Weekend thoughts about a failed attempt to use LinkedIn ‘correctly’
My 10 minutes of self-pitying Calimero.
I am an avid LinkedIn consumer.
Today I am disappointed. Read on to discover why ??
I consciously use the term ‘consumer’ because that is exactly what I am – most of the time. Using LinkedIn has become a daily work routine and it keeps proving its value as an essential tool. It's informative, entertaining and a great source of inspiration to simply get going, find business leads, ideas and the necessary contacts to bring them to life.
A platform that lives from content, to attract users, source traffic and bring together parties sharing a common (business) interest. Actively using - and consuming - is good, but I thought that once every now and then, creating and sharing back ?? a bit of content to that community would be a good contribution, other than dumb liking or re-posting ??.
But besides the noble intention, that’s easier said than done.
I could - of course - call upon the zillion self-acclaimed ‘coaches’, growth hackers, neo Instagram-millionaires or just purchase yet another online course, exhibiting yet another four-letter-acronym marketing technique designed by a millennial ??.
To be honest, it was not completely conceived without a valid business interest wanting to address the right ‘communities’, people, decision-makers (dreaming high here ??…still saving out on the C-level bull) with an – what I thought at least - engaging topic.
Taken advice from a digital marketing associate, I liked the idea of ‘qualification’ and the possibility to kill two birds with one stone by first simply announcing the availability of compelling content against a simple message so I could follow-up the dialogue 1:1 and then, in a second step, actually publish it towards a broader, more general audience.
‘Taking the temperature’, qualifying the relevance or legitimate interest of a topic and identify an audience to engage with that would help separate the sheep from the goats are all components of a ‘campaign’ that made perfect sense to me ??.?
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I was advised to use relevant #hashtags and keywords to make sure it got displayed where it would possibly meet demand, and make a higher impact. Also, the moment of publication was considered just like a teasing message to raise curiosity.
Long story short: (almost) nothing happened. Nada. ?? ?? ??
I already collected more ‘Likes’ (I reckon the Holy Grail of digital engagement) and user interaction following a dumb traveling announcement or corporate Season greetings. But here? On business matters? Not one single message, not even a courtesy – let alone pity-message. Besides commoditized ‘likes’ from colleagues or existing partners, it remained a (perceived) complete failure from a prospection viewpoint of getting exposure to my target audience.
I could have perfectly lived with low traction, gradually but steadily emerging interest or - at least - a growing number of profile visits ?? or connection requests from relevant decision-makers out of the targeted audience…but nothing happened, it felt like sneezing in the subway and nobody’s wishing blessing. Etiquette? Netiquette?
I am still arrogantly ?? assuming that the topic of ‘connected vehicles’ ?is emerging like wow and right-on consumer trends and the future of mobility - left aside, of course, the entire ‘EV’ and ‘Energy Transition’ vibes that come in handy to make people feel good, green responsible and connected …while when it comes down to the everyday commuter desperately seeking to find the best-priced gas-station on his way back from work in its 2018 Volkswagen Passat and fantasizing of more loyalty recognition, personal benefits and simply maxed out convenience…the global warming soon becomes a memory of a corporate mantra ??.
What went wrong?
What should I have done different or better?
That being said, my bitterness spit out and my wounds licked in self-pity… I wish you, dear network ??, a nice, productive and convenient week ahead.
I’m looking forward to sky-rocketing reactions, re-posts and perhaps the one or other constructive (free ??) recommendation of how to improve my skills bringing content in contact with the right audience to create value and feel a bit like a valid member of this business community.