“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.” – Warren Buffet
There are things you could be doing differently when it comes to your LinkedIn content. The question is: what? Although I regularly stumble on various great content, many individuals keep on making the same mistakes when they post status updates and videos on LinkedIn.
Let’s change that and discuss what you should do instead.
1. You don't have a clear message.
I regularly see people talk about artificial intelligence on Monday, motivation on Tuesday and business strategy on Wednesday. On Thursday, they might discuss meditation, and on Friday, they share advice for job seekers.
You first need to get your personal branding basics right. Who is your target audience? What are your customers' pain points? What services do you offer? Creating content without a proper foundation and a concrete target in mind won't be effective, nor will it lead to generating high-quality leads.
2. Your content lacks value.
Another content "sin" that goes hand in hand with the above is a social phenomenon I call “content-free content." It's the type of material you read and think, “I just wasted one minute of my life that I will never get back.”
This results from misunderstanding the adage “stay consistent." Yes, your content should be consistent, but you should only post when you have something valuable to share. Don’t post just for the sake of posting. People will very likely unfollow you if you do that.
3. You only post viral videos.
It makes sense to repost other brands' content every now and then to boost your organic growth. But don't do that every day — especially not when you are on a journey to build an image of an innovative thought leader.
When you only repost content and don't share your own view and experiences, people might perceive you as the exact opposite: someone who doesn't have their own set of values, ideas and beliefs. Your own content will, in contrast, enable you to connect deeper with your audience.
4. You share motivational quotes.
If you are a motivational speaker, life/business coach or trainer, go for it. But when you don't fall into any of these categories, I wouldn't recommend posting motivational quotes.
This sort of material triggers the following thoughts in people who have shared their frustrations with me:
• “Before you post stuff like this, live it first. Walk the talk.”
• “That’s so 1997. What new element did you add?”
• “This is not Facebook!”
• “Someone is clearly running out of good ideas for content."
• “Quote the original author. That is not your idea!”
5. You don't have a call to action.
Sometimes, I'll read through a post or watch a video and think, “That was excellent. Now what do you want me to do?”
Not using questions or calls to action (CTAs) at the end of your posts is another content sin. If you don't tell your audience to download that freebie or book that discovery call, you'll miss out on interesting discussions, great questions and leads.
6. You use kids as an engagement booster.
This is ultimately a personal choice, as I'm not a parent. Many parents are very proud of their children, which is a wonderful thing. However, some posts that share children's personal experiences trigger mixed feelings and critical thoughts in me.
Determine whether or not using your children to increase likes and comments on a business platform is really the best thing. Additionally, consider asking your children if it's OK that you share their stories online or upload pictures and videos of them. I am thinking in terms of their digital reputation, security and privacy.
I don't believe there are any right or wrong choices in this respect. But I think it's something we should reflect more on.
7. You post low-quality media.
Publishing blurry or dark pictures or shaky videos with bad audio are just two examples. You don't need to hire a professional videographer or photographer at the very beginning of your personal branding journey, but you can tweak a few small things to increase the quality of your content that will make a big difference.
Invest in a smartphone tripod, an LED ring light and a modern smartphone. Watch a few tutorials, and off you go. You want to be perceived as professional and to convince people to do business with you. Your content is a pitch — a work sample. Make sure that it is representative of and aligned with what you stand for.
8. You're dressed inappropriately.
I am neither a stylist nor a designer, and I am fully aware that “appropriate” is a relative term, just like “professional." What might be appropriate in one culture is inappropriate in another one. There's also the ongoing discussion about what being "authentic" actually means.
Nevertheless, wearing provocative clothing or 10-year-old, washed-out sweaters, sweatpants and baseball caps and not combing your hair are never OK on LinkedIn.
Final Thoughts
The target behind publishing value-adding, great content on LinkedIn is to build a credible, professional personal brand, which ideally leads to increased visibility, brand awareness, free PR and lead generation.
I would recommend reflecting on the following questions before posting something on LinkedIn:
• "Does this add value?"
• "Is my message clear?"
• "Does this support me in portraying myself as a thought leader?"
• "Will this help me close deals?"
When you want to adequately charge people/businesses for your premium services, your content needs to support you in that message and in portraying that image.
Reach out to me if you have any questions related to personal branding on LinkedIn. I look forward to hearing from you.
