Following rigid templates may hinder the true engagement you seek on LinkedIn.
In business-to-business marketing, getting famous on this professional networking site means following some best practices discovered by top voices on the platform who've studied the algorithms.
But the more that everyone does the same thing, the less likely you'll resonate with your customers or potential customers.
For example, you may have heard that the "hook," or a strong first sentence" is the most important marketing strategy to use on LinkedIn. The belief is that visitors to a professional networking site will click on "read more" if they're left hanging.
Here are some examples of LinkedIn hook templates that you've likely seen as clickbait and touted as best practices:
Here’s a controversial truth about [your field or role].
E.g. Here's a controversial take about customer engagement.
Did you know that [topic]?
E.g. Did you know that marketing strategies don't reach target audiences?
Wondering how to [your field or role]?
E.g. Wondering how to create a marketing plan for an effective marketing campaign?
Here are a [number] of things that destroy [what people care about].
E.g. Here are ten things that destroy your content marketing and ignore potential buyers.
If everyone mad-libs their first lines on LinkedIn, you have an opportunity to stand out. The trick is not copying creators. Instead, we need to think like creators.
Creators gain a following from their authenticity. People read their posts or watch their videos because it sounds human. On a day-to-day basis, people don't speak in hooks.
I’m a huge fan of this Forbes article from Jamie Gutfreund, which helps brands rethink their beliefs about building trust.
“In a world overwhelmed by information and a profound lack of trust, people crave accountability”
-Jamie Gutfreund
The next time you're about ways to reach your target audience, think about how to represent yourself or your brand in a way that is true to who you are.
Rather than thinking authentically, create accountability around your brand posts. Customers can sense when marketing campaigns pretend or act in a way that’s not in line with what your brand represents.
For example, if your business wants to make a video about a trend that doesn’t completely align with your brand, make a video about you or your sales team trying the trend because you are genuinely curious. Show the mistakes made while attempting the video. Fail! That is being accountable.
Following a rigid template might win you points with the “LinkedInfluencers,” but it won’t win the trust or engagement of your audience. Let your authentic voice shine through—just like creators do.
Tell a story that truly represents who you are. If that means coloring outside the lines, then grab your crayons.
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