(This column originally appeared in The Inquirer)
LinkedIn has become a recruiting powerhouse, where approximately seven job seekers are hired by employers every minute. But for most businesspersons like myself, LinkedIn has become a favorite place to grow and engage with one’s business network. But how to use the platform as best possible?
Have a business and a personal page
Elyse Lupin, president and founder of Elysium Marketing Group in Ambler, advises having both a personal and a business page. Because you will most likely have more connections on your personal page, you should make it a practice to post from your business page and then share to your personal page, she recommends. She says doing this will help grow your business page and allow you to see the analytics for how posts perform and how to optimize moving forward.
Selena Rezvani, a Philadelphia-based leadership speaker and a LinkedIn “Top Voice,” says that this is a good strategy and also advises to show equal attention to each page.
“I see small business leaders often focus on the company brand yet totally neglect their personal brand,” Rezvani said. “Both should work in tandem. Leaders should actively share insights, experiences, and lessons learned to build credibility and attract interest to the business. People want to know who your leaders are and what they stand for.”
Post often
Lupin advises her clients to post frequently — even daily — with content that shows you are an expert in your field. However, she says, it’s important to ensure that you’re posting “quality posts” with relevant information and “not just posting to post.” She also strongly advises to keep business and politics separate.
When you post, it’s also a good practice to avoid using external links that take users away from the platform.
“LinkedIn prioritizes content that keeps users within LinkedIn,” said Caryn Maenza, a speaker’s agent and marketing expert in White Plains, N.Y. “As a result, posts with links to outside pages often receive reduced visibility in the feed.”
Maenza says that if you must include an outside link, it’s best to include it in the comments section instead of including the link directly in your own post.
Avoid outside services
It may be tempting to hire an outside company to automate posts, scrape data, or employ bots to seek out connections. Maenza warns against doing this because, she says, LinkedIn monitors and takes action against accounts that use third-party services to manipulate engagement or generate leads.
“LinkedIn emphasizes authentic human-to-human interactions to maintain the platform’s professional integrity,” she said. “If you use outside services, the platform will ultimately punish you for this by not showing your posts and could ultimately ban your account. It’s better to utilize their tools, like Sales Navigator.”
Engage with your network
Rezvani says that engaging with others is “the backbone” of LinkedIn.
“Beyond connecting with potential clients, partners, and thought leaders in your industry, participate in LinkedIn Groups that align with your business’s niche, contribute to discussions — better yet initiate them — and provide value without directly selling,” she said. “This positions your business as a credible authority in your field.”
Maenza agrees and says that LinkedIn rewards you for spending time on the platform and commenting on other people’s posts.
“Whenever I do this, I notice my engagement goes up,” she said. “LinkedIn’s algorithm also favors content that gets early engagement, as it interprets the content as valuable and relevant.”
Be consistent
The people who accumulate the largest followings are the ones who can be relied upon to deliver reliable and useful content consistently.
Rezvani says that consistency “is crucial” to grow on LinkedIn. She recommends treating your audience like an intelligent focus group by “testing ideas” to see what gauges the most interest and having a regular posting schedule.
“Infrequent posting or engagement can make your brand appear inactive, outdated, or out of touch,” she said. “Consistency is key to staying top of mind with your audience — think steady drum beat. I develop a content calendar to ensure regular posting, which helps build a steady momentum and fosters long-term growth.”
Brian Honigman, a Philadelphia-based marketing strategy consultant and LinkedIn Learning Instructor, says that you should try not to overcomplicate your approach to LinkedIn as a small business.
“You’ll win when you choose a set of topics to consistently focus on, keep the conversation on the platform, and, most important, feature the voices of your leaders and employees,” he said. “Showing up consistently on a core set of relevant topics is how your firm can build the right associations with your customers over the long haul, distinguishing your organization from others.”
Be authentic and don’t over promote
Like any social media platform, people tend to gravitate toward authentic people who provide real and honest advice.
Rezvani says try not to “post like a business” and to “make a point to be a flesh-and-blood human.” She advises sharing content that reflects your mission, values, and expertise.
“Share your face-plants and hard-won lessons along with your wins,” she said. “Nobody likes it when you’re always the hero in the story.”
Rezvani also warns against using LinkedIn solely as a pitching or sales platform.
“Overpromoting your products or services, whether in connection requests or posts, will turn off your audience,” she said. “Instead, focus on adding value, building relationships, and establishing yourself as a trusted resource. The goal is to engage, not overwhelm.”
