Establish yourself as a thought-leader on LinkedIn

It takes time, care and nurturing to establish yourself as a thought-leader, particularly on a platform such as LinkedIn. But once you’re established, your reputation, recognition and reach will be amplified. 

Here are seven tactics to help establish thought-leaders on LinkedIn.  

Optimise your profile  

Optimising your LinkedIn profile is crucial for maximising your professional presence – showcasing your expertise and knowledge and increasing your credibility and visibility.  

Your profile is made up of several components including your photo, banner, headline, summary, URL and featured section.   

Improve your discoverability by adopting a considered keyword strategy – peppering your profile with keywords that accurately represent your professional skills and experience. 

Activate Creator mode  

Creator mode is a profile setting that allows you to grow your reach and influence on LinkedIn.  When you activate creator mode, your articles and posts will be more visible to LinkedIn users and you’ll have access to a range of unique features to build a dedicated following.  

Key benefits of Creator mode include: 

• Adding up to five hashtags to your headline to reflect the topics you will be writing about (improving discoverability). 
• Getting a ‘follow’ button instead of ‘connect’ button, which makes it easier for people to follow you. 
• Highlighting content through the featured section higher on your page. 
• Accessing analytics about your posts including views, reactions, comments and shares. 
• Taking advantage of the ability to live stream and create newsletters (which is exclusive to content creators).  

Establish a personal brand  

A personal brand refers to the unique combination of values, skills, experiences, and reputation that defines your professional identity and how you are perceived by others.  

It’s the way you present yourself to the world, both online and offline, and the impression you leave on others. 

LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking platform, provides an ideal environment for building your personal brand as a thought-leader, which can open doors to new opportunities.  

However, establishing yourself as a thought-leader on LinkedIn requires a long-term commitment, consistency, and a genuine passion for sharing knowledge.  

By defining your niche, creating compelling content, engaging authentically, networking strategically and leveraging LinkedIn features, you can position yourself as an influential voice within your industry and elevate your personal brand to new heights. 

Find dynamic ways to post content  

There are multiple content tactics that can be applied on LinkedIn to keep content dynamic and engaging: 

• Record short-form videos to keep audiences engaged – noting that research indicates 68 per cent of people will happily watch a business video if it’s under one minute in length.  
• Use carousel posts or moving graphics to create visual differentiation within your feed, while also standing out from other posts.  
• Create newsletters, a feature available via LinkedIn’s Creator mode, to keep followers engaged with regular insights.  
• Link to your own website for long-form insights on a subject matter. 
• Share relevant external articles and research regarding developments that relate to your niche with your own insights.  

Develop a hashtag strategy 

By using relevant hashtags in your posts, you can attract the attention of professionals who are interested in or searching for content related to those topics. 

When people search or follow specific hashtags, they are more likely to come across your posts, increasing your visibility, establishing your area of expertise and driving potential engagement.  

By incorporating trending hashtags into your strategy, you will increase the chances of your posts being seen by a wider audience.  

To improve conversation rates and engagement, LinkedIn also recommends the use of niche hashtags such as #PerformanceManagement, instead of the broader option of #Management.  

With all this in mind, LinkedIn recommends no more than five hashtags per post, focusing on quality over quantity.  

Keep an eye on the performance of your posts using a combination of different hashtags to understand which hashtags are generating the best results, and adjust your strategy based on these findings.  

Engage on LinkedIn 

There are a number of strategies you can employ to engage with others on LinkedIn, which will increase your visibility, credibility and following. 

• Post comments and insights on others’ posts that resonate with your personal brand.  
• Take part in meaningful discussions to connect with the author and audience.  
• Participate in LinkedIn Groups related to your industry or area of interest. 
• Share relevant posts with your own insights to spark conversations.  
• Get involved in LinkedIn events, connecting with other participants to increase your exposure.  

Keep a hybrid presence  

As a thought leader, you should also actively seek opportunities to attend, network and speak at in-person events along with online opportunities such as webinars.  

These opportunities increase your visibility and credibility, in turn elevating your personal brand and following.  

These opportunities are often advertised on social media, industry association websites, industry publications and online event directories such as the Brisbane Business Hub and Eventbrite. 

Contact us  

If you would like support developing a thought-leadership strategy including personal brand development, narrative and key message preparation, contact us today.