You’ve probably heard that “content is king," which is undoubtedly true. However, it’s not the only truth. In fact, it’s only the starting point.
Creating original, good-quality content will get you nowhere if you don’t have a strategy for it. You need to know how to handle the content you produce, present it in the right way, and get the most out of it.
Understand What Linkedin Likes
Before starting your journey as a LinkedIn content creator, you need to understand what LinkedIn likes. Most guides will tell you that you need a consistent, realistic posting schedule. This is very true. Nobody will follow a page or profile that posts erratically. Your audience wants to know what they can expect from you.
In the same vein, you have probably already seen some suggestions about content types. For example, to have educational articles each Monday, then something fun and lighthearted, but still valuable, on Wednesdays, and let’s say a small achievement celebration or acknowledgement on Fridays to end the week in a good mood. That’s great! Have you noticed the common denominator in all of this?
The secret is consistency. This is what LinkedIn’s algorithm values the most. It goes beyond a steady publishing schedule, though. What you need to achieve is consistency in using the platform as a whole.
You should aim for a steady stream of added value to the Linkedin platform.
This includes interactions of all kinds:
- connecting with new people,
- following new pages,
- commenting on other people's content,
- regularly publishing your own (of course),
- liking posts
- directly chatting with individuals via your DMs.
This might seem like too much to handle. We broke it down into manageable steps for you. Let’s take a look at how these demands translate into an actual strategy.
Optimize the post to get more likes
Your content strategy for LinkedIn begins before you even publish anything. You need to consider the process of content production first. For example, what do you think: can you italicize on LinkedIn? Should you? (Hint: you definitely should.) Do you know why the spacing is important? Do you know how to do it in the best way?
Step one: Get out of the habit of writing and publishing in one go. Sure, it’s tempting and seems efficient. The problem is that you end up with a lot of junk in your content. After you write your announcement, article, or whatever else it is, let it sit for a while. Then go back and review that draft.
Remove all the unnecessary words. Cut all the fluff out. You want to be clear and to the point. Do your best to stick to one train of thought. If you realized mid-way that your topic could branch out into some super interesting and valuable directions, awesome! Make a note of that and use it in a future post. Maybe even make a series. But cut it out of the current draft. It will only confuse your audience and make them navigate away.
Then see how the post makes you feel. Is it motivating? Frustrating? Will your audience feel like they learned something? This is a good moment for those italics. Italicized text is often used to convey emotion. Apply it to things like quotes, relatable commentary, dialogue, etc. You could also italicize a particular word or name that deserves some emphasis but not as strongly as boldface type would make it.
Step two: Review your opening line. We already mentioned formatting, and this is another big part of that. Your first lines have to grab attention and keep it. Be honest with yourself. If you read that opening line in somebody else’s post, would you want to click “See More”? Or would you think: “Eh, sure, nice," and keep scrolling?
The start of the post needs to have a good hook. It has to be engaging and genuinely interesting. Now, we admit that this can be hard to achieve. One great hack is to leave that step for last. Literally, write your entire post and then add a start to it when it’s done. When you have the whole text in front of you, you can see it as a whole and identify the elements that would make for a winning opener.
This is how one of my Linkedin posts looks before publishing in the AuthoredUp extension.
Step three: Don’t post until you’ve checked the formatting in your LinkedIn posts. Yes, it is that important. Content looks different in text editors and publishing. Is your content easy to read? Is it easy to navigate? Avoid big blocks of text - this means paragraphs too! Typically, you want a paragraph to be two to four lines long. Anything more, and it’s difficult on the eyes.
Also, consider the spacing between paragraphs and sections. Lists and bullet points are your best friends. Use them to present chunks of essential data or to highlight interesting facts. Keep them nicely spaced too.
Finally, check what your formatting will look like on different screens. Is it mobile-friendly? Will it display nicely in all desktop browsers as well as in the app? You actually have a secret weapon here: bold LinkedIn text option within our AuthoredUp tool. Use it for opening lines, key data, or calls to action. It will stand out and grab attention on all displays. Take advantage of that to snap your audience’s focus to the most essential parts of your content.
Step four: Engage before you post. Chronologically, this might be considered number one, but it’s less about writing and more about laying the groundwork. You need to “warm up your profile," so to speak. If a complete anon suddenly drops a content bomb, very few people will bother to pay attention to it.
So before you post your own stuff, engage with your feed for a bit. Read other people’s content, and write a few comments. Don’t just rely on generic congrats; try contributing to their conversations. Add some industry insight or share your own personal or professional experience. Click on a few “See More”s and give some likes and reactions.
This accomplishes two important things. First, it gets people’s attention. That means you have more of a chance for them to return the favor and read your post and even engage with it. Second, it sends a signal to the LinkedIn algorithm. Your publishing is viewed as organic.
It lets the platform know that your content came about as a result of you consuming things on LinkedIn. The algorithm likes you, recommends you to people, and is less inclined to see you as a bot or spammer who’s just artificially fishing for likes.
After you post on Linkedin
Your work as a content creator doesn’t end when the piece you crafted goes public. Nope, that’s when the party actually starts. This is when you begin to reap the reward that all of the above preparation was for - engagement.
So when you publish your article, photo, video, or whatever it is, stay in the feed for a while. Wait and see how people react to your content. Observe the comments as they come in and make a point of responding. Even if the comment is a generic “Congrats!", reply with a polite and friendly “Thanks!”.
First 2 hours after posting your post will be analyzed by the algorithm, make sure to get engagement in this Golden (Two) Hour(s).
Check the whole analysis by Richard van der Blom:
If you happen to get some negative commentary, take full advantage of it. Criticism is a massive opportunity for branding! People will always pay attention to how you handle the haters. So, respond to them in a polite but firm way. Troubleshoot any legitimate complaints on the spot. Give honest reasons and always publicly appreciate the criticism if it is constructive.
If you get a troll instead, don’t give in to the temptation of feeding it. That is to say, don’t stoop to sarcasm and arguing. Write a polite but short reply, just to demonstrate that they aren’t getting to you, and then block them if they keep causing trouble.
One of the great content creators, Darren Mc Kee had a great point:
If someone contributes some information or a fresh perspective, make a point of interacting with them more. This person could be a valuable connection in your industry or a related field. Thank them for their contribution and try to keep the debate going. Agree or present a good counter-point. Ask other experts to weigh in.
If someone reshares your post, always take a minute to comment on that. Thank them for sharing and ask for their opinion. They have probably already added some kind of caption, so ask them to expand on their thinking. Take the most value that you can out of any discussion that develops.
Long-term strategy to increase likes on Linkedin
By now, you have invested a lot of effort. You learned about formatting LinkedIn posts, writing great hooks, and maintaining consistent engagement. You know how to grow your audience organically, and you’ve got your troll handling down. Now what?
Now you need to turn your mind to the future. How are you going to maintain your success in the long term? Obviously, you can't sit on LinkedIn all day. Instead, rely on an active network. Build connections across the platform by following company pages, individual accounts, and hashtags that are relevant to your interests.
Get in touch with as many people in your industry as you can. Create a larger pool of readers who might be interested in your content. Let them read, react, click, comment, and share. They’ll breathe life into your content and give it value while you’re off improving your business.
The trick here is to nourish the Linkedin network. People want to know that you appreciate them. When you do get back online, take some time to thank everyone who shared your posts. As we explained above, responding to the comments is a must. Engage with the interesting stuff in your feed.
Also, don’t forget to take full advantage of DMs. If someone gives a really insightful comment or useful feedback, message them directly to say thanks. Establish yourself as a caring person who actually pays attention to fellow humans on the other side of the algorithm.
For extra reach, message the specific people you want to see your posts. Remember, LinkedIn keeps track of that. Start a conversation on purpose. The platform will know that you are connected to that person and will show your content in their feed.
Why does any of this matter?
In short, because you profit more. Having a great LinkedIn content strategy means that more people see your stuff, more people appreciate it, and you build a better brand image. A quality image increases your brand’s presence and makes your overall reputation stronger.
This translates into more impressions, reactions, and engagement. That’s what you’re aiming at. More engagement means more leads, more valuable connections, more opportunities, and more audience members converting into actual prospects.
And if you want to increase your chances of getting more likes on Linkedin, install AuthoredUp. It will help you to preview and add formatting to your posts (+ much more)!
Want to further improve your Linkedin content writing? Check these articles: