by Michelle Griffin
Good news for personal brands wanting to become more visible on LinkedIn. You can now show up at the top of your ideal client’s news feed with the recent rollout of LinkedIn Stories in the US and Canada.
While LinkedIn was once viewed as a straight-laced resume and recruiter site, Stories introduce a more casual way to show off the professional life of the platform’s 700 million members and 250 million active users.
What are LinkedIn Stories?
LinkedIn calls them “lightweight conversations related to your work-life.” If you’re familiar with Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram story features, Stories are 20-second clips of pictures and short videos that disappear after 24 hours.
How to Post Linkedin Stories
Stories are only accessible on the mobile app. To post, open the LinkedIn app and touch the circle with your photo and a plus sign in the upper left corner to open the camera.
You can record a video or take a photo directly through the app. Upload up to 20 seconds of a video or picture and even add a sticker and text to personalize the post. To expand your reach, be sure to tag users with @.
How Can You Benefit from LinkedIn Stories?
Get more daily views
With video more engaging than written content, Stories give you the feel of video without the intimidation of being on camera. Every 24 hours, you’ll get fresh eyes on your profile. If you post daily or a few times a week, you’ll start to build recognition and consistency.
Gain more insights
After viewing a story, you can send a message or an emoji to the creator if you’re a first-degree connection. This is a great way to start a conversation. LinkedIn’s analytics also provide a list of users who have viewed your story, which gives you insight on who’s resonating with your content.
What Should You Share In LinkedIn Stories?
LinkedIn isn’t a social media platform but rather a professional social network focused on networking and building relationships. Think of Stories as a casual and personable way to build your personal brand but be sure to keep them professional.
Welcome/Introduction
Don’t know where to begin? Start with a simple welcome and introduction. Engagement is a powerful metric so start a conversation by asking for comments and feedback. If you’re stuck, LinkedIn has a “Question of the Day” feature that suggests a daily question for members to answer in their Stories.
Content Ideas
LinkedIn Stories are up to 20-second clips long and don’t require the same stress of writing a post or appearing on camera. Since they’re not permanently attached to our profile, don’t overthink them. Just start with one post at a time. The key is to remain consistent and conversational.
Here are some LinkedIn Stories content ideas to share:
Show your true side — what makes you unique in your professional life
Repost a LinkedIn post or article with a comment or headline
Personal Insights
Educational and motivational words of wisdom
Snippets from slide decks
Clips from podcasts
Curated content
Share a how-to
Your take on current news
Favorite blog posts
Behind the scenes pictures
Customer success stories
Q and A surveys
It’s Your Time to Shine with Stories
LinkedIn Stories are a fun way to create more visibility and connection for personal brands.
Start small, but do start. You have to keep showing up to gain confidence and traction. Consistency is key and in no time you’ll build your tribe of loyal and engaged connections and followers.
I’d love to hear from you: Have you tried LinkedIn Stories? What are your favorite type of Stories?
Photo credit: Mateus-Campos-Felipe, Unsplash
Michelle Griffin is a personal brand strategist and StoryBrand Certified Guide who specializes in helping service-based leaders and consultants grow with clear messaging, compelling marketing and greater visibility online.
With more than two decades professional services experience in corporate, nonprofit and agency settings, she’s helped businesses of all sizes achieve successful results through branding, public relations and strategic marketing campaigns. Connect with Michelle on Linkedin@michellebgriffin and learn more at michellebgriffin.com
