How development professionals can connect through content on LinkedIn

For those who want to fully leverage LinkedIn as a powerful networking tool, one often overlooked consideration is the content you can create and share that may resonate with your target audience. Whether you’re looking to connect with like-minded professionals, recruiters, or thought influencers, the ingredients you choose to put into your LinkedIn posts need to be thought through ahead of time in order to make an impact. You need to “start at a very high level [and ask] why do you want to be visible on Linkedin?” said Simone Anzböck, a global development consultant, international coach, and the founder of Prosper Abroad, during a recent digital career event. She shared insights and offered guidance based on her experience mastering the art of content creation on LinkedIn, which has helped her make valuable professional connections and bolster her career aspirations. Here are a few key takeaways from the event on how to approach content creation on LinkedIn. Engage with other content before posting your own Before you put the time and effort into creating and posting additional content for your LinkedIn audience, you should make sure you’re doing the basic things right in terms of optimizing your profile and following best practices for engaging with the content of others, Anzböck said. Commenting on the posts of like-minded professionals or individuals who you are interested in connecting with is a fast and effective way to boost your visibility on the platform. “By commenting on other people's posts, you become visible to other people that might not be in your network,” she said. Meanwhile, creating additional content, while effective when done well, does take time and commitment. “It took me six months to get to a point where people would engage with my posts,” said Anzböck, who posts content frequently on LinkedIn as part of her coaching service’s business strategy. “If you think you only have time for a few things, or you only have five minutes a day, then it's better to comment for visibility than posting your own content. If you have more time then comment plus post your own content. But don't post your own content without commenting,” she advised. Start with one topic to focus on If you do decide to post content, it will likely be more effective if you stick to one topic area and be consistent with it. In other words, think about what you want to be known for in terms of your area of expertise, as this will be the reputation you build with those who view your content. “Think about the one thing you want to talk about on LinkedIn,” Anzböck said, because “we all have a short attention span, and 95% of people scroll LinkedIn … [so] repetition is what makes you remember.” In terms of content on LinkedIn, “think about the people you follow or the [types of] people that you've repeatedly followed, they're more likely going to be people that you follow for specific expertise,” she added. As an example, Anzböck said someone who is a communications consultant should post content related to communications, and not about unrelated topics. If the person’s specialty area is communications in financial services, then the focus should go deeper into that niche. Stick with content you enjoy creating While there are many different types of content to create on LinkedIn, from written posts and videos to polls and graphics, try to limit yourself, at least initially, to the format that you personally enjoy working with the most. Trying to stay on top of the latest content trend that LinkedIn’s algorithm is favoring at the time — which is a factor in how many LinkedIn users may see your post in their feeds — is “exhausting” and typically more trouble than it's worth, as it changes frequently, Anzböck advised. That’s “not to say that you shouldn't know a bit about the algorithm,” but “don't focus too much on the algorithm, because it's a long-term strategy, and you need to enjoy it. So focus on what you enjoy,” she said. This approach is “how you get to be consistent,” she added. “If you try to force yourself into something that the algorithm wants, you're likely going to procrastinate, you [are] going to be overwhelmed.”