The signs are all there. Execs (and exes) being followed stalked with a passion, casual requests for dates popping up from anywhere and everywhere, random connection requests and a whole lot of humblebragging going on. Word in the boardroom is that LinkedIn suddenly got a whole lot like Facebook. Here’s how.
One inspirational quote does not maketh a content strategy
OK, so it might if you’re Richard Branson, granted, but if your whole feed suddenly gets overtaken by motivation of a Monday kind, you might start to get some pretty strong #TuesdayThoughts. Especially from the British amongst us.
Avo on toast, and make it snappy
What may be viewed on Facebook as a little window into one’s life as a Hackney hipster, craft ale et al, probably won’t have the same effect on LinkedIn. No one needs to see a continuous stream of perfectly-curated foodie shots; your network’s too busy changing the world, one Pulse article at a time. Much more interesting to reveal the story behind that avocado, the human angle, the way that ‘breakfast of champions’ made you feel and what you’d achieved by elevenses.
No one likes a humblebrag
A note of caution. Too many posts which begin with “So, I’ve been working on this little thing” aka world domination, is going to get your card marked as a humblebrag. And that’s not great. The perfect LinkedIn post requires the right proportion of humility, humour and hubris.
TMI
We’ve all got that one oversharer in our network. Most typically found at the end of a dinner party, sharing all the nitty gritty on that time they blah blah blah *reveal as appropriate*. The LinkedIn equivalent is that one user who shares EVERYTHING, without thought or consideration, who does all the quizzes all the quizzes, reveals the results and generally creates noise of a shouty kind. Be judicious, be select and maintain your professional dignity at the working lunch that is LinkedIn.
Let me circle back to you on that
How wide is your circle of influence? Do you know all your connections, or are they just numbers on a vanity metric spreadsheet? Thing about LinkedIn is that you can afford to be a little more circumspect on who’s invited into your circle of trust. Sometimes Zammo, it’s ok to just say no.
With this post, I thee recommend
Same goes for recommendations. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day, they’re going to reflect back on you. Make sure it’s a good look by only recommending people for their actual skills, rather than the ones they’re hoping to rank for. Or get an interview with. Unlike Facebook, where you can go mad with the ‘Go girl, you got this’ and lots of fist bump emojis (Ed’s note: also perfectly acceptable Instagram behaviour).
Message me
Those instant messages that annoyingly pop up when you’re updating yourself with the latest trending topics on Facebook FB-stalking? Yep, they’ve hit LinkedIn now too. The LinkedIn dev team say: Smarter messaging that helps you connect and unlock new opportunities. We say: a little note to anyone thinking of messaging us – please don’t include the words ‘reach out’. They’re reserved for the Four Tops and them alone.
Could you be any more on trend?
Trending topics – tick. LinkedIn’s algorithm will now serve you curated content based on your connections, who you follow and your interests. FYI, the pug life did not choose Deirdre from accounts, it chose her. Just saying.
Does anyone else have an opinion on that?
Jump into a discussion, a conversation, a hotly-contested debate, all from within LinkedIn, the same as you do on Facebook. And the best bit? The platform will now share who’s engaging with your content including showing you their company, job title and location. Useful insights, especially if you’re considering moving onto their paid advertising platform. Every little helps.
Strike a pose
Visually, it’s the little things too. Or the big things like making sure you have a decent profile pic. Bladdered with the girls in Blackpool, not so much. On Facebook though? Practically mandatory.
Enough about me, let’s talk about you. How can I sell to you?
Facebook’s got Marketplace, LinkedIn’s got an inbox. Let us clarify. Facebook has a specific area for people to buy and sell hedgehogs and stuff (yup, we were shocked too). LinkedIn’s got an area for you to message and connect with people for mutual professional benefit.
Time to seal the deal
We’ll ask Swiss Toni to close the LinkedIn pitch, if we may. While the tech and innovations seem to be heading in the same direction, with network building and content discovery at the fore, the two platforms should be treated very, very differently. Your professional network on LinkedIn should be treated like a fine wine, or a beautiful woman for that matter. With a great deal of R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
