Case Study #10: Expand Your LinkedIn Influence and Network

5 tips that help you start or get better at LinkedIn. Avoid common mistakes.

LinkedIn’s hype keeps growing. With over 930 million users, the user base is enormous. LinkedIn is an opportunity.

Here are five points to help you start your LinkedIn journey. If you wish to build your brand, or business, or get a new job without applying.

The quality of your network is your influence.

---

Contents:

1. The LinkedIn journey starts with your profile and goals

   1. Your profile is your content

   2. Common mistake: Your profile lacks a concept

2. Find people from your field and join conversations

   1. Common Mistake: Commenting on the big or wrong accounts

3. Avoid social media time traps

   1. Common mistake: Not keeping your feed relevant

4. Create 30 posts, not just one

   1. Common mistake: Post and hands off

5. Prioritize building awareness before pitching

   1. Common mistake: This sales “by the way” strategy

6. TL;DR

---

1. LinkedIn journey starts with your profile and goals

No pain = no gain.

Right. But what can you really gain from LinkedIn? Followers? Job? Clients? Personal brand?

When your answer is: “I don’t know.” Think twice if you need this platform in your mix at all. It could be handy to have a profile there. It allows you to apply for jobs. But why bother with posting and engaging?

I see so many people feeling forced to produce content. Some have to involuntarily celebrate and share their company updates.

But your thoughts about LinkedIn should not come from your manager, social media gurus, six-figure earners, etc. If you let them dictate what to do, you will be a company sheep, a customer of LinkedIn courses, or a wallpaper kind of guy.

So what do you really want from LinkedIn?

Remember to start with why.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. — Lao Tzu

Your profile is your content

Some creators think content is what makes them successful. They are not wrong. Yet, it’s just part of the story. The first thing you should do is your profile.

Your profile works as your CV and portfolio. It is your door to new contacts and networking. Your LinkedIn journey starts there. You shouldn’t skip it. Choose to do it well. Treat it like your story. You can tell much more about yourself than in motivational letters. Let people get to know you.

LinkedIn works like a database. It is full of people searching for candidates, services, or new contacts. The search works for your profile too. Boost it with relevant keywords, not business buzzwords.

Learn a thing or two about SEO.

A well-optimized profile might bring you more than regular content. Speaking from the experience of my friends who don’t post but are regularly contacted for work offers.

Common mistake: Your profile lacks a concept

Your profile is gold. It says who you are and what you do. Yet, LinkedIn users are often too creative. They make it difficult for others to understand the basics.

Examples from LinkedIn

Some headlines are super dense with keywords. LinkedIn courses tell you to put multiple keywords and talk about your value. If you have cool results or work for major employers, why not add it too?

Yet, you scroll down and find out that what people do vs. how they present themselves are two different things.

Aim for clarity and simplicity.

Users struggle to set up their profiles because they don’t know what to say and how to present themselves. Your profile is your pitch. Spend quality time figuring it out before copying what everyone else is doing. You will end up with a mess.

• FIX: Imagine your profile as a story.

You describe it clearly in the headline. Show your personality in the banner and featured section. In the About section, explain where you are coming from and how you help others/companies. Polish your experience section with relevant keywords. Wrap it up with education, certificates, and skills.

Invite users to your story but don’t let them guess.

2. Find people from your field and join conversations