Publishing a LinkedIn article is the perfect opportunity to strengthen your brand and your profile – but writing an article that will be published among professionals can be intimidating and cause performance anxiety. In this article, we guide you through the process of writing a successful LinkedIn article that will impress even a journalist.
Back in 2012, LinkedIn launched a platform which enables LinkedIn users to write and publish articles and thereby share unique and professional knowledge and insights with other LinkedIn users. LinkedIn articles can be an effective way to reach your target group and thereby generate new leads and increase your sales. However, this requires that you know how to crack the code and write a successful article, which attracts and holds interest. Follow this step-by-step guide on how to write an enriching LinkedIn article – even if words, grammar, and sentence structure are not among your strengths.
Step 1: A clear message creates enrichment
The first thing you need to consider before you start writing is your reason for wanting to publish articles on LinkedIn. Do you want to share your professional expertise? Expand your network? Or strengthen the employer brand of your company? It is important to first identify the “why”. Once the “why” is in place, you can start focusing on whom to target. Does your target group consist of colleagues, a potential new talent you want to attract or other professionals in your profession? To attract your target group, you need to stand out. That’s why it is important that your message is crystal clear. Keep the connecting thread through all of your articles and thereby achieve acknowledgment within your field. However, it is important that your articles always provide enrichment.
Step 2: Start writing
Most writers can agree that the most difficult step in writing and publishing an article is writing the first draft. Our advice is simple: just start writing. We wish there was a shortcut for writing the first draft of your LinkedIn article, but there simply isn’t. Spend one or two hours writing without disturbance. If you suffer from the notorious writer’s block, try to follow the tips below to overcome it:
- Use the article base of LinkedIn to find inspiration
- Make a brainstorm and put on the yes-hat
- Don’t worry about the choice of words, sentence structure and the overall structure of the article
- Leave it: if you can’t break the block, then stop writing and return to your desk later.
When your first draft is complete, it is time to go through it again – and again. Once you are satisfied, it is a good idea to ask a colleague for honest and constructive feedback. What made sense, what did not, and which suggestions for improvement are there?
Step 3: Choose the title and picture wisely
If you ask a journalist or another writer about his methods to target his audience, you’ll be surprised about his answer. Most writers spend more time editing and adjusting the title and the picture of the article than on the actual writing. The picture and the title of the article are the eye catchers and win attention – therefore they are central in affecting your target group. The title needs to give your audience a reason to click. Remember that your readers have a short attention span – make sure your title is short and catchy.
When you’ve found the perfect title for your article, it is time to find a suitable and telling picture that matches the core message and the title of your article. LinkedIn allows you to insert pictures and graphics in your article, but you can only have ONE cover picture.
Step 4: Add the finishing touches
You have now reached the point where you must gather your title, your article, and your picture and publish it as an article on LinkedIn. Go to the home page and click “Write an article”. This will take you to the screen where you can insert your content and publish the article. Before you hit “Publish”, it is important to check the formatting of the article and check for both spelling and grammatical errors. Typos do not belong in a successful LinkedIn article. Also, remember to check the links in the article: do they take the reader to the correct page? Finish off by including up to three tags, to make your article easier to find.
Step 5: Hit “Publish”
Lastly, simply hit the “Publish” button. After that, the article will appear on your personal LinkedIn profile. Simultaneously, it will be shared with your network and your followers. To reach a wider audience, you can share your article in groups and send it to your colleagues. You have spent a lot of time writing this article – make sure it gets read and shared!
Creating quality content in the form of articles on LinkedIn will both strengthen your brand and add an extra dimension to your profile. Use LinkedIn articles to create a connection between your thoughts and your resume – especially if you don’t run a blog or a similar platform. Use the article platform of LinkedIn to share your knowledge and to expand your professional network.
Do you have any tips on writing a successful article on LinkedIn?
We would like to hear your suggestions in the comment field below.