Aristotle once said, “being is said in many ways.” Don’t let your eyes glaze over just yet. I’m not going to dive into a discussion about metaphysics or start talking about the anatomy of existence (I leave that kind of work to others nowadays). But I do want to talk about the anatomy of a LinkedIn post and the many ways to create a successful one.
As is the case with most marketing strategies, there’s no ONE right way to post on LinkedIn. I have seen successful posts that get tons of views, start fast and furious conversations, and generate leads while breaking all of the ‘rules’ being touted by smart people. So do feel free to experiment and figure out what works for your goals and audience.
There is, however, one non-negotiable: You need a LinkedIn strategy that takes into account your business goals. After this, the world is your oyster. Scrolling through my feed, I counted no fewer than nine templates that you can use as inspiration to spice up your content. I share them below with examples. So let’s dig in!
1. Story-Driven
You’ve no doubt heard that human beings are hardwired to remember stories. Before the ability to write things down was widely accessible, we passed on all of our knowledge through oral storytelling. And stories remain a core part of our lives.
If you aren’t telling stories on your LinkedIn feed, you’re missing out on one of the most effective types of content there is. Now, if you aren’t a natural storyteller, there’s no need to panic. Your stories don’t need to be Hollywood-worthy to make an impact. They can be brief, raw, and real.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Tell a succinct story just as it happened
- Draw some business lessons
- Connect the lessons to specific parts of your story
- Conclude with a key takeaway
And here’s an example:
2. Mini-Blogs
The character limit for LinkedIn posts is 3,000. That’s about 500 words, which is the length of a short blog post. So you can absolutely create LinkedIn posts in the form of mini blog posts.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that since LinkedIn allows so much space for posts, there’s not much benefit to creating a LinkedIn article as opposed to a post. My recommendation: If you have an idea that exceeds 3,000 characters, break up the content into several posts, rather than writing an article. The articles I’ve posted on LinkedIn are hands down my worst performing content.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Come up with an angle or opinion on a topic related to your business goals
- List reasons someone might disagree with your angle or opinion
- Defend your angle or opinion with a story or example
- Offer 3-5 bullet points with tips to follow
- End with a question for your audience (e.g., What do you think? What have I missed? What is your experience?)
And here’s an example:
3. Business Lesson Inspiration
You have learned hundreds or even thousands of business lessons. I bet if you took five minutes to write down a list of business lessons, you would have LinkedIn topics to last you several weeks. And all those lessons can be great inspiration for others.
How do you turn those lessons into a post? This tactic is similar to the mini-blog concept, only it’s probably a bit more personal.
Here’s a template you can use:
- State the lesson
- Tell a story illustrating the lesson
- Raise a question your audience might have about the lesson
- Or raise a challenge to the lesson
- Answer the question or challenge
- Connect the lesson with a larger philosophy or point of view
And here’s an example:
4. Start with a Pain Point
Starting with a pain point is always a good approach, especially for promotional posts. And to be clear, I am an advocate for creating offer posts for LinkedIn. I prefer to do a mix of posts designed to grow my audience, engage my audience, and promote my services. When I plan out my monthly marketing, I make sure I include a good blend of all three. So, be bold about making offers, but don’t just make offers.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Share a pain point you solve for your clients
- Share a false solution
- Or a myth
- Or something people tend to get wrong about that pain point
- Offer your solution
- Explain why it works
- Explain the bonus benefits if there are others
And here’s an example:
5. Start with a Statistic
One of the most important elements of a successful LinkedIn post is creating that first line that “stops the scroll.” You can call it a headline or a hook. Whatever you call it, a jaw-dropping statistic is always a good bet.
Also, it’s smart to direct your audience to where they can read more about the statistics you’re sharing. But remember that LinkedIn (like all social media platforms) doesn’t want to send people away from LinkedIn. So when you link to the article where you found the statistic, drop that link in the comments, not in your original post.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Start with a jaw-dropping statistic
- Ask a question about your audience’s experience related to the statistic
- Do a bit of arm-chair philosophizing about what that statistic might mean for your industry or for the wider business world
- Offer some tips for what your audience can do to improve the statistic
- Direct them to an article where they can learn more about the statistic (mention it in the post, but link to it in the comments section)
And here’s an example:
6. Start with a Question
Another way to “stop the scroll” is by asking a provocative question. It could be a question that your clients ask a lot. It could be a question that skeptics ask about your work. It could be a question that has stumped others, but that you find to have a really straightforward answer. It could be a question that anyone on LinkedIn could answer.
Remember that even if a question seems elementary to you, you’re the expert and your audience probably doesn’t hear it in the same way. Questions are a great way to start conversations, so you’ll often see me start my posts with a question. This is my favorite technique.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Start with a provocative question
- Talk about why you think the question is important or interesting
- Seed the conversation by answering the question yourself (you can do this in the post or keep your audience in suspense a little longer and put your answer in the comments)
- Restate the question
And here’s an example:
7. Short, Sweet, & Memorable
The character limit for LinkedIn posts is 3,000, but of course, you don’t have to use all of that real estate. Longer, text-based posts still tend to do the best with the algorithm. But, let’s face it, you don’t always have a ton to say and that shouldn’t stop you from posting. It’s absolutely fine to post something short and sweet instead. This is especially true if you have a well-established audience.
Whenever I post something shorter than my norm, I try to make it especially memorable. A number of people I know post a single tip every day or they post a quote without comment. That’s not a great approach because both are pretty forgettable. Instead, tap into your inner copywriter and put a unique spin on whatever you want to say. Jokes are also great content for this technique.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Make an absolute statement
- Say something slightly self-deprecating (what’s more authentic than making fun of yourself?) about how you don’t fit the mold
- Or make another type of joke
- Bonus points: Connect your joke to a profound point you want your audience to remember
And here’s an example:
8. One-Liners
Many people prefer posts that are made up of all one-liners. These posts have a lot of whitespace, which makes them easy to read, especially on a mobile phone. That’s one good reason to use this technique. Another reason to use them is that they allow us to take in information more quickly. They’re also easy to skim (which may be a pro or a con depending on your perspective).
You can use this technique to tell a story, convey a business lesson, or share an example. Basically, any of the above templates could be written as one-liners. Whether you create one-liners is more a matter of style preference than strategy.
One word of warning: These types of posts can come off as snarky or sarcastic, but if that’s your persona, then this might be a great technique for you.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Start with a one-liner that will grab your audience
- Explain the idea in a series of one-liners (picture yourself peeling back the layers of an onion)
- Include an example
- Make it clear how this might apply to your audience
And here’s an example:
9. Long Paragraphs
Finally, text-based posts using longer paragraphs are also perfectly acceptable for LinkedIn. What do I mean by longer paragraphs? Anything more than three or four lines is a long paragraph on social media. The worry about writing posts with paragraphs is that your audience will see a wall of text, feel overwhelmed, and skip right over what you’re saying. And this is a valid concern, but it’s also highly dependent on your audience.
Honestly, I will sometimes skip over these posts when I’m feeling tired or crunched for time. But when I have more time and the person posting has earned my trust by putting out valuable content in the past, then I love to savor long paragraphs. If your audience appreciates substantial content, these types of posts can work like magic.
It’s also a good idea to vary the length of your paragraphs. The example below shows you how.
Here’s a template you can use:
- Start with a hook or scroll-stopping headline
- Write out a thought process your prospect or client might experience
- State any questions that might arise
- Show how your service, product, or solution can ease their mind and answer their questions
And here’s an example:
There’s not just one way to create a LinkedIn post. I hope these nine templates will help you spice things up a bit or give you some inspiration the next time you feel stuck. Metaphysics and marketing don’t have much in common, but just as “being is said in many ways,” successful LinkedIn posts can be written in many ways.
And if you’d like to know how we can work together, my LinkedIn Roadmap is a great place to start: https://thepocketphd.lpages.co/linkedin-roadmap/
Photo credit: https://www.123rf.com/profile_deagreez