Underutilized Tools! 😱

Everyone knows that LinkedIn is a highly underutilized platform and that it’s got the power to expand your network exponentially.

…Or at least that’s what we LinkedIn power-users may think sometimes.

The truth is that we who use LinkedIn daily—hourly—can sometimes develop a skewed view of how other users are utilizing the platform. We often assume that the value we see (and experience!) in LinkedIn is inherent, and as such, that it’s apparent to others in the same way.

A trend that I’ve seen lately, however, and that I’m thrilled to engage in is helping newer users “crack” LinkedIn so that they can experience the same sort of value that I and so many others do.

So, in the spirit of “sharing is caring,” here are 3 (three) dead simple things that you can and should be doing on LinkedIn.

Otherwise, you’re missing out!

Video 📽️

Okay, let’s get this one out of the way first. If you’re not producing video, you’re missing out.

There’s no nicer way to put it because it’s becoming a mainstay of LinkedIn content.

I’ve heard from some people that they’re nervous about using video because it may not seem “professional” enough (as compared to other LinkedIn power-users) or that they may not be comfortable in front of a camera.

To this I say: I get it and I know where you’re coming from!

I sometimes feel a little intimidated too, but the key thing to remember is that people will ultimately show up for your content because you are (hopefully) creating value for them. This is what should be driving any part of your content production strategy.

Takeaway: produce video! Even a weekly video with the right amount of passion and value is a fantastic time investment. I’d suggest trying to keep it under 1:30—I’ve found that to be about the mental timeout.

(Bonus: If you have access to LinkedIn LIVE, use it! I’m still waiting for access (hint, hint to my friends working at LinkedIn 😉), but I think it’s a great tool to really drive home your message in an authentic way when you find your rhythm.)

Voice Messages 🎙️

I’m still shocked that this one is so highly (criminally!) underutilized. It’s really one of LinkedIn’s best-kept secrets.

The voice message feature is only available to send through the mobile app (though you can still listen on desktop).

And It. Is. Brilliant! 🚀

Sending someone a short voice message (you have up to 60 seconds total record time) virtually guarantees that someone will open your message and listen to it. It’s basically changed how I approach new people (especially power-users I wanna connect with, hint, hint!) and communicate with new followers.

Wanna know why it’s so powerful?

Because people respond to the conversational aspect.

In my experience, I’ve found that a few key opening lines virtually guarantee that not only will that power-user listen to my message, but will often respond with a voice message of their own.

Boom! There’s the opening of a conversation that can then grow in interesting directions.

Comment Responses ✍️

Lastly, there is the strategy of comment responses.

Now, this strategy requires that you actually produce content on a consistent basis (daily, weekly, etc.), which, if you’re not doing…well, you need to be doing.

But this is certainly one of the easiest (if somewhat time-consuming) strategies to really up your engagement.

If you’re producing that right kind of content that engages people, you’ll hopefully be getting comments on your posts. Even a few comments is a good place to start.

So I’ll say this slowly:

Respond. To. All Of. Them.

Or as many as your poor little fingers can handle before giving out and completely falling off haha.

Responding to my comment on your post tells me that you value my input and recognize the time I took to write something. Me seeing your response makes me want to continue to engage with your other posts with more comments.

Dead simple strategy—HUGELY effective.

Oh, and something like “Thanks Adam” is a copout of a response.

Unless you’re a power-user getting thousands of comments (and if you’re reading this, you may not be there yet), you have no reason not to take 15 minutes (total, not apiece) to respond to each of the 5 comments on your post thoughtfully.

If those 5 thoughtful responses create value, then you’ve succeeded.

Don’t get hung up on the numbers; if you’re building bridges the right way, all those vanity metrics will work themselves out.

Bottom Line 📈

So remember, the bottom line is that these are 3 dead simple ways to increase your LinkedIn footprint precisely because they are so simple. You don’t need a large production team or thousands of followers—you just need some great ideas for content and a desire to build relationships patiently and positively.

You get to those “thousands of followers” by doubling-down on the simple things:

Adam Marx's Mind

Playground for Creativity

Tag Archives: growth

If You’re Not Doing These 3 Simple Things on LinkedIn, You’re Missing Out