Not another LinkedIn post!

For some time I’ve been pondering about whether to write this article or not. It is almost the antithesis of social media marketing, so may seem a little odd coming from a die-hard marketer. Bear with me.

Let’s be honest - a lot of the stuff served up on LinkedIn is pretty dry. Not only is it dry, it’s self-serving. “Here I am drinking a coffee with X person at Y conference.” There are very few posts that seem genuine, new and useful. I think it boils down to three challenges: tone, relevancy and attention spans.

LinkedIn posts often sound like curated business advertisements rather than the person posting. In the New Zealand culture where we pride ourselves on being down-to-earth and friendly (while still being professional), these posts feel fake, stuffy and disingenuous. It is possible to have your own personal tone while posting about your brand or business.

As a business-focused channel, people are interested in business related topics that add value. Drinking coffee with X at Y conference ticks none of these boxes. The key outtakes from a conference or identifying something you want to try back at the office has far more value and relevancy.

Lastly, the digital age has reduced our attention spans so much that posts longer than a paragraph must be incredibly engaging. Humour and stories have a real place on LinkedIn given their power to engage.

Here’s a challenge to all those posting on LinkedIn (me included): define and use your personal tone, always provide value in your content and try telling a story or using humour.

Happy posting everyone!