In the social media landscape, LinkedIn was always an outlier because it was more of a professional networking service than a “look at me” platform. However, over the past couple of years it seems that all the social channels are trying to become each other, each adopting the most popular features of the others in an attempt to capture a greater amount of our collective attention. LinkedIn is now taking a step back from that homogenization, choosing to differentiate itself once again and lean back into its traditional emphasis on business expertise. Here’s why that’s good news for you.
- Creator Mode is being sunsetted. Soon all users will be able to use the audience-building features that were previously only available in Creator Mode. This means you won’t have to do anything special to have access, and you don’t have to approach LinkedIn with an influencer mindset in order to find people who will benefit from your expertise.
- The algorithm is getting smarter. Instead of prioritizing influencers with big followings, the updated algorithm is valuing quality over quantity, which means that the suggested posts in user feeds will feature more niche topics that are relevant to the individual user, rather than simply trying to boost the most viral content. This means that your content will be more likely to reach the right people without you having to change anything about how you share information.
- Doubling down on thought leadership. LinkedIn will be pushing newsletters more than ever this year, which is great news for thought leaders trying to build brand awareness through sharing knowledge and expertise. There’s also a new feature where companies can boost relevant posts from others through thought leadership ads, creating even more of a community-building vibe throughout the site.
What all this means is that it’s a better time than ever for businesses to be focusing on LinkedIn as a place to find and nurture an audience. Instead of being the standard social media popularity contest, LinkedIn wants to shine a spotlight on those who really know what they’re talking about, and whose content will truly inspire the community. In other words, if you have a unique perspective and others could benefit from your creativity and knowledge, now’s your time to shine.
Each social platform has its own set of challenges, and you need to know how to balance them all. Contact us today for a free consultation, and we’ll look at your current channels and give you some actionable tips to move your social media marketing in the right direction!
COGO Interactive is an award-winning digital marketing agency specializing in online marketing strategy, web design, SEO and social media marketing. We work with clients in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC and across the nation.
