9 LinkedIn Publishing Tips That Can Help Build Your Audience

A colleague recently posted in a private Facebook group, asking where she could post content to expand her reach and build new relationships. There are so, so many options for sharing your content, and you can get bogged down trying to cover all the bases. However, as a business owner,  if you’re not publishing on LinkedIn, then this is where I suggest you start, if you too, like my colleague, want to expand your reach.

LinkedIn has been growing stronger as a platform and is becoming a contender for getting more eyeballs on your content. With the opening up of LinkedIn Publishing to all members, and the popularity of LinkedIn Pulse, it’s easier right now to connect with more members of your ideal audience.

I’ve been experimenting with repurposing some of my evergreen blog content. I’m reposting the articles and discovered I’m getting more traffic to my blog and more people following me on LinkedIn (I know quality trumps quantity, but more followers means more opportunities to connect with potential new prospects). I’ve learned a few thing along the way and share some tips with you here…

Start publishing your articles on LinkedIn. (The user interface has changed a bit since the original publication of this article, but it’s easy to figure out.)

9 Tips for more getting more visibility with LinkedIn Publishing 

1) Repurpose evergreen content. This is a choice I’ve made vs. creating new, original content just for LinkedIn. Some will argue with me on this point, however, as a busy business person, I need to be efficient with my time. When I choose a blog post to publish on LinkedIn, I generally update it, if necessary, and tweak the title.  

READ: Repurposing Your Content – 13 Ways to Reach More People

Embed videos and images in your article to help them stand out.

2) Add images and videos to your articles. Your article will stand out if you add images and other rich media like videos and slide shows. If you’re repurposing older blog content, this is a good opportunity to create bold, new images for the article. Or, illustrate your points with a YouTube video or a TedTalk.

3) ALWAYS include a banner image for your article. If you want your article to stand out in the LinkedIn home stream, then create a banner. Yes, it takes a few extra minutes, and the point is to attract new readers, do take the time and do it. The ideal dimensions are 698 x 400 pixels. Use Canva or PicMonkey to create a stunning image. For more on standing out in the news stream, read this article by Peg Fitzpatrick.

4) Include a Call to Action. Approach your article as you would a post on your blog. What’s the next action step you want the reader to take? Make a compelling case for them to sign up for your free report, video series, webinar, newsletter, etc. This is key for moving your social contacts to your email list.

What’s the next step you want your reader to take? Always include some kind of call to action at the end of your article.

5) Include your author bio at the end of the article. Remember “article marketing?” It lives on LinkedIn now, so, as you would with any guest post or article you submit to a directory, include a bio with links to your site (this seems to be missing on almost every article I see on LinkedIn).

6) Link to related articles on your blog. Like you would create internal links on your blog posts, make sure you add links in your article back to your blog (drives traffic!).

7) As soon as you publish your article, tweet it to your followers with a mention to @LinkedInPulse. If you’re lucky, your article may catch the eye of a channel editor who features it on an appropriate channel. It’s worked for me on 3 out of 4 articles which results in even more visibility, more readers, more comments, more Likes, and more shares.

TIP: make sure your twitter account is connected to your LinkedIn profile so your twitter handle is included in the tweets people share.

Make sure your Twitter account is connected on your LinkedIn profile.

8) Cross post the URL for the article to your other social networks. Posting on Facebook and Google+, for example, can help you build your LinkedIn connections.

9) Share your article as a status update to any groups that allow you post your articles. If you’re sharing to groups, make sure you check their terms for participation. Many groups are discussion only and do not permit links to your content or site. My group, Adventures in Visibility for Authors and Entrepreneurs, encourages you to share your content. Join here.

Check out my articles if you would like to see how I implement all nine steps.

Your Challenge, Should You Choose to Accept It

• Review your blog posts and find 3 to 5 that are evergreen.
• Edit and update if necessary.
• Then, post one per week, following my tips above.
• Make a note of how many LinkedIn connections and followers you have before you post the first article.
• Make a note of how many you have after you post the third or fifth article.
• Make a note of how may views, likes and comments you’re getting.
• Let me know if you see positive results from this exercise: increase in numbers, more traffic to your blog, new sign ups on your list. 

Related Posts on Using LinkedIn

• LinkedIn Visibility Strategies for Entrepreneurs | Adventures in Visibility with Viveka von Rosen 
• How to Integrate LinkedIn With Your Content Marketing 
• LinkedIn Tips – Use Groups to Connect with Potential Clients

This post was updated on December 20, 2016.