Day 518 - Building an audience on LinkedIn - https://golifelog.com/posts/building-an-audience-on-linkedin-1654137421917
I've been posting every day on LinkedIn since 25th March. The aim is to build an audience—fellow designers and non-design folks interested in design (either to outsource or hire)—for my design consultancy Outsprint.
I posted daily about Lifelog and my writing there during my #100daysofmarketing challenge last year (Sept-Dec). But LinkedIn didn't work out as a good channel for Lifelog, so I stopped posting after that. Looking back, it didn't make sense because most in my connected network are from the design industry in Singapore, not about writing.
So when I decided to fully embrace my portfolio of products as the way forward—including my design consultancy work—I decided I could use LinkedIn as my distribution channel for Outsprint, and leverage everything I learned from doing content on Twitter to LinkedIn.
Some thoughts so far after two months on LinkedIn:
- Then: 699 (as at 22 Apr). Now: 752 followers. I can at least conclude the past 50 followers were a result of my audience-building efforts!
- Also got a few warm leads for consultancy work, so it's definitely helpful in terms of potential revenue!
- Content is less ephemeral. The algo definitely works way differently from Twitter. I have posts from days or weeks ago that can still get likes or views. Whereas on Twitter the content cycle is like 24h.
- User engagement is lower, less frequent. Most people in my network don't check LinkedIn all that often.
- Views and engagement goes significantly down on weekends. Maybe LinkedIn is synced to the Mon-Fri, 9-to-5 schedule?
- Memes work too! I used to think LinkedIn is a serious place, and people are less willing to joke around because it's a place for their career and their current/future employers might be looking. But I've got a meme that's been going strong even after 2 weeks, and still getting Likes and Views! Looks like I was wrong.
- Comments are more combative, people aren’t as nice (as Maker Twitter). I got folks who don't follow me or are connected replying to my posts who don't filter their words for friendliness, or are out to prove me wrong. OK you get that on other parts of Twitter too, but less so based on my experience in Maker Twitter.
- The presence of randos in my replies also mean that hashtags still work in LinkedIn. It helps people outside of your connected network discover your content.
- I'm running out of content ideas after this initial burst of two months, so time for a structure:
• Mon - showing results, proof of work, testimonial, review
• Tue-Fri - content to help my audience
• Sat - a question/poll to prompt reflection
• Sun - a meme for relaxed Sunday
- After 2 months of data, I can now start to firm up the topics for my content matrix:
• anything about UX design, design, design thinking, design-driven innovation
• design in government/non-profit space
• careers, career progression in design
• challenges we face as designers
• interesting hacks, techniques and methods in design
• helping non-designers commission design services
What do you think of LinkedIn?
I posted daily about Lifelog and my writing there during my #100daysofmarketing challenge last year (Sept-Dec). But LinkedIn didn't work out as a good channel for Lifelog, so I stopped posting after that. Looking back, it didn't make sense because most in my connected network are from the design industry in Singapore, not about writing.
So when I decided to fully embrace my portfolio of products as the way forward—including my design consultancy work—I decided I could use LinkedIn as my distribution channel for Outsprint, and leverage everything I learned from doing content on Twitter to LinkedIn.
Some thoughts so far after two months on LinkedIn:
- Then: 699 (as at 22 Apr). Now: 752 followers. I can at least conclude the past 50 followers were a result of my audience-building efforts!
- Also got a few warm leads for consultancy work, so it's definitely helpful in terms of potential revenue!
- Content is less ephemeral. The algo definitely works way differently from Twitter. I have posts from days or weeks ago that can still get likes or views. Whereas on Twitter the content cycle is like 24h.
- User engagement is lower, less frequent. Most people in my network don't check LinkedIn all that often.
- Views and engagement goes significantly down on weekends. Maybe LinkedIn is synced to the Mon-Fri, 9-to-5 schedule?
- Memes work too! I used to think LinkedIn is a serious place, and people are less willing to joke around because it's a place for their career and their current/future employers might be looking. But I've got a meme that's been going strong even after 2 weeks, and still getting Likes and Views! Looks like I was wrong.
- Comments are more combative, people aren’t as nice (as Maker Twitter). I got folks who don't follow me or are connected replying to my posts who don't filter their words for friendliness, or are out to prove me wrong. OK you get that on other parts of Twitter too, but less so based on my experience in Maker Twitter.
- The presence of randos in my replies also mean that hashtags still work in LinkedIn. It helps people outside of your connected network discover your content.
- I'm running out of content ideas after this initial burst of two months, so time for a structure:
• Mon - showing results, proof of work, testimonial, review
• Tue-Fri - content to help my audience
• Sat - a question/poll to prompt reflection
• Sun - a meme for relaxed Sunday
- After 2 months of data, I can now start to firm up the topics for my content matrix:
• anything about UX design, design, design thinking, design-driven innovation
• design in government/non-profit space
• careers, career progression in design
• challenges we face as designers
• interesting hacks, techniques and methods in design
• helping non-designers commission design services
What do you think of LinkedIn?