With a member base of over 400 million regular users, LinkedIn is an effective platform for professionals to share their expertise.

Since its introduction in 2015, LinkedIn is increasingly being used as a place for individuals to share their thoughts on topical issues, best practice and tips for others in their industry. The platform provides an effective venue for professionals to shape their professional standing as a thought leader, and for businesses and brands, a place to promote their products/services to both the B2B and B2C sectors.

LinkedIn Pulse works best when individuals share information that is both topical and useful. For users looking to use the platform as a thought leader it’s important to think about what would you like to read and which topics would help to raise your profile in an often-crowded market.

If you are looking to share your professional thoughts or maximize your current posts, these top tips can help you successfully utilize LinkedIn as a thought leadership platform.

  • Honestly share your expertise: be detailed in the explanation and sharing of your expertise and experiences. Use examples to show how you dealt with and overcame a problem and the impact it had on you as a leader. Be honest and authentic with your storytelling, being mindful of creating positive relationships with other colleagues in your industry.
  • Be focused: plan out the main points and structure of your post before submitting on the platform. Be focused on the message you will put across in your post, using strong examples and experiences to demonstrate your expertise and knowledge in your industry.

Express your opinion: don’t be afraid to write about how you really feel, but think about how your opinion could impact upon your primary audience. It’s okay to make an impact, but not one that could harm your reputation, turn away customers and anger your competitors.

  • Use images wisely: make use of LinkedIn’s capability to use hi-res images within your Pulse post. Choose an image that catches the reader’s eye, and one that will look professional and punchy when shared on social media.
  • Be succinct: keep your post to under 1000 words to maximize the attention of readers. Similarly, promote using niche, targeted hashtags both on LinkedIn and on other social media platforms.
  • Share: share your posts in some of LinkedIn’s many active networking groups and also across your individual and brand social media platforms to boost readability. Send to contacts on your e-marketing lists and also post as a news item on your website.
  • Repurpose: consider updating posts that you might have written in the past, bringing them up to date with timely reflections and insights. Try for example, taking the best section of a post and adding a fresh take or example to entice readers and establish yourself as a trusted source in your field.

Which thought leaders do you follow on LinkedIn? Share your thoughts with us below.