So now you know the why and how of LinkedIn, but where do you go from there?
Since LinkedIn is used primarily for professional benefit, rather than entertainment, it has different expectations to other social media platforms. This means your posts need to be geared differently, too.
Typically, they'll be less fun, and more informative. But most importantly: they must provide value.
Here's what authors should post on LinkedIn:
Writing updates
Letting your network know how your writing is going is a great way to show you're working hard, and also make friends with people in a similar place as you.
Unlike other platforms, your LinkedIn connections are less likely to be following you as a fan, and far more likely to be following because they're interested in your writing career.
Show that you're a professional and serious writer, while staying authentic. This will be a great way to start being noticed by the right people!
Requests for help
LinkedIn is mostly about meeting professionals who can help each other, so don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Who or what are you looking for? Be specific. Is it an experienced romance book cover designer? Or the best thesaurus website?
Make sure to use hashtags to ensure the request reaches the right people.
Writing tips
The tips I post on LinkedIn always do better than any other type of post, because it's the most beneficial to my network. This also establishes me as a professional in my field.
So, what's your speciality? What do you want to be seen as the expert in?
If you write romance, you might post tips on creating chemistry between characters. If you write non-fiction, post snippets of your book that people may find educational or helpful. There are countless possibilities.
Blog Posts and LinkedIn Articles
Like any other platform, LinkedIn is a great place to share blogs. People are scrolling through LinkedIn for helpful content, so if your blog might benefit your network, make sure they see it!
LinkedIn also favours articles in its algorithm. Don't just copy and paste your blogs (this is seen as plagiarism in SEO), but try to repurpose them for your specific LinkedIn audience.
Maybe you've written about the time you climbed a mountain and it inspired your epic fantasy. Something like this could be rewritten to focus on how others might be able to find inspiration in similar ways. Think of a catchy headline, like: '5 ways to get inspired in your backyard'.
Sales posts
Of course, you have to promote yourself every now and then! Post snippets of your books, talk about your characters, and get people excited for new releases.
Like we discussed in the first LinkedIn blog this month, make sure your selling posts target the right people. Your readers might not be in your network, but other people who can get you readers are!
Will you start using LinkedIn as an author? Make sure to send me a request and leave a comment if you do!
Don't forget about my Social Media packages, and my upcoming publishing worksheets.