LinkedIn Publishing: Why You Shouldn’t Give Up

Posted by Margaret Muir in Uncategorized

I recently read a blog titled “LinkedIn Writing: Why Are We Doing It? (And it’s time for a break),” and felt the urge to respond to it. In it the author, Cory Galbraith, describes the frustrations that he and some of his peers are experiencing, in relation to LinkedIn publishing. These are the complaints that Cory lists:

1. Preaching to the already converted.
2. Low views or readers don’t read full article.
3. Silly comments.
4. Just because you get lots of views, doesn’t mean you’ll be remembered.
5. Shelf life is short.

Cory isn’t alone in being frustrated by these things. This list summarizes the most challenging aspects of content marketing, for those who are trying to establish themselves or their company as a well-known thought leader.

So how have the Tim Ferriss’s and Seth Godin’s found so much success, despite these obstacles?

They didn’t give up.

People who find so much success publishing content on LinkedIn, or elsewhere, are faced with all the same challenges. The difference is that they have the ability to evolve their efforts, to try different tactics, and learn from their mistakes.

We’ve all heard that quote by Albert Einstein…

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

If I could speak directly to Cory, I would tell him to not get discouraged by looking at the here and now. Stay focused on your goals for LinkedIn publishing and continue to adapt your approach. If what you’re doing right now isn’t working, take a step back and reevaluate. What are successful bloggers doing that you aren’t? Is there something you can do to improve your promotion strategy? Do some research and learn from others!

So how can we, as content marketers, work through these annoying challenges?

Complaint 1: Preaching to the Converted

What Cory calls ‘the converted’, I call warm leads! These are people you know are interested in what you’re writing about. The more content you publish that these ‘converted’ find useful, the more you’ve cemented your position as an expert in their minds.

Maybe it’s time to introduce a new call to action (CTA) to get these people to take another step with you. You could publish a more in depth ebook or schedule a webinar, then use your LinkedIn post to get people to register. It doesn’t have to be about a sale, but rather about further establishing your mutually beneficial relationship with them.

Complaint 2: Low views or readers don’t read full article

The first thing I think of when I hear low readership, is the heading. You have mere seconds to get someone to select your blog out of the thousands they skim over. It is up to you to write something that is both honestly descriptive and interesting! Here are two resources to check the quality of your headings:

1. CoSchedule
2. Advanced Marketing Institute

Another cause for low views, could lie in the promotion strategy. If you’ve got a small network, and you only post once about your blog on LinkedIn, you can’t expect it to go viral. Consider involving additional social media networks, schedule multiple posts on multiple sites to go out over a few weeks, and share it in industry related online groups.

Another cause for low views, and also for readers not finishing the entire article, could have something to do with the topic or the quality of writing. Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that this topic is of interest to your target audience? Maybe it is time for some more research. Did you remember to proofread? I myself am quick to leave a blog that’s full of typos.

Complaint 3: Silly comments

Well….there are idiots everywhere, even on LinkedIn.

The most you can do is engage with the intelligent and thoughtful comments, say thank you to compliments, address the complaints, and report the rude or inappropriate ones.

Complaint 4: Just because you get lots of views, doesn’t mean you’ll be remembered

Have you ever heard of Guy Kawasaki or Arianna Huffington? Or how about the two I mentioned earlier: Seth Godin and Tim Ferriss? These people are all remembered for things that they’ve accomplished, but they’re also known for the content that they WRITE. All are considered Influencers, and produce some of the highest quality, interesting content on the web.

These people did not let the familiar content marketing roadblocks hold them back. Like them, you must keep learning, adapting, and hustling, if you want to reach the top of the LinkedIn publishing game.

Complaint 5: Shelf life is short

This is true. But if you go back to number two, you can work around this. Truly great content will be shared again and again. And just in case people forget to share, you’ve been working on that new promotion strategy to help remind them, right?

Another of my favorite content marketing strategies is the repurposing of content! Try combining smaller pieces on similar or related topics into a larger ebook. Or, break ebooks down into blog posts. Turn an ebook or a webinar into a slideshare. There are an infinite number of ways to repurpose content. Find what works for you.

I have dealt with, and continue to deal with the same frustrations outlined by Cory Galbraith. LinkedIn publishing, and content marketing in general, is difficult and constantly evolving. The key is to keep at it, study those who have found success, and learn from your mistakes.

I wish Cory Galbraith and all you other authors the best of luck.

What is the most frustrating thing for you about publishing content? Vent with us in the comments!