LinkedIn articles: the underrated powerhouse for B2B
In the bustling digital arena, where every platform is clamouring for attention, LinkedIn stands apart. With over 1 billion members globally, it’s where professionals go to connect, learn and grow. This makes it the perfect channel to showcase your industry knowledge, while building undeniable credibility. And no tool does this better than LinkedIn articles.
With LinkedIn carrying a domain authority of 99, the platform is almost unrivalled when it comes to improving the visibility of your content - only YouTube and Google have attained perfect scores.
Here, I’ll explain why creating articles for LinkedIn should be a no-brainer for senior stakeholders in your business, and offer a list of key considerations to bear in mind before you begin writing.
How to write an article on LinkedIn
There are many reasons why LinkedIn articles should be considered an important element in your PR and content mix.
First, they’re a chance to boost your brand’s visibility. A carefully cultivated network, organically grown over time, acts as the perfect forum to reach a targeted professional audience.
Second, once a reader’s been hooked in with a topic that piques their curiosity, you can include valuable call-to-actions, directing a user to helpful resources on your website. LinkedIn articles therefore play a vital role in nurturing customer journeys.
Third, LinkedIn has become something of a hub for B2B journalists, who are on the lookout for interesting points-of-view or the latest topical take. It’s official – business journalists love LinkedIn. So, posting on LinkedIn can get your business right under their nose, with LinkedIn articles providing them with plenty of inspiring sources and potential news stories.
Fourth, articles on LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for generating new leads. If an article strikes a chord with your wider network, you’re in a prime position to secure prized new prospects.
Last, but by no means least, LinkedIn articles can help nurture your online community. By sharing opinions, asking questions and commenting on the hottest industry topics, you can foster greater engagement and encourage more interactions with your target audience.
Let’s consider 8 essential considerations before you start writing.
Know your goals and audience: Decide on what you’re ultimately looking to achieve with your LinkedIn article. Is it to raise brand awareness, drive new sales leads or encourage more traffic to your website? And who are you specifically writing for? Be super clear. What are their common questions, pain points or trending topics? Tap into these.
Optimise for search: Using an SEO keyword research tool, define the search terms and phrases that need to be included in your LinkedIn article. Look at commonly searched questions you could add in too. Here at The Marketing Pod, we’re big fans of Semrush.
Craft a compelling headline: Hone in on the question you’re answering. Grab your reader’s attention with a showstopping headline they can’t skim past. Cut straight to the chase with a title that’s clear and concise. Whatever tact you choose, make your headline work hard.
Structure your content: Always take into account readability. Use short paragraphs, and take advantage of headings, subheadings and bullet points. Most people skim articles nowadays, so a logical structure lets them easily find the information they need.
Add visual impact: Think about how you can add images, video and infographics to your articles on LinkedIn. This not only breaks up text, but ensures you’ve appealed to different learning styles too – some professionals might find visual insights easier to digest than purely copy.
End with a clear CTA: Tell readers exactly what you want them to do next. Based on the topic of your LinkedIn article, offer them a solution, ask them a further question to respond to, or direct them to useful resources. This is why it’s so important to know your goals from the start, as this informs the call-to-action.
Share and promote: Consider how you’re going to promote your LinkedIn article. Notify influential connections that you’ve posted, add the article to your brand’s monthly email newsletter, post about it on other social platforms. Encourage employees to engage with your LinkedIn article too, to help expand its reach.
Respond and monitor: Keep the conversation going by responding to comments, and keeping an eye on which articles garner the greatest interest. Which of your LinkedIn articles is your network giving thumbs up, hearts and applause to? Take the time to research complementary angles, and develop dedicated cluster content, which you can backlink to your most popular posts.
Ultimately, LinkedIn articles provide a unique opportunity to elevate your B2B content strategy. By strategically crafting insightful and engaging long-form content, you can establish thought leadership, boost brand visibility and nurture valuable relationships with your network.
And the most important lesson to take forward? Don’t stop. Once you’ve started writing LinkedIn articles, keep going. By developing a longstanding series, you can build a trusted audience for your updates, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.
Interested in more B2B tips and tricks? You might like to find out more about mastering the balance between boldness and safety when it comes to B2B PR, or how to nurture your ESG communications.