Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions

Before college, I never imagined my professional life would include a social media profile. But after my first semester, the search for a summer job began. Enter: LinkedIn. 

While my original intent was to use it for job hunting, I quickly realized LinkedIn is much more than that. It’s also a space to curate your professional presence and connect with others doing the same. That can feel a little daunting – especially if you’re new to personal branding. But whether you’re just starting to build your individual profile or looking for tips to enhance your company page, there are a few universal truths worth keeping in mind: 

 

Visuals Are Vital 

Let’s be real, attention spans are shorter than ever. That’s why choosing an image that’s eye-catching and scroll-stopping is critical. It might mean hiring a professional photographer or investing in a better camera. (They say a picture is worth 1,000 words – let’s aim for 1,000 impressions.) 

And remember, visuals aren’t just photos. Put in the time to learn how to use editing software – or hire someone who knows how – to create dynamic, engaging graphics. Video is worth exploring too. As of July 2024, video posts on LinkedIn generate 1.4 times more engagement than other content formats. It should align with your goals, but whatever you do, don’t skip the visual. 

 

Share the Journey 

On platforms like LinkedIn, the default might be to wait until you have a finished product to post. The trend for engaging content on LinkedIn seems to be more raw and transparent content. People are fascinated by the behind-the-scenes. Some ideas you could try for your next post: 

• What are you working on right now? 
• What challenges are you facing? 
• What did you learn the hard way this week? 

If you can post mid-process, great. If not, document along the way so you can share the story later. People don’t just want the “ta-da” – they want the “how’d you do that?” It’s important not to overdo it, though. If you’re screaming how authentic you are, you might come off as a little fake.

 

Optimize Your Time Spent on LinkedIn

Before and after people engage with your content, they’ll click on your profile. So make sure it’s ready for some company. This is where that “personal branding” comes in. Some tips: 

• Fill out your “About” section with more than just job titles. This is your opportunity to tell people why you do what you do. 

• Monitor your comments — yes, even the less-than-positive ones. Respond respectfully and professionally. It shows you’re present and engaged (and not a bot). 

• Tag relevant people and organizations. It boosts reach and starts conversations. 

Last, but not less important, engage with content from other accounts in your community. You should be showing up for your connections just as much as you want them to show up for you.

Paid Promotion Potential 

While we all wish our organic content would blow up and go viral every single time, that’s not what happens. To reach your target audience more effectively, you might want to consider boosting a post. This might be more applicable to a company, rather than individual LinkedIn users, but could still be useful if you are trying to raise awareness for something – if you self-published a book, for example. 

If you’re new to this, start small. Test wisely, because once money’s involved, you want to avoid putting all your eggs in one post (so to speak). 

With boosting, you should also take notes from what is already performing well. You know it works, so promote that. Just don’t become too reliant on using ads – they should be a tool to help you build a larger community that will become your audience for organic content (so keep that up too).

 

Test & Tweak 

As mentioned earlier, you want to conduct tests. It’s how you know what works and what doesn’t. Some different variables you might want to switch up: 

• Posting Frequency – If you post three times a day, are you getting three times the amount of engagement? Or does your audience value quality over quantity? In any case, make sure how often you post stays consistent. 

• Content Type – I already mentioned how important visuals are, and you can choose from photos, graphics, polls, and videos. Don’t be afraid to mix it up! 

• Style – Try short versus long copy. First versus third-person storytelling. Hashtags and emojis. What are people responding to? 

 

Before You Click Post 

LinkedIn isn’t just a place to park your resume. It’s a living, breathing platform where your ideas, your work, and your personality can shine. 

Show up often. Share generously. Mix things up. And remember: you don’t have to wait for perfection. Progress is engaging, and people love to be part of your journey.

 

Author Bio: 

Cassandra Hultgren was an intern at the National Institute for Social Media, where she gained experience in social media strategy and began pursuing her Social Media Strategist certification. She graduated from Luther College in 2024 with a degree in Communications and French, which means she can explain a branding campaign and order croissants correctly. Now based in sunny Arizona, when she’s not crafting content or juggling hashtags, she runs a coloring book business and explores her love for all things visual communication—markers and metrics included.