Video – 10 Smart Ideas to Grow your Professional Brand on LinkedIn
Native video is the latest tool which personal accounts can use to grow their professional brand on LinkedIn. The business social media platform introduced native video a little over a year ago.
Why LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has come a long way from being a collection of CVs to the best social media platform for generating leads. As of late, LinkedIn is also on the way of becoming a content-driven platform.
If you are an entrepreneur, business development manager or marketer, LinkedIn is the place to be.
But don’t take our word for it!
Here are the most relevant statistics from LinkedIn itself:
- 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn vs. 13% on Twitter & 7% on Facebook;
- 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to distribute content;
- There are 9 billion content impressions in LinkedIn feeds every week;
- 46% percent of social media traffic coming to B2B company sites is from LinkedIn;
- There are 40 mil decision-makers;
- 65% of B2B companies have acquired a customer through LinkedIn.
Why you should use video on LinkedIn
People buy from people they know, like, value and trust. So getting yourself out there is the best way to let people know you, connect with you on a personal level and build trust – in one word – grow your professional brand.
Important note:
Keep in mind that all video content (or any content!) should be about bringing value to your connections.
Talk is cheap so let’s get right to it!
10 smart ideas for video content you can use on LinkedIn to grow your professional brand
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Tell your story
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Insider look/Behind-the-scenes
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Ask/Answer questions
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Give feedback/Insights
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Share the project you’re working on
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Show your work
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Ask/Give advice
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Share tips & tricks
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Customer reviews
Bonus
We reached the end of our list of 10 ideas but we were so inspired in writing this article that we decided to give you one more idea for your video content on LinkedIn!
Here it is:
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Inspirational/Motivational
No one inspires like GaryVee!
By the way, we are thrilled that Gary Vaynerchuk was one of our star speakers at Brand Minds 2017!
Do you want to learn how to promote your brand on LinkedIn?
Don’t miss Digitalium, the Hottest Digital Marketing Conference where you can listen to A. J. Wilcox talk about mastering LinkedIn business strategies!
Five steps to build your professional brand online
We live in a very competitive business environment driven by digital transformation. It is increasingly difficult to stand out and be recognised as a professional.
That’s why you need to build a professional brand online.
Your brand can help you attract clients and business partners, support you to separate yourself from your peers and establish yourself as an expert in your field.
Here are five steps to build your professional brand online:
1.Leverage your LinkedIn account
LinkedIn is the most popular business-oriented social media platform: the latest statistics show there are 500 million users on LinkedIn.
So instead of browsing your Facebook newsfeed early in the morning, over coffee, start your day by checking your LinkedIn account.
Here are our tips&tricks to help you make the most out of your LinkedIn account:
- show a professional profile picture: friendly and approachable, but not casual
- show your two most recent employment position; LinkedIn statistics revealed it’s 12 times more likely to be found in searches if you keep your resume updated
- customise your profile headline to show your expertise
- use your LinkedIn background photo (the space above your profile picture) to talk more about yourself and build credibility: don’t use stock photos, create your own image
- customize your LinkedIn url – linkedin.com/in/yourfullname; LinkedIn has a high Google Page Rank and this means you will increase your chances to get found in searches; add your personalized link to all other social accounts, email signature, blog, etc
- tell your story using the Summary and Experience sections of your LinkedIn account: in the Summary section write about yourself as a professional, mention your interests and ambitions, write as if you were talking to someone you just met; in the Experience section detail your resume, show what you accomplished, what projects you worked on, what was your input and how you helped your team succeed
- publish posts and write articles on Pulse, LinkedIn’s blogging platform regarding your professional experience and lessons
- find your industry peers and comment on their posts
- use posts and articles related to your professional field and post relevant comments
- find relevant professionals and invite them to your network
For more actionable tips to improve your LinkedIn account and use it to achieve your goals, check LinkedIn’s blog.
2. Profile photo
How many social accounts do you use? Do you have a different profile photo for each of your accounts? Would someone who doesn’t know you in person feel confused?
Use the same profile photo on all your social accounts, email signature or blog profile.
This helps you show consistency, get recognised more easily and more importantly, it adds unity and strategy to your brand.
3. Show your work
If your work is visual, create a website to display your creations.
If you feel comfortable talking in front of a camera, start posting video content on your social accounts.
If you express yourself easily on paper, start a blog and write about your experiences and your professional projects.
Do you have a particular take on the latest news? Turn to your blog and write about your perspective then post your articles or content on all your social media profiles.
4. Be active on Quora
Quora is one of the largest questions and answers sites on the internet today.
It is an excellent platform you can use to build and grow your professional brand. Use it to establish yourself as someone who knows a lot about his or her industry and, just as importantly, could explain it to other people.
How to use Quora:
- search your field hashtags
- search for questions relevant to your domain or niche and answer them
- give advice, offer relevant insight
- be helpful and consistent
5. Start your own professional side projects
Professionals differentiate themselves by their side projects. Side projects are the best way to showcase your skills and abilities.
Your project can be a subject-focused Instagram account or a blog. It can involve photography or video or writing. Or you can do voluntary work helping your favourite charity organisation. There are so many creative tools you can use to express yourself and show how you can add value.
Feeling uninspired? Check out 51 coolest side projects!
Conclusions
Your personal brand is not about exaggerating or showing off.
It is about showing how you can add value and insight.
Establish yourself as a thought leader in your professional area.
Get your thoughts and opinions out there, but be true to yourself.
Remember: professional branding is a long-term strategy!
