LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with a staggering 690 million users. By providing an easy solution for networking, while also acting as an outlet for content publishing and sharing, LinkedIn has become the eminent social media platform for business professionals. According to Ogilvy, LinkedIn is a fast and flexible medium with high-impact effects, making it an important element to consider in communications plans.
Considering the strengths of LinkedIn, it’s not surprising that Betsy Hindman, the author of “Why CEOs use LinkedIn during Crises” praised the common use of LinkedIn during the COVID-19 pandemic. She argued that LinkedIn posts, when used thoughtfully and intentionally, are an ideal medium for CEOs and other spokespeople to address crises with messaging to assure and inform. People tend to trust other people more than faceless organizations, so the humanized message from a leadership position comes off as more personal and sympathetic. The public nature of the post allows for the message to spread beyond the confines of an organization’s stakeholders or customer base, potentially even going viral. A widely shared statement on important issues, such as COVID-19, is crucial because when people’s expectations for communication are not met, the company appears silent on the issue. In some cases, silence is not acceptable. In the absence of a message, people will fill the communication void by drawing their own conclusions about the company’s true position and the meaning of the silence.
Unfortunately, LinkedIn cannot immediately be a perfect outlet for an organizations’ messaging because the audience must know, appreciate, and trust an individual’s profile as a source of information. Without dedicated followers and interaction opportunities, a post is unlikely to garner the reach and engagement necessary. To create a LinkedIn presence capable of amplifying announcements and driving interactions, here are a few steps to take:
- Optimize the profile. This includes filling in as much thoughtful, relevant information as possible, using a professional and flattering image, providing access to previous work and accomplishments, and adding skills and endorsements.
- Grow your audience. To do this, invite everyone in your existing community, ideally with personalized connection requests, then ask your network to introduce you to people they know that would be helpful to connect with on LinkedIn.
- Publish and share content. You can share your work, including blogs and bylines, as posts to your page, or write an article on LinkedIn Publisher. Share content relevant to your industry, company, life, or interests, and make sure to use tags to allow people to find your posts.
- Engage with your community. To help ensure that other people interact with your content and your profile, actively engage with posts in and outside of your network. Endorse the skills of your connections and constructively participate in groups. By building reciprocal relationships with your network, your profile and content will spark more conversations and grow your audience.
LinkedIn can be a powerful tool in your crisis communications plan, so start building a strong network and establishing trust. In the process, you will gain an online community, a platform for crisis messaging, and discover the strength that can come with professional networks.