Blogging is a tough game. If you post to your blog everyday and write quality content, that doesn't guarantee that your blog will get discovered. Many people give up on blogging because it's super disappointing to keep creating content that no one reads. Actually, it can drive you insane to keep doing something that literally has no positive effect or any feeling of reward. So where can you post your blog and actually gain a bit of attention and drive some traffic? You can post your blog snippets on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and all the common social media sites but one of our favorite places to post is on LinkedIn Pulse.
Find Your Voice
As a marketer I know it's exciting to hear that there is a magical place to post your blog content and actually have it viewed. With the power of viewership comes the downside of public humiliation. If you're new to blogging, you might want to practice writing for a month before posting your content on LinkedIn. If your articles are un focused and not well thought out, you might be in for a rude awakening. LinkedIn is a professional network and people will be quick to make judgement of your "professional views." If you're writing a good article it will inspire people to make comments and engage with your article so be prepared for feedback.
I built a pretty significant following on LinkedIn before I wrote my first Pulse article and I was nervous because I wasn't sure how much attention I might get.After the article went live I had over 1,000 views and 16 comments. It actually scared me for a minute. My content was being viewed, praised and criticized. It was something I hadn't experienced before. It made me realize my words mattered and I could potentially have real influence. Immediately I felt the responsibility to create real, genuine content that people could benefit from. Not traffic generating garbage.
Generating Traffic From Your LinkedIn Pulse Article.
I have seen many writers on LinkedIn "gaming" the system. They will post a brief description of their original blog post and then add a link to their website to read more... It's disappointing to come across these articles because it's obviously abait and switch technique to drive traffic. Unfortunately for the author, it usually works to their disadvantage. I won't click on those articles because they feel shady and wrong. And if I do click, my mind is already suspicious of the authors intentions so I'm not likely to convert on any of the calls to action on their blog or webpage.
When I'm reading LinkedIn Pulse Articles, I am looking to stay inside of the ecosystem. I want to build my personal brand and grow my influence on LinkedIn and going off the platform makes my comments and likes invisible. LinkedIn Pulse is a great place to read, comment, share like, view conversations and grow your reputation so taking me away from that defeats the point.
Write a full article with a catchy headline, outbound links, optimized keywords and clear wording. Treat LinkedIn Pulse as if it is your own website and blog. Write full articles with pictures and examples, deliver the value. I would suggest driving traffic to your LinkedIn Pulse Article viaFacebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc. You already have a built in audience on LinkedIn so focus on growing your audience and your reach within the platform. Outsiders can arrive at your article and see other comments, likes and activity which adds credibility to your reputation and encourages participation on the post.
At the end of each post you can put an "about the author" section that introduces you, your company and your website. Encourage your readers to like, comment and share the article if they enjoyed reading. If you follow my advice your readers will get value out of your article, develop trust in you and then they will have the option to "learn more" by going to your website. This is how you gain real valuable web traffic.
Be real, be authentic, deliver your full content and give readers an option to learn more about you and your company on your website. LinkedIn is an amazing place to grow your professional network and reputation. Take it seriously and brand yourself within that community. Use the power of viewership to generate a larger following and spend time growing you voice on LinkedIn. You already have a audience on LinkedIn. Grow it. Nurture it.
Optimizing Content For Your Personal or Company Blog
When you are writing blogs for your website, take time to write an in depth, focused essay type of post. Make sure you cover a topic so well that you can generate 10 - 15 mini posts from it. This way you can promote your large post with 15 - 20 mini posts on other social media sites. It will help generate real traffic to your website blog.
I would focus on frequently writing good genuine articles in places where you have an audience like LinkedIn or Medium and updating your website blog weekly. When people eventually click back to your site, make sure they have interesting and unique content to engage with.
This article was written by Quintin Ford, a recruitment entrepreneur located in Playa Vista, CA. Quintin is the Founder of OCEAN | STREET and avid blogger and social media enthusiast. Learn more about Quintin on LinkedIn.
