People often ask me what do I consider to be best practice content on LinkedIn (along with other social channels).
I’m like an informational bowerbird – I collect this stuff. I’m always on the lookout for people who are creating interesting/useful/thought-provoking stuff on the socials.
In this article, I provide five very different examples of what I feel represents a ‘gold standard’ on LinkedIn, with a brief explanation for each.
Please note: These posts are from my network only; I’m using them to highlight work that, to me, cuts through in the newsfeed on LinkedIn.
While the individuals I highlight are very different people, they all share a few traits when it comes to LinkedIn. For example, their content is interesting, authentic, informative … and often darn entertaining, in a professional kinda way.
Okay, without further ado … let’s go!
1. STEVE VALLAS – building community
Blockchain Australia CEO, Steve Vallas, cut his social media teeth on Twitter and has taken his philosophy of building community on to the LinkedIn stage.
In keeping with his role, Steve is an energetic cheerleader for all things Blockchain in Australia, and his LinkedIn feed reflects that perfectly.
Have a scan of his activity feed.
What does it tell you? That Steve is out and about. He’s connected. He’s making things happen. He’s building a war-chest of relevant information that will be useful for members of the organisation he heads.
One tactic Steve uses better than most is tagging people (and organisations) in his posts, thus drawing more LinkedIn members into the conversation. He’s shining the light on the efforts of others (like a good community-builder does) and is effectively taking people behind-the-scenes of the Blockchain movement as it gains momentum in Australia.
👏👏👏 Here are a couple examples of Steve’s posts:
2. MATT DESMIER – sharp observations
Matt Desmier does “strategy and stuff” for his wonderfully-named consulting business, Wise Old Uncle.
Matt sees the (business) world through battle-hardened eyes. His LinkedIn feed is littered with incisive, observational posts that more often than not carry a sting in the tail (and sometimes a lash or two of dry humour).
If he’s not lambasting the concept of NFTs (“Whenever I hear stories about the myriad benefits blockchain, NFTs and the metaverse, I can’t help but think of 18th century snake oil salesmen…” – maybe I should put Matt and Steve Vallas together for a chat?) – he is posting thoughtful content about all things brands, marketing and business innovation, along with the odd nod to pop culture.
Bottom line: I love a good rant, especially when it’s heartfelt and comes from a sharp mind, which is the case with the example Desmier post below.
Listen to Matt.
He knows stuff.
(I’ve written more about Matt and his stellar LinkedIn output here).
Exhibit ‘A’ your honour 👏👏👏
3. JOYCE ONG – behind the scenes
Joyce Ong is “Founder, Content Creator, Lead Janitor” at Tax Nuggets Academy, an online training company she launched just under a year ago.
A former senior tax specialist with the Australian Taxation Office, Joyce uses LinkedIn to bring her entrepreneurial journey to life, bringing her followers along for the ride as she navigates the world of small business – the good and the bad.
Her posts pop out in my LinkedIn feed with remarkable regularity, and I always take the time to read them, even though I couldn’t give a stuff about tax 😜
Of note, Joyce is refreshingly transparent in her posts and doesn’t shy away from keeping her followers up to date with monthly recurring revenue figures!
A self-confessed ‘rebel against boring’, Joyce lives her brand 100%!
👏👏👏 Case in point:
4. MICHELLE FOTHERINGHAM – chronicling the future of work
Michelle runs Werkling, an on-demand talent community that “connects high calibre, on-demand professional talent with dynamic, future ready businesses”.
In keeping with this company mission, Michelle’s LinkedIn feed is jam-packed with posts that, in aggregate, chronicle the new way of working from multiple angles, from ‘big picture’ thoughts and insights to observations from the trenches of working life.
Like Joyce, Michelle’s posts are refreshingly open and honest, and often include personal stories and anecdotes that help build relatability with the reader.
Check them out!
👏👏👏
5. DAVID HIEATT – from the heart
David Hieatt is the Co-Founder of Hiut Denim Co and The Do Lectures. I’ve read a couple of his books, and I love the way he goes about his business.
David’s LinkedIn posts come from the heart. He tells it as it is, and his take on modern business practices is refreshing.
In short, pithy posts, David tells stories, delivers hard-earned lessons, and provides timely reminders on things we should focus on in life and business, but often don’t.
Here’s a great example:
In a LinkedIn world where platitudes rule and self-serving posts clog our feeds, it’s terrific to see read these refreshing authentic gems on a day-to-day basis.
If you have some favourite people you follow closely on LinkedIn, ping me on Twitter (@trevoryoung) – I’d love to know about them!
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