It’s easy to get lost in all the noise on LinkedIn®️ which is why sharing content, even truly engaging content, isn’t enough to get noticed, let alone stand out. LinkedIn is known as a business networking site. A place to make business connections.
But the truth is LinkedIn is a social media platform where we can meet, get to know, and possibly work with other humans. That’s where LinkedIn engagement comes in. These 5 strategies can help you with that.
Ring Profile Bells
Yes, ringing the 🔔 on LinkedIn profiles can still help you see their content. If you’re not aware the “bell” is in the upper right-hand corner of the profile, just under the banner.
Pro Tip: Ring the bell on profiles that resonate with you to ensure their content appears in your feed. If you’re not connected, you’ll need to “Follow” the person to see their bell.
Action Steps
🔹Visit the profiles of people you want to know and those you want to know you. (potential clients, people you want to learn from, etc.)
🔹Click the bell icon to activate notifications content notifications
🔹Engage with their content – sharing thoughtful comments – consistently
(I decided to use my friend Kevin D. Turner’s profile as an example here, as I learned how to create “People Lists” from him)
Create People Lists
It’s easy to waste time on social media, including LinkedIn. To save time and avoid random scrolling, use LinkedIn’s search feature to create “people lists.”
Begin by clicking on the LinkedIn search bar and search for People. Next, click on the Posts button (the first button at the top of the page). Scroll over to the From Member button and click the down arrow. Add the names of people whose content you want to see, then label and save the search.
That’s it.
It’s easy to use your lists to monitor and review the posts of people who are a priority for you.
Pro Tip: Dedicate several times each week to engage with the people on your lists. It’s a great way to get to know them and, just as importantly, have them get to know you.
Action Steps
🔹Use LinkedIn’s search with specific filters to find people to include on your lists
🔹Save your lists in a folder on the Bookmark bar for easy future access.
🔹Engage with the people on your lists consistently to foster connections
🎞️ Watch this short video on YouTube to learn how
Keep Track of Your Tribe
Many apps allow you to organize names, content, etc. You can use something as simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of the people on your lists. I keep my lists to 25 people per list to make it easy to review “chunks” of content at a time.
Pro Tip: Review your lists periodically to ensure those on them remain relevant to your objectives.
Action Steps
🔹Periodically ealuate those on your lists for relevancy
🔹Use it as a guide for your engagement
Curate Your LinkedIn Feed
If you’re not seeing the content you want in your LinkedIn feed, it’s time to evaluate the people you Follow and remove those who are no longer relevant to your goals.
Regularly pruning your network — unfollowing those who no longer spark interest — helps you see relevant content.
Pro Tip: Evaluate the people you follow regularly. Remember, each Unfollow is a step towards improving your LinkedIn experience.
Action Steps
🔹Review the list of people you Follow regularly
🔹Unfollow profiles that no longer align with your purpose
🔹Keep your feed tailored to your current interests and goals
Develop a Doable Engagement Plan
It’s important to be strategic about your time on LinkedIn. While it may seem like everyone with a huge following is on the platform 24/7, they’re not.
What they are is intentional, and you can be too.
It’s not about the time you spend but how you spend that time. Begin with as little as 15 minutes a day reviewing content and sharing “thoughtful comments.” That means comments that will add to the conversation.
Once you’re comfortable with 15 minutes a day, you might try doing 2 sessions a day.
Pro Tip: Schedule these 15-minute sessions as you would a meeting. Engaging in other people’s content is one of the best ways to build your visibility on the platform.
Action Steps
🔹Set aside 15 minutes daily for LinkedIn engagement
🔹Gradually increase your engagement time as needed
🔹Keep your interactions with others genuine, and leave thoughtful comments on their posts
Shifting Your Mindset
Building your network and visibility on LinkedIn shouldn’t feel like another task to tend to. It’s a step toward meeting your objectives.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” The truth is it’s who knows you. Who will think of you when someone they know needs a service you offer or an opening for your dream job.
Using these 5 strategies is a way of getting to know people who, for whatever reason, are a priority for you. And, just as importantly having them get to know you.
After a while, your efforts will turn LinkedIn from a business platform where you go to make business connections to a 24/7 networking event where you engage with people. Many who have become your friends.
Thinking of the people you meet on LinkedIn as other humans instead of connections who may be able to help you with “whatever” changes everything. In a good way.
