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Zac Hancox, LinkedIn Expert at StraightIn, has shared expert tips to help ensure your posts actually cut through and resonate with your audience
Since the advent of social media, it’s never been easier to get the word out about your company… or has it?
Many businesses equate social media to a megaphone where they can constantly shout about their ‘excellent’ products & services and willing buyers will come running.
The problem is, it’s never that simple.
The LinkedIn expert Zac Hancox at StraightIn has shared their wisdom on how brands can actually stand out on LinkedIn.
“Standing out on LinkedIn looks so simple, doesn’t it? You see the same people constantly popping up on your feed, with posts that you could probably write yourself.
“What many LinkedIn gurus won’t tell you is that the profile that gets more engagement than you will have likely been working on this strategy for years. Copying one of their posts won’t yield nearly the same results, you need to put the work in to develop a consistent, strategic approach and refine it over time.
“There are, of course, ways to do that badly. There are plenty of approaches to LinkedIn that either won’t improve your profile or, at worst, damage your reputation. After all, driving a car down the road looks easy if you see other people do it… but less easy when you step behind the wheel yourself for the first time.
“To help out, I’m here to share a few of the most common mistakes I see businesses (and business owners) making on LinkedIn and how to rectify them.”
Zac Hancox LinkedIn Expert at StraightIn.
The Four Most Common Mistakes Businesses Make on LinkedIn
Ignoring the personal touch
“People buy from people, not companies. When was the last time you walked into the Apple store and were served by their logo?
“The point I’m trying to make here is that your business having a profile on LinkedIn is necessary, but I can almost guarantee you that an official company profile will not be the main driver of your company’s engagement.
“If you are a founder or CEO, you are uniquely qualified to be the face of your company on social media. Bill Gates has more LinkedIn followers than Microsoft, Ariana Huffington has more than the Huffington Post, and Richard Branson has more than every single Virgin brand combined.
“People are most interested in people. Don’t be afraid to put your face out there because that’s what people want to see and engage with.”
Overly sales-driven content
“If you think people are on LinkedIn to be sold to, then I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
“The amount of businesses that treat LinkedIn as a direct sales platform, and ONLY a direct sales platform, is staggeringly high. The amount of businesses that make zero sales with this only-sales-all-the-time technique is also high.
“LinkedIn is primarily about building relationships. People get tired of the hard sell every time. Instead of making all your posts about your products & services, dwindle that number down to 20% of your posts.
“Instead, why not mix in some educational content about your sector? Some insights from the industry that only your business could share. Sprinkle in some thought leadership and you will position yourself as the expert in your niche. When the time comes for one of your followers to look for a service you provide, you’ll be at the front and centre of their mind as the person who looks like they know what they are talking about.
“Dare I say, you’re even allowed to have a joke every once in a while. All the kinds of things people do in social interactions to build trust and rapport are pretty much exactly how social media works best. Don’t be afraid to show some personality.”
Incorrect use of data
“There are two ways people can improperly use data when it comes to LinkedIn: using vanity metrics that don’t tell you very much, or ignoring the analytics altogether.
“LinkedIn data can be an incredibly valuable tool that can help you assess whether your content is working, the best time to post, or what types of content perform best.
“The problem is, so many businesses focus on the wrong things. Vanity metrics, such as likes and impressions, are fleeting and don’t really tell us very much about how our content is actually performing against the bottom line… AKA, is our social media presence actually driving sales?
“Instead, try and focus on the metrics that matter. Engagement rates and comments (quality ones, not AI-generated nonsense) are two great metrics to monitor, but I will always recommend DMs as the creme de la creme of data to keep an eye on. If your content is driving more and more leads to your business each month, you’re moving in the right direction.”
Ignoring the people around you
“Remember what we said about LinkedIn not being a megaphone to shout about your products & services? Well, it’s also not a megaphone to talk about yourself 24/7.
“Think about it, if you were at a party and all someone did was talk about themselves the entire time they were there, you’d never want to see that person again, right? The same applies to LinkedIn.
“You’ve built an audience, great, now actually have a conversation with them. Respond to DMs, reply to comments on your posts, and better still – leave comments on other people’s posts. Show a genuine interest in the world around you and that attitude will be paid back in kind.
“LinkedIn, at its best, is about starting conversations. Not making statements. This kind of attitude creates real relationships that can last.”
Zac Hancox, LinkedIn Expert at StraightIn.
