The support of managers (or their teams) is the most common of all advisory inquiries that I receive – and for a good reason. LinkedIn is no longer optional for managers. Top talents, investors, journalists and peers -Peers executives and build trust in here -often before you have ever met them.
I saw them first hand during my entire career. As a founding editor at LinkedIn, I worked on LinkedIn Influencer program (now known as LinkedIn Top Voices) and watched how the platform developed into the ultimate professional network tool.
Since then I have created 20 courses as a LinkedIn learning teacher, LinkedIn Top -Language recognition with more than 320,000 followers and written about the platform in my bestseller book. Unforgettable presence.
The most important thing is that with C-Suite managers and leading leaders in Fortune 500 companies, startups and beyond, I worked together to form a strategic, credible LinkedIn presence.
What I learned is the following: LinkedIn is the ultimate virtual water cooler. Here is why it is important and how marketers can make the best of it.
Why LinkedIn is important for managers
The advantages of an Executive LinkedIn presence go far beyond personal branding. Here are the four areas in which I have seen the greatest influence.
1. Put on top talent.
Today’s candidates make it priority for research managers of research before applying for a job. A strong LinkedIn Presence builds up, signals authenticity and can directly influence the decision of a candidate to join your company.
The candidates also have a clearer picture of culture, values ​​and what it is like to work with their management team.
2. Build up thinking.
Maintaining a consistent presence in LinkedIn positions as industry leaders, do doors open to speak of opportunities, interviews and strategic partnerships. (In fact, many of my own media options come directly from my LinkedIn.)
In addition, regular sharing of knowledge or personal considerations can help to have ongoing discussions that strengthen the management and credibility of a manager over time.
3. Visibility of the company.
Executive posts regularly exceed the corporate contributions in Reach and Engagement. Why? Because people ultimately connect to people. When managers actively operate online discussions, reinforce the general visibility of the company by showing people behind the brand. The company can make their presence feel more authentic, reliable and trustworthy.
4. Create strong first impressions.
The LinkedIn profile of a manager often creates the critical first impression for investors, partners and potential employees. A comprehensive and appealing profile not only determines clear expectations and also enables credibility, but also enables the executive to make perceptions proactively. It also increases your value – long before meetings or sales talks take place.
People combine people, not with logos.
Investors, partners and top talents want real human knowledge not polished image perfection company profiles. The LinkedIn profile of a manager should give visitors the feeling that they really “hit” the guide behind the title.
I saw that managers with a strong personal presence were negatively influenced by a weak online presence, since their profile did not reflect who they really were. If someone personally hits an impressive CEO, but his LinkedIn is missing a profile picture and has mere bone information, this has an impact on how you perceive it (this is a real story that I have heard from someone!). Managers can avoid this interruption by ensuring that the profile of their managers consistently contains:
- Original insights into industry trends that lead the pioneers.
- Authentic personal considerations and stories that humanize and get involved.
- Sensible milestones and corporate successes, build credibility.
- An accessible, relevant tone with which you can combine with your audience.
Let’s take a look at these steps in action.
Case study: How I helped a Fortune 500 CEO to build its presence from LinkedIn with the establishment of the Furbuns
So I helped a CEO with a Fortune 500 Consumer Goods single -handle company to expand a naked bone LinkedIn presence to a recognized LinkedIn top voice.
The situation
The team of this CEO turned to know how important LinkedIn was for credibility. With great announcements on the horizon, they awaited an increase in profile transport and needed the page to reflect the guide behind the role.
The challenge
The presence of the CEO LinkedIn was minimal. His communication team was also not sure about the content strategy that LinkedIn Best Practices was not aware of and is not sure how the personnel of the CEO online authentically.
They needed quick, strategic guidance to strengthen credibility and visibility – especially if colleagues and potential partners in the industry were careful.
The strategy
My approach was systematic and data -controlled and prioritized three steps.
1. Competition analysis
Together we created a list of peer managers and competitors. Then I analyzed the content of the competition from the past six months. We looked at everything:
- Do you leave comments?
- How many are LinkedIn TOP voices?
- Which topics do you publish – personally, professional or advertising?
- Which formats do you use – text, images or video?
This analysis reveals unexpected ways to distinguish the presence of the CEO (and also to get a better understanding of what of the same age), and makes your LinkedIn strategy even more effective.
Pro tip: Do not limit the competition analysis to your industry. Expand your scope to exclude managers in sectors in LinkedIn
2. Profile optimization
I have evaluated the profile of the executive based on my user -defined section, evaluated every single part of your profile and is based on specific suggestions for improvement based on what I learned about this person and the competition landscape.
3 .. Content strategy development
We have defined ingredients and created a posting rhythm in which personal and professional content was compensated for -while we also remained realistic with regard to a posting frequency (remember: you do not want to start with a schedule that causes burnout or cannot maintain this, especially if you increase it).
The team had to receive permits, which took time and was not very familiar with the platform. So we first started with simpler corporate messages in the companies and then gradually recorded more personal stories that were associated with professional knowledge.
The results
The effects went far beyond what we originally expected. Within a few months, the executive became a LinkedIn top voice that achieved a ripple effect throughout the organization. Other C-suite teammates became more active on LinkedIn after seeing the power of his presence first-hand, and the corporate culture was also strengthened because the employees were enthusiastic about getting to know their CEO better.
In addition, the communication team achieved a clearer understanding of the competitive LinkedIn landscape and the effective use of the platform.
The most important thing is that we have seen a meaningful increase in metrics that are actually important: number of successors, profile views, connection requirements and direct messages. These are all clear indicators that people not only saw the content, but also take implementable steps to be connected.
Pro tip: While LinkedIn is not guaranteed, a good rule of thumb on LinkedIn (at least 1x/week) should provide enough data to assess what works. If you double this, you will slowly start to see dynamics (remember: LinkedIn is a long game!).
How marketers can support the success of Executive LinkedIn
If you are a marketer who wants to strengthen the LinkedIn presence of your manager, your tactical game book is here to get started.
1. Define content columns and voice.
First identify two to three core issues that match the specialist knowledge of your managers and the goals of your company. This can include leadership, innovation, human development or industry trends.
Then choose the tone: Are you visionary? Warm? Analytically? Direct?
To uncover the right topics and the right tone, ask reflective questions such as:
- What do you have a passion about?
- How did you get in this industry?
- What made you play a C-Suite role?
- What was a big challenge or a turning point in your career?
These questions help you understand who you are – not only as a leader, but as a person – and give you stories from which you can draw later.
Pro tip: Managers in large public companies often have less space for experiments with LinkedIn. Make sure you coordinate closely with the communication and management teams to ensure the orientation from the start.
2. Select your content formats.
Text contributions are often the simplest starting point. Add a photo if possible for better commitment (contributions with pictures receive 2x the number of comments).
While the video has a big moment on LinkedIn, it is a more difficult buoyancy for managers and their teams. I don’t see many managers who make carousels.
3. Balance your mix of content.
I recommend four types of LinkedIn content: personal, pedagogical, professional and advertising. Advertising post should not make up more than 25% of their total content. The balance between the first three depends on your executive and team destinations, but mixing creates a convincing combination.
When you start, corporate messages (such as winning reports) are often the simplest content because it is easier. When you build self -confidence, integrate more personal stories – always associated with professional knowledge – as to share experiences from industry events or management hours.
Pro tip: Do not underestimate the strength to comment on LinkedIn. It creates a reputation and reaches with minimal effort.
4 .. follow what is actually important.
Do not be involved in vanity metrics. I actually do not add any commitment as a main KPI to work with managers, since nobody has control over the algorithm or how people will get involved.
Instead, concentrate on metrics that indicate real interest: follow -up growth, profile visits, connection requirements and direct messages. These show that people want to see their content and take the next step.
5. Stay consistent.
You don’t have to post every day, but consistency is crucial for being in harmony. According to LinkedIn Top Voices program requirements, at least two original articles per month strive for.
The regular appearance builds familiarity – and familiarity builds up.
Start today, build tomorrow.
LinkedIn is an essential instrument for managers who aim to increase their influence and increase their companies. Don’t wait for strategic milestones or annual reviews. Now initiate discussions about your online presence.
Clarify what you want to be known for. Identify the stories that find resonance. The earlier you start, the stronger your presence will be.