This is part 2 of our LinkedIn success strategies. If you missed part 1 – jump back!
Establish yourself as an expert
Building thought leadership in the industry or being recognized as an expert is the second goal we hear most often when we ask our clients about what they want for their business. That’s easier said than done since most marketplaces are crowded with “gurus,” “experts” and “gals.” How can LinkedIn help to establish a position as recognized leader in your field?
Flashlights on? Let’s go!
Share targeted content
Guess what? We’re coming back to the very first question we discussed in part 1 of this series: who is your ideal client? Knowing who you want to talk to is as important as deciding what content you want to share. We are always tempted to share our own industry news on LinkedIn. But is the latest Faceboook update interesting for your audience? Probably not….
Think before you share! Make it a point to share and write content that is geared towards the challenges your audience is facing. The newest Facebook update might be interesting to your audience but, if this is the case, you have to comment on it and put it into perspective for your clients and prospects.
And in if you’re looking for good content – don’t miss LinkedIn’s new Pulse channels – there is a lot to be posted from Pulse!
Comment on industry discussions
Follow industry discussions closely and hop on the train when it’s time. Ask your audience about their opinion and share a well crafted message reflecting your point of view. If somebody starts a discussion in a group, take the time to comment with insights, not just a “Yes, I agree”. That has no value and is just fluff. And we don’t want fluff, right?
Cast a purposeful net
Your recognition as an industry expert grows with the interactions you have with other experts. Identify the leaders in your field and share their content. Comment on their pieces. Take one of their thoughts and expand on it. Other experts might be competition, but they can also open doors to publishers or conference organizers.
Guide people to your content hub
For most of us, our company website is our primary content hub. A place where we share our best ideas on our blog, talk about successful projects in case studies, announce events or give a short overview of our products and services.
If you share great content on your LinkedIn profile all week long, don’t forget to guide people to your hub. Promote your latest blog post with a good question. Share the 5 most important pitfalls you learned about in your last project, etc. You get the gist…
And it’s a wrap again. Time to build your empire!