You can do a lot on LinkedIn without ever posting anything. In fact, I have clients who have attracted big gigs (to the tune of $50K) through commenting alone.
It may be all you need to do.
But once you’ve got commenting under your belt, it’s time to take your LinkedIn game up a notch…
By posting content.
When you do it right, posting to LinkedIn prompts potential clients to start conversations with you right in the comments of your post.
Not sure what to post?
Keep reading if you want ideas you can use today.
But first, here’s something fun…
Want to know what my top 5 LinkedIn posts from 2023 have in common… starting with my dog Fanny?
My Top 5 LinkedIn Posts from The Past Year:
#1: The “Fanny Oreo”
8,117 impressions
241 comments
5 “reposts”
#2: Poll: Should You Set Money Goals?
4,630 impressions
138 votes
90 comments
#3: Introducing New Quick LinkedIn Tips Newsletter
4,114 impressions
48 comments
9 “reposts”
#4: Poll: How LinkedIn “Promiscuous” Are You?
4,100 impressions
169 votes
57 comments
#5: Poll: Biggest Change You’d Like To See in Your Business
4,060 impressions
188 votes
56 comments
What My Top 5 Posts Have in Common:
1. They are all relevant to you.
In other words, they all help creatives market themselves. Even the post about Fanny, which is about what you should or shouldn’t post on LinkedIn. Many are also specific to the time of year. For example, I posted about “money goals” around the New Year since I knew it was on your mind.
2. They start with a hook or question.
I love asking questions. Plus they make great hooks because they grab attention and prompt people to answer. When people are scanning through the LinkedIn feed, they only linger a few milliseconds before deciding whether to read the whole thing. To grab attention, make the first line of your post a question or hook related to the topic you’re posting about.
3. They have a call to action (CTA).
People love to be told what to do – and often, they’ll do it. That’s why, every time I post to LinkedIn, I either invite readers to share in the comments, take a poll, watch a video, or click a link. You should, too.
4. Four out of five are polls.
Polls are an easy way to bump up engagement on your posts, as they’re easy for people to answer with one click. But for a poll to take off, it still needs to be intriguing, relevant, or even controversial. And note that with a poll, it helps to write an attention-grabbing post to go with it. For example, with my “LinkedIn Promiscuous” poll, I started with a confession about how I used to be afraid of people. See the full post here.
5. None are profound.
You don’t have to write mind-blowing posts to get people engaged and start attracting clients. Notice that mine ask simple questions, like “Do you set money goals?” You can do it, too.
Need some ideas to get started? Try one of these:
-
Ask about a trend. Find a topic that’s trending in your niche or field (AI anyone?). Then, ask people what they think about it. Try making it into a poll.
-
Share what you’re learning. Are you delving into AI? Have you discovered a new way to do something? Did a client love something new that you tried? Share it in a way that’s helpful to other potential clients.
- Make a re-post. Find a post in your feed that you have a thought about. Then share it as a “re-post” with a little paragraph up top that adds to the conversation, and invite readers to share their thoughts in the comments.
Add visuals whenever you can (dogs rule!).
Always respond to comments on your post. LinkedIn loves conversations. The algorithm will reward you for posts with lots of engagement.
Speaking of engagement…
When you get a lot of engagement on a post, it gives you:
1. Wider reach. Your connections’ connections will see their comments and can join in the conversation or follow you.
2. Credibility. When potential clients see that you have a thriving LinkedIn account with lots of engagement, they’re more likely to see you as an active, knowledgeable person they’d like to hire.
3. More content. When people comment on your posts, they start other side-conversations, which you can turn into more content. Do it right and it becomes a machine that feeds itself.
And if you feel nervous about posting, just remember one of my favorite sayings:
Who cares?
The reality is: No one is paying much attention to you or anyone else on LinkedIn. Start small and just put yourself out there. And let me know how it goes!
Did I miss anything?
What else makes for an attention-grabbing LinkedIn post? Have you ever had a post that went viral?
Tell me here in this LinkedIn post.