We’re gonna shout it louder for the people in the back: CEOs and founders should 100% be leveraging LinkedIn! LinkedIn isn’t just another social network. For one thing, the algorithms are way better than other platforms. There’s also the fact that people aren’t having polarizing political debates, posting food pics, or sharing photos from their dog’s birthday parties. They are, however, sharing relevant stories about work and their personal career journeys and offering up golden nuggets of advice and wisdom. They’re being thought leaders in their space, and they’re showing up online authentically as themselves. This benefits their own reputations, enhances their companies’ reputations, AND adds value to their follower bases.

And while any social network has the potential to turn into a toxic, narcissistic time suck, if you use LinkedIn correctly, your time spent engaging and influencing on this social platform can be an important investment in both your personal brand and your business. Here’s some guidance that will help you utilize LinkedIn the right way!

Name Your LinkedIn Goals

We suggest approaching LinkedIn strategically, not randomly. (By the way, this does NOT mean you can’t share spontaneously on your feed. You can and should.) What we mean by suggesting a strategic approach is that you should have some goals in mind as you plan content and engage on the platform. 

Some potential goals may include:

👉 Connecting with potential investors/clients/customers

👉 Connecting with journalists to build out your PR network

👉 Gaining visibility for you and your brand

👉 Building your rapport as a thought leader

👉 Positioning your company as a leader in its space

👉 Attracting top talent

👉 Showcasing your values and your company’s values

Optimize Your Profile to Increase SEO

Again, we’re going to encourage you to approach LinkedIn strategically by optimizing your profile. Basic SEO tactics like naturally integrating keywords into your profile go a long way in your profile’s findability. 

One of the key ways to accomplish this is to choose a killer tagline! Your tagline can be more than just your job title. For example, here’s our founder’s current LinkedIn tagline:

PR & Marketing Agency Founder | Our clients have been featured in Bustle, POPSUGAR, The Irish Sun, Business Insider & More: Ask Me How!

You should also be thinking about using keywords in your work history and selecting relevant skills for your profile. Please also spend some time writing a knockout About section—and for goodness’ sake, choose a professional profile photo!

Share Content That Gets You Noticed 

Another way to leverage LinkedIn is to actually USE it! Share, engage, share, engage, repeat. We recommend the following content strategies:

👉 Be vulnerable. Talk about your story, talk about what’s hard in business and in life, talk about that time you lost the sale. We’re all humans, and we join platforms like LinkedIn because we’re seeking real, authentic connections.

👉 Be controversial. Earlier we said LinkedIn isn’t typically bogged down by political debates, but we DIDN’T say it was free from controversy. In fact, offering a polarizing opinion on a business-related topic is a great way to spark conversation and stand out as a thought leader, not a lemming. 

👉 Share wins. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn! We recently signed a multi-billion dollar brand, and this lead came from LinkedIn. If you’re not sharing your successes, you’re missing a huge opportunity.

If you’re a founder or CEO, Linkedin is for you. HubSpot research once found that LinkedIn was 227% more effective at lead gen than Facebook or Twitter. As a social platform, it tends to be more conversational and authentic than Instagram. Used strategically, LinkedIn can absolutely elevate your brand to the next level.

Want more? NEAT’s founder, Jen, is hosting a LinkedIn Masterclass on 2/21/23. Click here to join!

If you’re ready to take action in your next level of business, book a call with us!