How to Post an Article on LinkedIn
Last update: 31 May 2023 at 02:15 pm
Whether you want to make a name for yourself as a writer, start an intellectual conversation, or create exposure in your field of work- posting well-written articles on LinkedIn is the place to start. We understand it can be stressful, so we’ve prepared this piece to help you write eye-catching articles for your LinkedIn page.
Why post articles on LinkedIn?
With over 760 million users, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd on LinkedIn. Writing articles is a professional and dynamic way to show what you’re all about. You can share your knowledge and opinions about your level of expertise and hear the opinions of other like-minded people. Plus, Google and LinkedIn algorithms pick up the storytelling style of articles easier-so you will have a better LinkedIn ranking with articles compared to straight statistics and facts.
How are LinkedIn articles different from posts?
People post things on social media all the time, so what makes LinkedIn articles any different? For starters, LinkedIn posts limit you to 1300 characters, whereas articles can go up to 125,000 characters. You have more room to unpack complex topics. If you want to build a reputation in your professional field or provide insight and get people talking- articles are the way to go.
Articles have greater visibility because people will have to scroll to find posts, but LinkedIn has a separate box for articles. When someone views your profile, the ‘Articles and Activity’ box will appear just below the ‘About’ section. Here you’ll find your last article in one half of the box and other activities such as shared posts and comments on the other half.
Remember if you don’t post any articles, this box will show only other activities. That won’t make you stand out or bring much exposure to your work. When someone clicks the link, all your articles appear. Which means they have access to more of your work. Honestly, there’s no easier way to grow a sustainable fanbase and get recognition in your field.
Choosing a Leading Topic
There are three questions you could ask yourself to simplify the topic choosing process. In this way, you can write one of three popular article types.
1. What am I an expert in?
*Suppose you are an expert on something in a particular field. In that case, you could write about your industry knowledge, demonstrate your leadership skills, and share specific tips to attain your level of expertise. You could also check out news and journals from your industry to find inspiration.
2. What do people want?
*Look through the frequently asked questions on your networks. It’s not uncommon for followers to leave questions in the comments section of your posts. You could also look at general questions on groups or social media pages. For example, if you’re part of a Facebook group or an Instagram page, you could take notes of commonly asked questions.
3. Which of my posts is popular?
You could be your greatest inspiration! Look through your posts and see which one sparked the most conversation and got the most likes or reactions. If something gets a lot of attention, it could make a good long-form article or a series of articles dissecting the topic.
Steps to Posting an Article on LinkedIn
Once you’ve decided on a topic, it’s easy as 1,2,3 to publish your article. We’ve broken down the process into three simple steps:
- Select the ‘Write an article’ option
*Once you’ve logged in, go to the LinkedIn home tab. If you look at the top of the page, you’ll see the option to start a post. Below that is ‘Write an article’. It’s highlighted in blue, and once you click it, the LinkedIn publishing tool appears.
- Format your article
*Start with a catchy headline. Make sure it’s what your target audience would look for and it’s interesting enough to click on. Remember to break up your text. Try not to use chunks of texts- break it up with bullets, images, diagrams, and different fonts.
*At the top, there’s a formatting toolbar to help you change texts, create lists and quotes. There’s also a link icon if you want to add any links. As a golden rule, ensure that you use a call of action in your article. For example, you could leave links to your Instagram page or your blog.
- Confirm and publish your article
*When you’re done with your masterpiece, select ‘Publish’ at the top right corner. The article will then be published and will appear in the ‘article box’. One of the greatest features of the *LinkedIn publishing tool is that as you create your article, the tool automatically saves it to your drafts- so there’s zero chance of you losing your work.
After you publish your article, it will sit on your page. It would help if you shared it to get more attention. When you share your article, you can add hashtags- more hashtags equal more views. A good tip would be to share your article on all your social media platforms to gain more exposure. To make it more interactive, make sure you respond to comments on your article.
Remember that only those with access to your profile can view your articles. If you want everyone to be able to see it, then you’ll have to go to your privacy settings and alter the visibility of your profile to the public. Also, make sure you proofread your article for errors but if you don’t have time, no worries; there’s an option to edit your article.
How can I Edit my LinkedIn Article?
It’s pretty simple to edit your article and it’s unique to have the option of editing a publication. However, there are some things to keep in mind: your followers won’t be notified after you edit your article and if you delete an image while editing, you can’t undo it. That means you’ll have to re-upload the image. Nevertheless, being able to edit your article is a huge bonus. Here are the simple steps to follow:
- Select the ‘Me’ icon at the top of your homepage
- Scroll through ‘Manage’ and chose ‘Post & Activity’
- Click on the ‘Article’ tab and find the article that you want to edit
- Select ‘Edit’
- Make your desired changes to the text
- Click ‘Publish’
What are the perks of Re-sharing Articles?
There are so many reasons why re-sharing an article could be extremely beneficial to you. The main one is getting more exposure. You may be wondering how to post an article on LinkedIn for a second time without your followers thinking you’ve run out of content. Well, think about it like poetry- the more you read it, the more meaning you find. It would be best if you highlighted the various meanings every time you share it. Many content creators use this method to get more exposure to their work.
Even though LinkedIn Articles have longer lifespans than posts, you can always breathe new life into an article when you share it again. Some topics will always be relevant and useful, so re-sharing those topics will increase your view of your articles and help more people. Also, keep in mind that you can view the analytics for your articles for two years so you can improve the lifespan of your analytics by re-sharing your article.
How to Check Article Analytics?
Every time someone clicks on your article, that equals one view for that piece. Keeping track of your analytics can help you discover what works for you and what your viewers are looking for and what conversion ads work. It can also help you find your target audience because you can see who is reading your articles.
If you want to know who exactly is reading your articles, click the ‘views of your article’ option at the bottom of your post. A pop-up window will reveal the basic analytics of your article- including the number of views and shares. You can access personal information about your readers, such as where they work, what they do, where they’re from, and how they found your article. This is priceless data that will help you find your writing niche and target easily.
One of the best features of LinkedIn is simplicity. It’s so easy to view your full analytics. All you have to do is go to ‘View my Profile’ then scroll down to view your articles and activity. Select ‘See All Articles’ and pick whichever articles you want to view the analytics for. If you want to view analytics for your posts, you can do that too- click ‘Posts’ instead of ‘Articles’.
Conclusion
LinkedIn is a platform that has seen rapid growth in the past few years. It is so much more than just a place to find jobs- it’s also a place full of great content written by experts in particular fields. What makes LinkedIn articles stand out is the level of interaction. Readers can comment, ask questions and react, and writers can give personalized responses.
Remember that checking your article analytics will be one of your greatest tools for building up your reputation as an expert writer. It’s one of the best and easiest ways to demonstrate your knowledge, find your niche, and expand your target audience. Happy writing!