Think social media has killed the art of conversation?
All those bite-sized comments, cutesy cat memes and quick-fire emojis couldn’t possibly amount to anything of substance, right? Not exactly.
There’s no doubt the way we communicate has changed drastically over the past decade. We are communicating more often and more widely now than ever before. And, while there is no shortage of meaningless banter online, if you are looking for more in-depth conversations, there are places you can go. LinkedIn being one of them. In fact it’s a platform that rewards you for it.
If social media platforms were ‘actual’ places where you could meet, Instagram would be a micro pig cafe, Facebook a gastro pub and LinkedIn a book-lined bar where people smoke cigars, swig single malt whiskey and dissect the issues of the day.
In LinkedIn’s own words, the platform is all about: “People you know, talking about things you care about.” In terms of who sees what, LinkedIn’s algorithm is geared up to show you posts from people you actually know, and content that you are actually interested in (rather than content that is related to some random thing that you may have clicked on once).
How does LinkedIn know what you like?
- Your comments, shares and reactions tell LinkedIn who you are interacting with
- The groups you’re in and hashtags, people and places tell LinkedIn what you’re interested in
- The posts you have liked comment on or shared in the past predict what you might do in the future
So, LinkedIn knows how to reach you – but how do you reach your target audience on LinkedIn? Like other social media platforms, it’s getting increasingly difficult to achieve organic reach on LinkedIn. That is, to achieve visibility without putting advertising spend behind your posts.
But there are things you can do to achieve a higher ranking with your target audience:
1. Start conversations
Speak your mind, but do so respectfully. There’s a big difference between ranting and expressing an opinion. Know the difference and use your opinion to get people talking.
2. Use videos, images, text, long-form articles … whatever floats your boat
(LinkedIn claims its algorithm doesn’t favour one format over another.) But make sure it floats other people’s boats too. Or your content will sink.
3. Tag people
But only if you think they are likely to contribute in a meaningful way. Again, it’s about creating relevant, authentic conversations. Any more than five tags and it starts to look like name-dropping.
4. Dig deep and go niche
The broader the topic, the less likely people are to jump on it. LinkedIn data shows that members are more interested in nitty-gritty than chitty-chatty. Be specific with your hashtags (LinkedIn recommends no more than three) to take people straight to the heart of the matter.
5. Be authentic
Have genuine conversations about topics that interest you. If you start or join a conversation for the sake of it, it will show. Remember, LinkedIn is all about making deeper connections.
6. Don’t leave people hanging
If you start a conversation, be prepared to continue it. Reply to comments and encourage new comments. The more engagement the better. As with all social media platforms, organic reach is a slow burn. If you need to grow your reach quickly, sponsored content is the way to go.
Need some help with your social media or want to talk to a ‘real’ person. Chat to us, you bring the cigars and we’ll pour the whiskey. ?
