Posting Articles on LinkedIn

LinkedIn pen

 

 

 

 

 

Article by Wendy McCance

Are you familiar with the option to post an article on LinkedIn?  LinkedIn used to only share articles by LinkedIn Influencers.  They have since opened the floor so that anyone has the ability to publish an article.

Why is this something to consider?

  • When you publish a full article on LinkedIn, you gain more exposure.  Once posted, a message goes out to your connections and followers stating that you posted an article they might be interested in reading.
  • By publishing an article, you are getting an opportunity to show your connections just what your knowledge is.
  • Your articles become searchable on LinkedIn, (but, little known fact) off the site as well.
  • You can expand your reach as anyone can follow you and receive updates whenever you post a new article.
  • Once posted, your articles become part of your professional profile, showing up on your profile page.
  • People can like, comment and share your post.  Just like other social media platforms, the more positive the interactions, the more you will stand out as someone to know.

I was getting several messages each day stating one connection or another had posted an article.  For a long time, I just wasn’t sold on the benefits of posting.  So many people were taking the opportunity that honestly, I wasn’t paying much attention to what anyone was even posting about.  I also saw some people who went overboard and were posting a few times a day.  Was there any value to their articles after churning out so many articles per day? It just seemed like a traffic jam of people hopeful to be seen.

Eventually, I decided to give it a try.  I had spent time going over my profile tweaking bits and pieces and getting information updated.  I felt that having a few articles that were right on my profile might be a nice addition, so I posted an article.  I realized why publishing an article on LinkedIn was worthwhile and have since posted 4 more.

Here is what I have learned:

  • It really has been beneficial to post on LinkedIn if you are thoughtful about the content and how often you post.
  • I now have 4,157 followers (the number is available on the top right corner when you hit “see more” next to Posts on the Profile page).  This is not the same number as the amount of connections you have.
  • I was intimidated and, I have to admit, disappointed to see that the LinkedIn Influencers who posted articles had thousands of views while I was lucky to get 50 views or more. That is, until I realized that about 10% of the people who read my articles were liking them and those with thousands of views would get about 1% of people liking their material. In my opinion it doesn’t matter if I have thousands of views if less people enjoy and benefit from what I am writing.
  • I have gotten some great feedback from a few of the articles and even some potential clients off of sharing what I know about social media.
  • You can do a little more advertising by placing your website link, phone number or email at the bottom with a call to action.
  • Take advantage of the three tags you can use at the bottom of the article to draw in just the right crowd.

So the question to you is, have you tried posting an article on LinkedIn?  If you have, what has your experience been like?  If not, what’s stopping you?

If you would like to start writing articles on LinkedIn but don’t know how, or want some tips and tricks, the following articles have some terrific insight as well as step-by-step directions to help you get started.

How to Use the Publishing LinkedIn Platform

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/publish-on-linkedin-for-engagement/

http://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-the-linkedin-publishing-platform/

http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/now-anyone-can-publish-content-on-linkedin-heres-how.html

Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 9 local papers online, including the Oakland Press. The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]

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13 thoughts on “Posting Articles on LinkedIn

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  3. This piece was the tipping point for me. Have considered posting articles ever since I received an invite last summer, but wondered about the benefits, feedback and as always was keeping the overwhelment aspect for our readers in mind. You know, TMI abounds! Thanks for a terrific incentive to move forward.

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