‘Yes but, does a LinkedIn article generate reach?’, participants of my training courses sometimes ask. A fair question, as you seem to score more responses with ‘regular’ contributions. Yet there are good reasons to regularly post a long-read. LinkedIn articles are even highly interesting for claiming expert status.
Why write LinkedIn articles?
A question we should ask in everything we do: why are we doing it? A strong argument for writing LinkedIn articles is that you are building a portfolio on your profile page. When people search for someone with your expertise, your articles help you to be found more easily.
Moreover, since 2017, LinkedIn articles have been indexed within Google, increasing your chances of being found and attracting people to your article and profile.
A LinkedIn article should preferably not be commercial. So don’t try to sell but rather share knowledge. See it as a long-term investment by building your authority and brand awareness. The return will follow as you gain more relevant followers, who will see that you are an added value in your field.
Who to write LinkedIn articles for?
An equally important question is who you are doing it for. The answer is obvious: for your target audience, of course. Try to write clearly and enthusiastically and remember: it’s not just about what you want to tell, but mainly about what your target audience wants to know. Keep your reader close by writing personally, as if you are telling the message exclusively to that one person.
This is how to captivate the reader
It may sound strange in these volatile times when we scan rather than read: extended articles score better. So feel free to aim for + 1,000 words, but keep it engaging first and foremost.
With these tips, you will grab the reader’s attention from the title to the last sentence:
- Come up with a rock-solid title, because that is the entry point that will draw the reader in. Give your creativity free rein. Titles like ‘7 tips for …’ or ’10 reasons to …’ have become a bit boring.
- Generate interest in the introduction. Give a hint already by briefly telling the reader what to expect. Do you have valuable advice or a solution to a problem? We are already curious!
- Choose an image that appeals. A good image, alongside a strong title, is the way to attract attention. You can also use other media, such as a video, but be careful not to draw too much attention away from your text.
- Write content that is enriching for your readers. ‘Give’ them knowledge and value. Think carefully about what questions your customers have and what concerns them. In this way, determine what you can inspire your target audience with.
- Let your unique tone of voice be heard. That makes it extra personal. Try to let your natural voice resonate in your text. Don’t write completely differently or more formally than you talk.
- Use enough white space. This energises the reader to continue reading. A boarded-up text has a suffocating effect, causing the reader to walk away.
- Dare to delete: mercilessly delete all unnecessary and repetitive content from your article.
- Avoid auxiliary verbs. Don’t say “You should use plenty of white space,’ but rather ‘Use plenty of white space.’ The less ‘can/should/will’ you use, the more vivid your text.
- Speak to your target audience. Use experiences and anecdotes to make your topic personal. People love stories!
Inspiration for LinkedIn articles
So articles are preferably not stretched sales pitches, but then what is ‘article-worthy content’?
- Cases, where you solve a problem, and clarify on how you approached it.
- Interviews with experts.
- Popular blogs from your website, preferably reworked and updated.
- Opinion pieces, in which you give your opinion on a trend or occurrence.
- In-depth themes in which you highlight and discuss a topic.
I advise participants of my courses to keep an eye on the statistics. There you will find valuable information about how often your article was read, how many comments it generated, how many times it was shared. But also where readers work and what position they hold. In this way, assess which topics catch on and whether you are reaching your target audience with them.
What about SEO?
Google has been indexing articles on LinkedIn since 2017. That means your target audience will also find you through Google if you write SEO-friendly:
- Incorporate relevant search terms in your title and intertitles
- Use sufficient intertitles
- Make your text extra scannable, with 1 message per paragraph
- Write simply and clearly
- Choose a relevant image and add a caption
In the settings of an article’s publishing menu, just like in the admin of a website, you can enter an SEO title and description. Don’t miss this opportunity to be found more effectively!
A frequently asked SEO question
People from our Winger Academy Community sometimes ask me if it is detrimental to their website’s SEO ranking if they copy blog articles on LinkedIn. The worst that can happen is that you end up higher in Google rankings with the LinkedIn article than with the version on your website.
If you want to avoid this, wait a while before copying the article on LinkedIn after you put it on your website. That way, Google will have already indexed the blog on your website by the time you put it on LinkedIn, and your website will appear first in search results.
Enhanced exposure with
newsletter option
If you wrote an article recently, you might have noticed: you can link a newsletter to your articles. As a result, subscribers get an instant notification the moment you publish a new article.
Don’t see this option when you create an article? Then you haven’t yet turned on ‘creator mode‘ in your profile. Do it right away and take advantage of the extra features.
! Golden tip:
from your very first newsletter, a one-time notification is automatically sent to all your connections and followers, asking them to subscribe.
So make sure you have an irresistible first article that makes as many people in your network as possible click ‘subscribe’.
Publish from which account?
Do you publish articles from your company page or from your personal account? It very much depends on whether you want to put yourself or your company in the spotlight. In any case, it is recommended to share the article from the other account, as this adds to visibility.
Formatting with the editor and publishing
I am not going to spend too many words on formatting a LinkedIn article. The editor is limited and completely self-explanatory. Definitely make use of the formatting options that are available: add a quote, highlight the essence in bold text and use intertitles. This increases the ease of reading and therefore the likelihood that you will captivate the reader to the last sentence.
Give your article a rest before publishing it. Is it good? Then push the blue publish button. You will see a window where you can add additional clarification and hashtags to make your article more findable.
And then the time has come to promote your article! Share it on your other social media channels too, use your ambassadors, and above all, don’t forget to encourage engagement by responding to people’s comments.
Time for action
Even if an article focuses on content rather than on the commercial aspect, it is an ideal opportunity for a call to action. This could be an invitation to interact (What’s your opinion? Let us know in comment!), a download of an e-book or whitepaper, or a call to subscribe to your newsletter. We provide an example below:
Did you find this article on LinkedIn articles interesting? Are you looking for clear advice on how to shine on LinkedIn? Then sign up for our newsletter!
Need help?
At Winger Academy, we’re not satisfied until you get results. We turn your personal LinkedIn profile and LinkedIn company page into a golden business card and create LinkedIn content that really scores.
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