What to post when you don't know what to post (on LinkedIn)

I recently worked with a client who'd been on LinkedIn for two years and never made a single post. Can you relate?

Her "activity" looked like a ghost town...

I asked why she hadn't started sharing content, and she replied, "I don't know where to start... The first post is the hardest!"

Do you feel like that too?

Posting on Instagram, Facebook, or even X might feel easier, as they are more social and casual platforms. Knowing LinkedIn is a professional site can make posting feel more significant and daunting, as if everyone who matters will read your first post, judge you for it and decide your worth by what you write.

In some ways, they will, but over time, your first post really fades back in time as new content takes its place.

If you've been on LinkedIn for a while and post regularly, do you remember your very first post?

Me, either.

Regardless, it's still intimidating.

The following are some ideas to help you captivate your audience and amplify your influence on LinkedIn with your content:

Consider Resharing a Post from Someone Else        

Look at content shared by someone you respect and admire; maybe an article or comment they've offered. Repost that post to your network, adding something of your own.

Posts by people who are credible and respected on LinkedIn also help grow your visibility and credibility.

The key here is to add your thoughts to add value to the conversation, also adding your own comments teaches us more about you.

Ask a Question        

Why not pose a question as your call to action in your first post? You could say something like:

"I'm in marketing, and I'm curious what are the best groups here on LinkedIn to join. What are your favorites?" Or: "I understand that networking is a big part of growing our careers. How many networking events do you attend each month? Your favorite ones?"

Questions engage others in your content and encourage them to share who they are and what they think about your prompt. The point of content on LinkedIn is to share knowledge and engage. Questions do this!

Offer Someone a Shoutout        

If there's someone on your team or in your network who's been particularly helpful to you or to communities you care about, you could mention them on LinkedIn. Be sure not to be overly sentimental but express your appreciation and recognize their contribution to your growth. You might create a post (tagging the person in question) such as:

"Thank you (@) Michael for the great program you offered on LinkedIn Learning. I learned so much about social media and how to position myself." Or: "Congratulations (@) Leah for being promoted to senior director in the org. You deserve it!"

**On that last one, always be sure Leah has publicly announced the promotion, so you're not the one to share it first.

The first post on LinkedIn is the most intimidating. Just remember, after you've shared 2,495+ posts, you won't remember your first; just get going and start engaging with others on this important platform.

One last power tip for creating great posts: show your authenticity and relate to the needs, goals, and challenges of the people you seek to influence.

What will you post today?

**Partially extracted from my article on Military(dot)com