Content writers and bloggers are bashing their heads against the nearest wall as yet ANOTHER blogging platform begins to rear its ugly head. Seriously, do we really need another black hole to feed our content into?
LinkedIn sure thinks so.
Several users have been able to publish content directly to LinkedIn since 2012, but beginning in mid-May of this year, LinkedIn has begun allowing anyone to apply to publish content directly to LinkedIn. This means that instead of posting links to your own content that is published elsewhere, you can make LinkedIn your one-stop shop for social media AND blog posts.
Do You Qualify To Publish to LinkedIn?
It’s simple. All you need is a LinkedIn profile and two links of your own, original content that you’ve published elsewhere on the internet. Submit your application, and within a few days (or even hours) you will be able to post all the content your heart desires to your LinkedIn profile.
Here’s what the application page will look like:
How To Get Started Once You’ve Been Approved:
LinkedIn has made it incredibly simple to post. All you have to do is go to your profile and where you would share an update, next to the attach a file button, there will be an image of a pencil:
Only those who have been approved to publish on LinkedIn will see this pencil on their “share an update” bar. You can either copy and past from another document if you prefer to write posts that way, or you can directly type it into LinkedIn. You can also add images just as you would to a blog post on your website.
The rules for blogging on LinkedIn are basically the same for any other blogging platform. The goal should be to create quality content. This is highly important to having a successful blog, no matter where you choose to publish your finished content.
In other words, make sure you are writing relevant and interesting posts that display your industry knowledge, and allow your passion for the topics to really shine through. This is the kind of content that is going to be noticed, especially as LinkedIn becomes more and more overrun with a variety of content as LinkedIn publishing takes off.
Also, keep in mind that this is publishing directly to your own personal profile. This means that this is a personal blog, so make it feel like its personal. Write in the first person and use your own, unique writing voice. The topics you are going to be discussing are not some vague idea, they are what you do every day. You are the expert, so write like one! Be passionate and opinionated about what is happening right now in your industry. This sort of writing will make you standout.
The Benefits of LinkedIn Publishing:
Now don’t let the daunting task of creating more content persuade you that this is a waste of time. Because it is not. There are several benefits to using LinkedIn for blog posting purposes:
- It builds your personal reputation as an industry leader. The more quality information you create, the more people will learn to look to you for the latest trends and the most solid opinions about what is happening in your industry.
- Creates more content that in turn provides value to others, and can be shared across company and personal social media sites.
- Provides a highly visible blogging platform. Posts can be found even by those who are not connected with you, and can also be found through search engines.
- Creates a new audience for your content. It can also gain this audience’s interest, and have them searching for more of your content on the web.
- And it is simple to get approved to publish content. In fact, LinkedIn has practically begged several users to contribute by sending out emails inviting individuals to be publishers.
The Challenge for Small Businesses:
Finding quality writers among your pre-existing team who can head up your LinkedIn publishing efforts can be difficult, especially when you have only a small pool of resources, and a million other, more important things to do than blog for a personal LinkedIn account.
If this is the case, keep in mind that you don’t have to do it all in one day. Getting key company employees to merely share and like posts may be a bit higher priority for you right now, and that’s okay.
Also, if you only have a small reach on LinkedIn, personally and through your business page, you may find that your posts are really not gaining the traction you were anticipating. This is why it is so important to share these posts through as many social media platforms as possible, just as you would a blog post from your website or any other form of content that you want your followers to notice.
Are you new to social media, and just trying to figure out how to get a following, much less publish blogs on LinkedIn? Check out why social media may not be for your business.