LinkedIn is not only a social network for business professionals. The social network also features a powerful content distribution platform known as LinkedIn Pulse.
Why Pulse?
So, you might be asking yourself, “Why post on Pulse?” Well the answer is the same reason you post on your own blog or any other third party websites: Exposure.
LinkedIn’s platform allows you to reach not only your connections on LinkedIn but also potentially millions of other people who are using the social network. LinkedIn even has a special app dedicated solely to Pulse articles. Publishing on LinkedIn is very simple and anyone with a LinkedIn profile can do it. One of the main benefits of LinkedIn Pulse is that you do not have to post original articles, they can be curated from your blog or other places where you have previously been published.
However, not all articles receive the same kind of exposure. Some articles receive hundreds of thousands of views while others simmer out around one thousand views. So how do you get your article noticed and gain traction?
This article discusses several methods authors use to get their content “featured” on LinkedIn.
It’s all about the images
One of the main reasons why anybody stops scrolling through their LinkedIn feed is that an image caught their attention. The phrase “don’t judge a book by its’ cover” does not apply here. The first impression you get to make to a potential reader is your article’s image so do not waste it. Use unique and captivating images that make the reader want to click on your article. By all means avoid using images that look generic or make the reader squint to see it. Your image should be high quality, vibrant, and related to your article.
Keep the Title Short and Sweet
You might be tempted to use up all the allowable characters in the title line, however, you should avoid doing so. If your title is too long, it might end up being cut-off whenever users are browsing on their mobile phones or through the Pulse app. Keep your headline short but do not forget to include the proper keywords and attention grabbers. Finding the right balance might be a little more difficult than it seems.
SEO
One way to ensure that you reach the maximum amount of readers is to do your own content optimization. After all, everybody loves a great article with good keywords, even LinkedIn bots. Ensuring that your content is optimized for your category, helps LinkedIn bots analyze your article and classify it. In addition, since LinkedIn Pulse articles get indexed into Google, it makes it easier for Google users to find your article if they perform a search using your keywords. If you are inexperienced with SEO, a content writing service might be your best bet to ensure that your time is not wasted. Finally, do not make your articles too long or too short. The sweet spot for LinkedIn articles that are published is somewhere between 600 to 1,000 words.
Make a Habit of Publishing
While publishing a post every once in a while might seem like an okay strategy, it will not help you truly capitalize on everything LinkedIn Pulse can offer you. To truly build engagement and get more readers to visit your website, you should make a habit of publishing on LinkedIn. This does not mean that you must write an original piece every week, just for LinkedIn. In fact, most of the content on Pulse is syndicated from another source. Utilize your main blog and your other publications to build a schedule of syndicated content and publish those articles to LinkedIn at least once a week.
In Conclusion
Getting featured on LinkedIn Pulse can seem like a daunting task. However, it is not that hard if you utilize the strategies discussed in this article. Sure, it does take some luck and not every article you publish will get featured but the payout is a lot bigger than the work you have to put in.