Sometimes it can feel like all these LinkedIn influencers are little more than a bunch of cocky assholes. They have all the attention you want, and with every LinkedIn post, they just get a whole bunch more engagement. You need to get onto their level, but how, and will you need to sell your soul to do it?

Below, we’ve listed a few of the secrets you can steal to help you with your own LinkedIn strategy. Become the cocky asshole you always wanted to be, and take the limelight for yourself. So, where do we start?

1. LinkedIn Influencers Are Masters of Personal Branding

When influencers consider what to post on LinkedIn, they are always very aware of the brand identity they project. What they show is not always real; it’s tinged with horseshit meant to get the most “Likes” or “Follows” possible. After all, they’re here to make money, just like you.

This doesn’t mean they aren’t showing a real version of themselves. After all, a level of authenticity is key in promoting a personal brand, as you need to be able to keep it up long-term.

Most people don’t care too much when a company sends them a message. They expect it to be dry and filled with corporate speak. Rarely are people impressed with what a faceless account has to say.

When speaking to a LinkedIn influencer, though, people may get a boost of dopamine if the influencer responds to them. This is because it feels much more like a real person who is interacting in a relatable way.

This combo of high-quality engagement and relatability offers a much better foundation on which to promote one’s brand.

2. You Need to Understand the LinkedIn Algorithm

Learning how to beat the LinkedIn algorithm is the key to ensuring what you have to say reaches the largest number of eyes possible. LinkedIn is only interested in one thing: Engagement. Thus, with every LinkedIn post, you need to ensure that what you say is:

• Relevant to your professional network
• Consistently posted compared to previous uploads
• Offering high-quality content
• Posted at peak times for maximum reach
• Encouraging comments by courting controversy or asking direct questions

Each of these is a way you can ensure you not only draw in potential readers but also get them to boost your visibility.

3. They Craft Killer LinkedIn Posts

Influencers either know how to write posts their audience loves or get others to do it for them. If you have never written engaging content before, it’s time to learn how. While this could take up a whole other article, some of the basics include:

• Crafting an engaging, eye-popping headline
• Using storytelling to connect with your audience’s emotions
• Using visuals such as images to break up long text areas
• Ensuring posts are concise and to the point
• Having a strong call to action at the end to drive readers forward

Make sure the information is interesting, too. Nobody wants to read something droll about a minor update to anything. Instead, talk about success stories, dismal failures, or bring up a controversial topic to make people double-take.

4. You Need to Develop an Authentic LinkedIn Presence

As mentioned earlier, being “authentic” is a key way to get people to care about you. It not only allows people to be more genuine with you but also gives you writing angles you may not have otherwise.

To appear authentic, try to maintain your focus on things like your values and mission. Compare them with your journey to where you are now, and mix in a few failures here and there. People love to hear that you’re only human, even if it wasn’t a real setback.

In short, be human. This can mean sharing anecdotes, using real-life examples to illustrate points, or discussing the ins and outs of what it takes to do what you do. Pivoting this into a relatable lesson, no matter how blatantly obvious, can help people start to trust you.

Remember to follow this up by engaging with people individually, though, or it won’t hit home.

5. They’ve Mastered the Art of LinkedIn Engagement

When you receive comments and messages, try to respond to them if you can. Avoid copy-pasted responses, but if you have to use them due to time, be up-front about it and try to give a more personal reply later.

Also, try to engage with groups and discussions that relate to your area of interest. This way, you will continue presenting yourself as a thought leader in your industry. Should your comments not be total crap, people will cotton on that you know your shit.

While you do this, try to be positive where you can. Unless you aim to have a negative online persona, which has its risks and rewards, make sure to acknowledge and thank others for their support. This can put you in many people’s good graces.

6. You’re Not Nearly Consistent Enough

Work out how often you can post to LinkedIn and try to stick to that. Don’t overwork yourself, as you’ll only end up burning out fast, but instead create a schedule that allows you to create content comfortably.

Consistency reinforces your brand identity with a regular message. At the same time, it can even get your audience more engaged, as they start to expect you to say things and may even look forward to your posts.

The ideal frequency for posting this way may depend on your specific niche, but around 2-3 times per week is a good place to start. If you feel driven, you can create several posts and schedule them to go out at specific times. This will prevent you from stressing about what to post all the time.

7. You Haven’t Learned How to Network Like an Influencer

Working out how to find influencers on LinkedIn may depend on your specific industry. Still, putting in the effort to identify and connect with industry leaders can put you on a journey to being an important part of a larger community.

Of course, nobody wants to come across as a poser. So, don’t be keen, and ensure you build real relationships. 

Many of these people are used to others trying to use interactions for their own benefit. So, never go into any interaction with the assumption of fulfilling a business goal. Build up interactions as you would anyone else, and you will be much more likely to create a long-term connection.

Finding the Right Person to Help Your Personal Brand

If you’re ready to dominate the personal branding space, don’t let LinkedIn influencers (LinkedInfluencers?) leave you in the dust. Here at Don’t Be a Little Pitch, we have just the voice for you. Our marketing strategies have just the right amount of edge to show off who you really are under all that professional veneer.

Connect with us and we can explain how we do it. So, send us a message and take your first step toward being the next big thing. It’s time to show those other influencers what a real personal brand looks like.