Okay folks …
I’ve got three things for you to think about this week.
This is relevant if you’re keen to raise your personal brand visibility, credibility and authority.
Let’s unpack them one by one …
If long-form written content is something you do as part of your authority-building efforts – or something you’re keen on doing more of – then it’s worth considering starting a LinkedIn newsletter.
I know they’ve been around for a while, and you probably subscribe to a few, but I feel they’ve made a bit of a comeback in recent times (all formats tend to ebb and flow on LinkedIn!).
Essentially, when you create a LinkedIn newsletter, it functions like a series of articles that people can subscribe to, much like a traditional email list.
Here are a few key reasons why I think you should take LinkedIn newsletters more seriously than perhaps you are:
EMAIL DISTRIBUTION
- Every time you publish a new edition, LinkedIn automatically sends it as an email notification to your subscribers, ensuring high visibility and direct access to their inboxes. I was not aware of this until I started seeing ‘email’ mentioned in the new and expanded analytics LinkedIn provides (see screen grab below).
- Subscribers also receive a notification within LinkedIn itself, PLUS the newsletter promotional post (which you have to do upon publishing an edition of your newsletter) may also appear in people’s LinkedIn feeds. This provides you with ‘three bites of the distribution cherry’ – always handy when getting your content in front of people is the challenge many of us face.
SUBSCRIBER GROWTH
- Another big advantage of newsletters is how LinkedIn helps grow your subscriber base. For example, when you launch your newsletter, all your followers and connections automatically receive an invitation to subscribe. This means that if you have a decent-sized LinkedIn audience, you can quickly gain subscribers without needing to build an email list from scratch. This is a one-time deal when you start, so make sure your first issue is a good one, and that you back it up with regular publications.
- Additionally, every time someone new follows you on the platform, they receive an automatic invitation to subscribe to your newsletter. This feature helps you build an engaged audience effortlessly, as people interested in your content are promptly notified of your newsletter’s existence.
- And finally, every time someone engages with your newsletter, it increases its reach, potentially attracting even more readers.
Oh, and don’t forget that you get the chance to learn a bit more about your subscribers. For example, in the graphic below, you can see that many of the types of people who subscribe to my PR Warrior Report newsletter are founders of and/or run businesses – my exact target audience!
Reaching people on LinkedIn is something we all want (and need) to do, but reaching the right people is more important!
Okay, let’s keep moving …
Just a thought bubble this one …
I’ve noticed a few savvy thought leaders and entrepreneurs who are setting up their own personal brand website in addition to their company website.
Maybe there will come a time (is that time now?) when it makes sense for you to do something similar?
Here are a few examples of what I mean:
CYNTHIA JOHNSON
AMY JO MARTIN
RACHEL WATKYN
LEA TURNER
FABRICE GRINDA
Why would you go down this path?
Having the two websites works best if you have a business brand that’s kicking goals and has its own service offering, but you’re also positioning and building your personal brand in the marketplace.
They essentially serve different purposes:
- Establish authority: A personal website highlights the business owner’s expertise and thought leadership (plus it might be a platform from which to promote your speaking as well as your thinking i.e. books, YouTube videos etc)
- Showcase and sell products/services: A business website focuses on a company’s offerings and client solutions, and is designed such as to take the client or customer on a journey towards purchase.
There’s every chance that each entity (‘brand’) has different target audiences as well, so having the two websites can cater for these distinct audience groups.
3. Podcast guesting – and Podchaser packaging
Have you – or one of your clients or colleagues – been having a decent crack at this podcast guesting caper?
If so, as you start to rack-’em-and-stack-’em (the interviews), you might want to do what Gina Balarin has done, and curate and package them up using the podcast database, Podchaser.
It looks great (see below), and makes it easy for anyone to go deeper into Gina’s podcast guesting body of work 🎤
Check out Gina’s Podchaser page here. Simple, but effective social proof!
[ SPEAKING OF PODCASTS > If the idea of becoming an interview guest on other people’s podcasts resonates, you might want to check out this article I wrote on the subject: How to pitch yourself as a credible interview guest on other people’s podcasts. Personally, I think podcast guesting is a massive opportunity for entrepreneurs and professional experts ]
So there you have it – three things to get you thinking.
If you’re an entrepreneur, a subject matter expert or an emerging thought leader (and I’m tipping that you tick one or more of those boxes), it makes sense to want to build your profile and reputation in a way that’s strategic and sustainable.
But you need to plan things out first (without overcooking it) – and then TAKE ACTION.
I’ve outlined three strong opportunities for you here.
Give ‘em some thought 🙂
Onwards!
TY
In case we haven’t met yet …
Hi, I’m Trevor. I help purpose-led business owners become clear and confident in how they leverage PR, content and digital communications for profit, impact and legacy.
Would you like to discuss how I can help you in a coaching capacity to build your profile and reputation as a trusted and credible expert or thought leader in your industry? CLICK HERE TO BOOK A NO-OBLIGATION 30-MINUTE ZOOM CALL
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