New Year, New Me: 3 Tips to Refresh Executive Profiles on LinkedIn

In PR, we know the impact of a good story can’t be overstated, and just as important as the story you’re trying to tell is the voices that are helping carry that story forward.  But even some of the most compelling executives don’t always have a compelling online presence. Sometimes it’s about finding the time, sometimes it’s about finding their groove, and sometimes it’s about knowing how to show up best on the platform. But take it from us, you don’t want to sleep on LinkedIn. Less than .5% of users (out of 900+ million) actually post content to the platform, yet users shared 41% more content on the network in the spring of 2023 than they did in the same period in 2021. The opportunity to make an impact is huge, so how can you make sure the executives you work with look their best on the platform?  See below for three hot takes!

1) Page maintenance today ensures extended reach tomorrow.

With LinkedIn, algorithms are always changing and new features rolling out. One of the backend features that was introduced last year is “creator mode.” For most executives looking to become thought leaders in their space, the set-up is optimal as it showcases posts more prominently on an individual’s profile, with past experience further down the page. It also allows users to add specific topics they are talking about to their profile (up to 5!), offering an opportunity to anchor your executive’s profile around key messaging pillars while also providing an “at a glance” view into the topics that matter.

LinkedIn is also recommending individuals as suggested creators to follow based on organic engagement, so by regularly posting compelling content, executives can expand their networks and the reach of their posts simply by being themselves! This mode can be configured in page settings and has been shown to increase reach for posts by as much as 35%!

Executives should also be sure their profile photos are visible to all LinkedIn members, so the page shows up optimally for all users, including non-connections. This is a quick change in settings that makes a big impact on the look and feel of a page.

2) Not all LinkedIn posts are created equal

Now that the page is looking fresh for the New Year, it’s time to rethink the content strategy – both the quality of content and frequency.

Our best advice for executives is to stay in your lane. Think about the 3-4 topics they are passionate about –they can relate to your industry, business leadership and their role, or personal interests like mentorship and philanthropy. Try and rotate content through these buckets each week to keep executives’ pages from being too niche or repetitive.  

In terms of frequency and format, LinkedIn recommends the following to maximize visibility:

• Post content at least 1-3 times per week with a minimum of 18 hours between posts.
• When writing a post, authors should add four hashtags per post – this has been proven to increase a post’s performance by 11%.
• Consider including the link in the comments – comments are shown to be weighted more heavily than other types of engagement on LinkedIn, so this can help boost post visibility among followers and their networks.

After a few weeks, take stock of what your audience seems most engaged with, and tailor accordingly! Soon, top performers will be asked to weigh in on relevant topics, which is an important next step in securing “Top Contributor” badges and status!

3) Engagement do's and don'ts

And that brings us to the mecca of all things social media – the engagement between users! As mentioned, LinkedIn started applying “values” to different actions. For example, a comment or a share is more valuable than a like and so on:

• 1 Like = 1 Extra View
• 1 Click on “See more” = 4Extra Views
• 1 Share = 7 Extra Views
• 1 Comment = 12 Extra Views

Now that we know how valuable comments are, it’s important to pay attention to them after a post goes up. Social media is always alive, and the engagement doesn’t end once we post. Continue to monitor comments on content for opportunities to continue this engagement cycle. 

Get started!

Above all, remember that there’s no one perfect way to “do” social media. And while these best practices will help you stay ahead of the LinkedIn algorithm and stand out, it’s just as important to bring personality and expertise to the content you’re sharing.

So happy posting, and Happy New Year!