Write a Decent LinkedIn Post, Already!

Smarty-pants whitecoats don't know how to write a good LinkedIn post.

They aren't effective digital writers.

What is Digital Writing?

Digital writing is not the classical essay writing you learned in high school. It is not technical writing that got you through your PharmD program. Heck, digital writing isn't even the same as medical writing.

Digital writing is writing on social publishing platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Medium, etc. Digital Writers don’t guess what readers want to read. They gather data, learn what works in real-time, and iterate daily.

Digital writing is thus meant to be consumed quickly and easily.

Few whitecoats are consistently writing online today. Those that are, are on LinkedIn and likely doing it ineffectively.

When whitecoats write on LinkedIn, they do 4 things wrong. Their posts are:

1. Self-adulation. "I'm honored and humbled to announce I'll be starting a new role as blah blah blah"
2. Lame platitudes. I think they literally Google "inspiring quotes" and download those images to share on LinkedIn. Those quotes mean nothing and are vaguely inspiring "Everything happens for a reason," "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger," "Doesn't matter who scores as long as the team wins," "Sacrifice today for a better tomorrow."
3. Way too much personal information (remember, this is not Facebook) or saying nothing professionally relevant ("I had a bran muffin today")
4. Only reshare posts they like without adding their own voice (that counts as posting, right!?)

What is wrong with creating posts with these elements? Let's consider the whole point of sharing your ideas on social media, especially on a professional platform like LinkedIn.

The point of creating LinkedIn posts isn't to:

• Get a certain number of likes
• Get a certain number of comments
• Get a viral post that vaults you to fame
• Get massive audience approval and everyone cheering your name

The point of posting on LinkedIn is to educate or entertain on a narrow set of topics.

By learning the art of digital writing, you grow an audience interested in a subject you love. You become an authority and leading voice by consistently posting quality content. When you educate or entertain in your posts, you attract opportunities. Better networks, job opportunities, new clients, and a reputation as someone outstanding in this field are a few. It is an entirely self-created magnetic sphere you grow around yourself. And 100x more effective in levering your career than any resume/CV could provide.

So......how do you create good posts on LinkedIn?

Digital writing is a skill to learn. First, give yourself patience. It's normal to feel intimidated and have no clue what to write about when you start. You'll feel that way when you start writing online. If you've never been a digital writer before, then, of course, you'll be awkward when you first start. Here's a simple, solid way to get started.

Consider 2 things:

1. What you're writing about

2. How you write

What to write about

Just write about the subjects you are interested in. That's it! You can do this by:

• teaching a process (how-to)
• explaining how something got to be
• simplifying a complex topic
• breaking down your workday
• sharing a good story with a takeaway
• posing a contrarian view
• explaining a hot topic in the news
• sharing what you don't know and why you are stuck.

Your job in posting is to teach someone something in an easily consumable way.

Also, consider if what you are saying & teaching is unique. If everyone agrees with your posts, you're not doing anything unique. You blend into the crowd. You do not want to be here. Your post may get likes and positive support. However, those won't translate into posts that stand out, make people think, or teach something in from a new angle.

Very, very few whitecoat professionals post quality content on LinkedIn every day. I know because I'm eagerly looking for them. They just aren't out really out there. This is great news for YOU because you get to own this space. There is no competition. People crave learning from someone skilled at teaching through digital writing.

Why formatting makes all the difference

Oh my word, proper formatting sets you a world apart.

Think about what posts you stop to read and which keep you scrolling. Posts that are mentally hard to read have any of the following:

• Big paragraphs of text (content overload! You are supposed to do the hard work and break the topic down for your audience, so it is easy to digest. Nobody wants to read a giant block paragraph a mile long)
• Hashtags, emojis, and multiple fonts (just don't. They are mental clutter)
• Writing on a 10th-grade+ level Writing on a 10th-grade+ level (Yes, it is the jargon your colleagues use, but our brains want simplicity). Plus, anyone can write fancy paragraphs of technical language that few understand. The real skill in digital writing is dumbing it down so everyone can learn from you)
• Wordy, lame introductory sentence (The first sentence is key to catching your audience's attention. Make it GOOD!).
• No whitespace

Good formatting is an easy fix that will boost your posts' readability.

Here is how to format your posts properly:

? Write on a 5th grade level (or lower)

? Embrace white space.

? Have an interesting first sentence that compels people to read more

? No emojis, hashtags, or different fonts

? Write out your whole post.....then cut the number of words in half. (Brevity is your best friend)

? Use listicles (bullet points and numbered lists)

? Copy templates you like from others.

Copy Success

The best way to improve your digital writing is to consume and interact with quality posts. Learn from people a few steps ahead and copy the way they approach topics & how they format their text. They are showing you how to have success....learn from them and apply it to your own topics.

Make it a habit to spend 15 minutes a day engaging with accounts that are bigger than yours. Especially those generally in the same sphere (healthcare, tech, marketing, sales, etc). By doing this, you'll get more attention to your posts and point of view.

Totally a win-win. You learn from others and help them out. When people see your awesome thoughts/content they will start following you. You don't have to build this audience yourself.

TL;DR

To improve the quality of your LinkedIn posts:

1. Learn the art of digital writing. Practice by posting daily.
2. Format your posts! Format your posts!

Jamie

PS- Whenever you're ready, there are 2 additional ways I can help you:

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