It’s probably not the first time when you hear this:

Creating high performing LinkedIn content is hard…

But it doesn’t have to be.

Stick with me and by the end of the article you will eliminate the guess work

And start creating high-performing LinkedIn posts by using this bulletproof guide.

Let’s dive in.

The heart of your post: the purpose

Even before the pen touches the paper(or in our case…your finger hits the first key), you have to be very clear on what the purpose of the post will be.

The moment you start creating  purpose-centred posts is the moment you start eliminating the guesswork from the process.

And the purpose of your post doesn’t have to be tied to the numbers game, the metrics that you choose to consider can very well be mission-driven, but the focus remains on aiming to be as specific as possible.

Here’s an example of what I mean:

1. I want to use this post to educate my audience. ( Too general, not specific enough, lacks authority)
2. I will use this post to educate small business owners about the benefits of creating a solid personal brand.( More authority, more specific: you’ve now got a WHAT and a WHO, but it can still be improved)
3. I will use this post to educate small business owners about the benefits of creating a solid online personal brand because I witness many of them not being aware of the importance of having one. ( BINGO! You’ve now got a WHAT, a WHO and a WHY.)

With this example, I wanted to show you(fellow content creator) that there are levels of specificity when it comes to purpose and that the narrower you will go on the specificity scale, the more clarity you will gain throughout the process. ( Now read this sentence again…See the pattern? See what I just did here? )

Key takeaway: Start out your creative process by being purpose-driven and aim to nail down your post’s 3 W’s: What, Who and Why.

The mind of your post: Your headline

“The purpose of the first line is to get the audience to read the second one.”

Your headline is the first sentence, contrary to popular belief.

And often times… it’s your post’s make it or break it element.

Remember that headline that made you close the tab and move on?

Neither do I.

Do you see my point?

The reason why the headline is so important is because it represents the first touch point between your content and your audience and it can only go 2 ways from here:

1. Your headline means the start of the interaction between your audience and your content.
2. or the end of it.

Here are the 2 elements that every high-performing LinkedIn headline features:

1. A benefit or a problem
2. A curiosity igniter

When it comes to defining the benefit or the problem that you aim to attack through your post, keep it simple and relatable to your target audience.

And when it comes to adding the curiosity hook (a.k.a. the extra spice), this usually happens as a domino effect following the benefit/problem that your post is showcasing.

See how all of a sudden, writing an effective headline is not that scary anymore? While it’s not rocket science, crafting an attention grabbing headline will most likely determine whether your content will resonate with your audience or not.

Key takeaway: Keep your headline service-centred and curiosity-driven. Aim for a benefit or problem that your audience can relate to.

The core of your post: The body

Ok, time for the fun stuff.

But first…let’s have a quick recap.

By now, you have:

1. You added purpose to your post.
2. And you continued with a service-focused, relatable headline.

Now, it’s all about the meat and potatoes of your post: your post’s body.

Your post’s body is the core part of the content, it’s the element that can not only have your audience visit your future content, but it can also turn your audience into true word of mouth marketing practitioners, by bringing new audience in for you.

It’s safe to say: It’s time to shine!

In general, I’m not a fan of looking back, unless you are doing it to remind yourself how far you’ve come or…remembering the purpose of your post. Now, when it comes to your post’s body, it’s all about reinforcing the benefit you are trying to offer and fulfilling the purpose behind the post.

You can do so by going down the classic hero’s journey route, or by leaning towards the benefits & examples model, or both. The main thing to remember is that you will have to tap into the powerful tool that storytelling is, if you want to leverage your post’s body and send a strong message to your audience.

Here are the 5 best practices when it comes to your post’s body:

1. Tell a story that revolves around your post’s purpose.
2. Simplicity over jargon.
3. Use examples to reinforce the benefits you are trying to share throughout your story.
4. Clean up your post’s UX(User experience) by improving readability and keeping your copy simple and structured.
5. Align your messaging with your audience. Stay relatable.

The pointing fingers of your post: The CTA

Ok, time for a quick recap:

• You’ve started with a purpose.

• You’ve continued with a relatable and curiosity-driven headline.

• You’ve dropped dropped gems and spit fire through your post’s body.

Not it’s time for the grand finale:

Your call-to-action.

What is the call-to-action?

A call-to-action, as the name implies, is a clear, specific and encouraging line that has the goal of directing your audience to take the action desired by you. 

It goes without saying that your tone of voice should be direct, yet authentic and encouraging. Here’s what I mean by that: 

• This is an example of a bad CTA:

   “ Comment on my post! “

• This is an example of an effective CTA:

   “ What else would you add to this? I’d love to see your suggestions bellow! “

Here are 3 key principles to consider when it comes to CTA effectiveness:

1. A call to action should be encouraging, yet direct. You should encourage your audience not only to think, but to share their thoughts by engaging with your content.
2. It’s not about talking down to your audience, it’s about helping them understand what’s the next step.
3. No, your audience is not clueless. They have a limited attention span and can easily get distracted.

Wrapping it up:

Maybe, after all, there is much more thought process that goes into creating effective content than you thought it was.

But, maybe you don’t have to refine your entire process, instead, making a few specific tweaks by using the actionable tips in this article can definitely go a long way.

Here are the main takeaways of the article:

1. Start and end the process with purpose
2. Be relatable and aim to ignite curiosity.
3. Use examples and tap into the power of storytelling.
4. Focus on structure & readability when it comes to your copy.
5. Use encouraging, direct CTA’s.

Now, it’s time to turn it over to you:

Which of these tips are you going to steal first ?

Do you need to add more purpose into the mix?

Maybe your headlines need some refinement.

Or perhaps your CTA strategy needs a makeover.

Let us know where do you want to start and keep us updated about your LinkedIn content creation journey.

The best place to do that is our LinkedIn page, so…

come by, say hello and let’s collaborate!