Successful posting on Linkedin is like riding a bike

Whether you’re a voice for your community, an industry leader or simply a person with an sharp point of view, successfully translating that to Linkedin takes time to master. Messages will differ from business to government org’ or charity, but time and trial and error are unifying factors in discovering what creates an impact for you or your company.

Learning how to chime with your audience is as much of a learning curve as finding your tone of voice, and at some point the two will blend in ways that are both surprising and, in hindsight, completely predictable.

I know my Linkedin following is a healthy mix of amateur cyclists, sports manufacturers, my local hiking group, and my family, and that my ‘likes’ explode every time I feature a GoPro video of my latest adventure in the Yorkshire Dales…

…I build on this and start sharing regular clips of the weekend’s thrill-ride, with an impassioned narrative about the kit I used, and landscapes explored. Something, over time, starts to click, in tandem with growing following and engagement. People start dropping me messages about route recommendations, product placements and opportunities to test drive the latest Voodoo trail bike.

This magic equilibrium between tone, content and audience doesn’t develop overnight, but there is one compelling trick that yields popularity on Linkedin time and time again, and that is telling a personal story in a relatable way.

We have got better at sharing personal moments in a public way. A look back at some of the most reaction-winning posts on Linkedin over the last year reveals that, aside from using the power of video, they have one thing in common – linking a broad theme in society with a personal journey of discovery that people will identify with.

After a while, listening to the actions of your audience in tandem with adjusting your tone and content, truly feels like riding a bike.