a great thread to carry through your LinkedIn posts.

You are the character; the storyline has a beginning, middle, and ending; and you can ask a question, challenge your network, or provide continual updates to keep your audience wanting more.

Engage with others

To build meaningful connections in real life, you need to engage with others - get to know them. To grow your engagement on LinkedIn, it's the exact same.

Engage with others' posts that resonate with you; support their content; align to your interests; build the LinkedIn network lines by commenting, liking, and re-sharing. Have an opinion on what you see.

Your commitment

Consistency is the winning formula. Commit to show-up, post, and engage with LinkedIn several times a week. Have a peep at what others are saying and sharing. BE PATIENT. It will take time.

Work out how often you want to open up LinkedIn - and keep consistent with that. It's okay if in the short term you need time to work it out.

Be human. Be YOU.

Seek not to share anything on LinkedIn that you wouldn't tell a room full of people that you don't know. LinkedIn is a social platform - so it requires you to be social a bit too. Approach LinkedIn as if you were walking into that room - what do you want others to know about you.

In summary...

A blended approach to the above can give you a solid structure to what you post on LinkedIn and to position you professionally. Not all of the six ideas above could be relevant - and you might feel you're already there on some. Flex the ideas to work for you.

This is part of LinkedIn's new Newsletter Series. To get fortnightly tips, advice, and how-to's for positioning you - your personal brand - on LinkedIn hit the "subscribe" button.