^ That’s you, isn’t it? A certified LinkedIn Lurker wondering how to post on LinkedIn, but secretly hoping you don’t find out because posting gives you the heebiest of jeebies.
The good news is, you’re not alone.
The bad news is that you’re a silly sausage, because once you get started, it’ll be easy peasy, lemon squeezy, rather than teary-feary, lemon-dreary!
So, how do you post on LinkedIn? And more importantly, how do you get over that icky feeling and find your groove?
Let’s take a look-see.
Table of contents
- How do I post on LinkedIn when I don’t really want to?
- How to get started posting on LinkedIn
- Now you know how to start posting on LinkedIn
How do I post on LinkedIn when I don’t really want to?
Well, that’s part of the roadblock, isn’t it?
Whenever I’ve spoken to people on mentoring calls or clients about how to post on LinkedIn, the usual common phrases are:
- “I’m fine writing for clients/other people, but I hate writing for myself!”
- “I hate talking about myself, and that’s what you have to do on LinkedIn.”
- “Posting content makes me feel like there’s a spotlight on me.”
- “I haven’t got a clue where to start because there’s already so much out there (especially AI-generated content.”
- “I don’t think there’s anything to say that hasn’t already been said.”
LinkedIn has over 1.1 billion users, but only 310 million active monthly users.
That means that out of everyone logging in, the majority aren’t posting or contributing to the content, they’re just scrolling – they might engage with content, but the odds are that they aren’t posting not one rice grain of their own stuff.
It might seem like you’re in a sea of people who know how to post on LinkedIn (or what to post), but the truth is that plenty of people are window-shopping, too.
How to get started posting on LinkedIn
Now, whilst I might not offer LinkedIn-related content as a service, I do post frequently on LinkedIn myself.
Call me a LinkedInfluencer, you saucy sausage x
(Please don’t ever do that.)
Whether you’ve posted before and stopped since, or never posted before but want to, here are a few tips to get started.
1. Don’t start from scratch
The absolute worst thing you can do when you’re out of practice writing is to just jump into it, dare I say it, balls to the wall.
Any great writing requires some kind of plan, even if it’s vague or only a framework.
So I’m going to let you steal mine!
Content pillars for posting on LinkedIn
I divide my content pillars up like so:
- General content pillars
- Sub-pillars
- Purpose
I could get more granular, but I also don’t want to start feeling like posting is becoming a massive burden on my will to live.
So, for me, that could look like:
General content pillars
- Copywriting & content writing
- Social issues
- Service-specific
- Social proof
- Freelancing/self-employment
Let’s take the copywriting & content writing pillar as an example and break it down into sub-pillars:
Sub-pillars
Copywriting (& content writing)
- Website copy
- Copy audits
- Tone of voice
- Branding copy
- Overall copy
- Copy reviews
Purpose
- Educational
- Informative
- Humorous
- Sales
- Promotion/awareness
A post for website copy with the purpose of sales will usually have details on a specific service I offer and end with a call to action (e.g., DM me if you need a website copy audit ASAP), whereas a branding copy post intended to be humorous can end with a question for engagement and relatability (e.g., ‘does writing your own content give anyone else the ick?’)
It’s all about setting yourself a nice framework to work with so that you can keep your content balanced!
That way, you don’t slip too much into posting about one area and neglecting sales, or overdoing sales and service-specific posts in favour of relatable content.
2. Don’t ever post without a purpose
So I’ve just given my content pillars as an example, and it’s specifically to point out another common issue people run into: caring more about the type of content than the purpose of it.
Posting on LinkedIn without a purpose is, as I’ve said in my own LinkedIn content, like wearing arseless trousers.
You’ll get yourself plenty of attention potentially, but it’s definitely not the attention you want!
Think about it this way: if you’re looking to attract leads and your content doesn’t actually compel them to ever take action and get in touch, it’s pointless.
Break it down:
- Educational: Shows your expertise and approach & helps your audience learn
- Informative: Concise way of demonstrating your skills/knowledge
- Humorous: I mean, my content would be dead without this. It’s relatable
- Sales: Helps to keep your business afloat (😂) and is often overlooked by people because it feels ‘icky’ and doesn’t get as much engagement, but it helps clarify what you do for clients and encourages them to get in touch
- Promotion/awareness: If you have a specific new service to push or an online product or webinar appearance, etc., it’s a great way to keep it fresh in the minds of your audience
3. Look for inspiration (not imitation)
I don’t care what people on LinkedIn say, copying content is not a content strategy, it’s a one-way ticket to generic and crap content that isn’t an accurate portrayal of you, and doesn’t serve a proper purpose.
What you should do instead when you’re stuck on how to start posting on LinkedIn is take a scroll through your feed.
Take screenshots of some content you really like, and then plonk it in your Notes app or a Google doc, including:
- What immediately drew you in (Was it the subject? The tone of voice? Format? Or how it made you feel?)
- How effective it was at its purpose (Was it a carousel that left you feeling more informed on a topic? A conversion post that made you want to get in touch?)
- How it made you feel
That last one is a great way to zero in on the influence of tone of voice, because you feel a certain way because someone’s tone of voice has influenced you to.
For example, I focus on making copy more accessible by leading with humour, with a candid touch on how difficult it can be. It’s meant to make you feel seen, validated, and a bit ‘in on the joke’.
Doing this gives you a strong framework for not just what to post but how to post it.
4. Start small
I might be a baptism-by-fire type of person, but it’s definitely not advisable for everyone.
Sometimes, a short and sweet post introducing yourself, what you do, and a few little facts about yourself can really remove that barrier holding you back.
Content is only as complicated as you need it to be!
You can move to posting about value-based content way later (e.g., social issues) to attract like-minded people, but that might have a massive intimidation factor of attracting comments that disagree.
Whether you’re doing a small intro post, a picture of something you’ve seen in your realm of work and discussing it, or sharing a meme, you’re at least putting your foot in the door and getting used to it.
5. Remember that when you post on LinkedIn, you’re going to encounter kn*bheads
I’d love to tell you LinkedIn is all sunshine and rainbows.
It’s where I’ve found the majority of my freelance clients and created a lovely, supportive network.
But there are also times when you can post about something seemingly inoffensive and neutral and still receive profile-pictureless Pete’s wet flannel opinion in the comments.
Day ruined.
But it’s important to remember that you can just exist in a space online, and there’s going to be some kn*bhead who thinks they should ruin your day.
It’s your job not to let them ruin your day. After all, even if they disagree with your viewpoint, unless they’re open to discussing it, you’re only wasting time and energy.
Let the block button be your best friend and don’t allow people saying “bLoCkiNg PeOplE Is CoWarDlY” have a say – there’s a difference between a discussion and a debate, after all!
Now you know how to start posting on LinkedIn!
You’re now obligated by our invisible blood oath to start, or I’m entitled to all the food you have and your bank account.
I don’t make the rules!
Once you start posting, the barrier becomes smaller and smaller until you’re so used to doing it that it becomes boring sometimes (guilty).
Don’t forget that you can adjust to your client/customer persona over time and evolve your content, but sometimes you need to get the habit formed before becoming overwhelmed by all of the working parts.
Don’t let a kn*b ruin your day. Even me!
I don’t offer LinkedIn content as a service, but if you’re ever looking for some website copy, branding copy (e.g., writing for your services PDF), a tone of voice guide, or blog content – I’m your gal.
Get in touch and let me know what you’re struggling with copy-wise!
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