LinkedIn Trends You Need to Know and Use

You’re on the top social media networks. You’ve got spots eked out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

That’s enough. Right?

No – you’re forgetting something.

You need to be posting and sharing on LinkedIn, too. Here’s why:

• LinkedIn has more than half a billion users, according to Fortune – and it’s steadily growing.
• Hundreds of millions of users are active every month.
• It’s the ultimate social network to grab B2B leads. About 50 percent of B2B buyers use the platform before making final purchasing decisions, according to HootSuite.

To get the most out of this unique platform, though, you have to stay on top of trends. You have to know how to post, what to post, and when to do it.

Easier said than done, right? Don’t worry – we’ve combed through the trends for you and laid it all out.

6 LinkedIn Trends and How to Use Them in Content Marketing Right Now

Here are some of the top LinkedIn trends (according to data BuzzSumo collected and Content Marketing Institute [CMI] analyzed). We’ll show you how to post to take advantage of them with content marketing.

1. There’s No Posting Over-Saturation (Yet)

So far, there are no signs that the amount of content posted on LinkedIn is more than users can handle or keep up with.

When this does happen, CMI calls it “content shock.” Posts suffer because there’s less interaction due to content overload.

With content shock nowhere in sight, you can take advantage and post more content on the network. You’ll still have a good chance your followers will both see and notice your posts, which can shoot it to the top for engagement.

No content fatigue, to see, here.

2. B2B Link-Sharing Is Going Strong

When it comes to B2B content, LinkedIn is where you should share it.

Recently, users have been sharing these types of posts far more than they have on Twitter or Facebook. In particular, BuzzSumo noted that shares for topics like SEO marketing and leadership were higher on LinkedIn.

Follow suit for good results.

3. Long-Form, Original Content Is Shared More

If you do publish original content on LinkedIn, make it long-form.

Most users don’t publish articles of more than 1,000 words. But, the content that’s shared most often is always at least 1,000 words long, and can be as long as 3,000 words.

This is a big opportunity for you to stand out with your posts and get the engagement you need. Just make sure to hit the sweet spot of 1,000 – 3,000 words.

4. You Don’t Need Images

When you post content on LinkedIn, don’t feel pressured to litter your articles with images and graphics.

CMI did a review of long-form posts on the platform that were successful. None of them included images besides a post banner at the top.

This frees you up to go with text-heavy posts, but make sure they’re structured and organized well. Use headlines, sub-headers, bullet-points, and lists so they’re readable.

5. Professional, Practical Topics Are Tops

If you want your LinkedIn content to perform well, stick to proven topics for the network.

According to BuzzSumo, the most popular posts have been how-to guides. Other topics that enticed: practical advice about professional issues, experience-driven learning experiences, and personal posts centered on the world of work.

For your content, there are lots of different ways to take advantage of popular topics. You could post about challenges you overcame on the job, key takeaways from an important conference, or your experience climbing the corporate ladder.

These are just a few ideas. Anything under the umbrella of what CMI calls “the five P’s” will work. For reference, they steer you toward these types of posts:

• Professional – They’re all about the working life.
• Practical – They’re helpful and useful.
• Personal – They’re framed as stories, not lists of facts.
• Portray a path to change – They’re illuminating and show how you can achieve positive change or improve in some way.
• Point toward peak experiences – They tell readers how you reached a career-oriented pinnacle, no matter the scale of the endeavor.

6. You Don’t Have to Be a LinkedIn Influencer to Win Engagement

LinkedIn regularly designates many of its top users and posters as “LinkedIn Influencers.” These elite people get an official stamp next to their name and lots of exposure on main pages of the site.

For scope, the people at the very top of this group include names like Bill Gates and Richard Branson.

However, those of us on the lower rungs of influence don’t have to worry. The stuff you post can win plenty of engagement without any fancy status attached to your name.

In fact, according to CMI, influencers only wrote six percent of the 10,000 top posts in the last five years.

Source: - http://www.sitepronews.com/2017/09/22/linkedin-trends-you-need-to-know-and-use/

This means you have as good a chance as anybody to do well on LinkedIn, which can spell great gains for your content marketing.

Use LinkedIn Trends to Your Advantage for Content Marketing Success

LinkedIn has steadily climbed the ranks to become one of the most powerful social networks for content marketing. The content you post there has the potential to soar, but only if you understand how to do it to best advantage.

Take note of the trends listed here and post accordingly. This social network is ripe for your content marketing efforts and could help you take root in your industry.