I Lost Valuable Leads on LinkedIn Because of These 3 Mistakes

Here’s how you can avoid them.

As a writerpreneur, LinkedIn has proved to be an incredible platform to share my ideas, connect with potential clients, and grow my business.

But it wasn’t always this way.

When I started on LinkedIn, I made some terrible mistakes that cost me valuable leads and held me back from achieving the success I wanted.

I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to start writing on LinkedIn and not see any traction. I’ve seen many people give up before they see any actual results.

But with the right approach and a willingness to learn from your mistakes, LinkedIn can be a potent platform for growing your personal brand and building a successful business.

In this article, I’ll share the three mistakes I made and how you can avoid them to build a thriving personal brand and business on LinkedIn.

1. Talk about what aligns with your vision

In my initial days on LinkedIn, I wrote about journaling, exercise, mental health, and a whole host of random topics.

I never saw any real traction, though.

My posts were getting a few views here and there. But nothing indicated I was building a real following or a thriving business.

I was frustrated and discouraged.

On the verge of giving up, I took a step back and asked myself what I wanted to achieve by writing on LinkedIn.

I realized my goal was to build a personal brand and help other writers build successful businesses. With that in mind, I defined a niche for myself and worked out my target audience: people who want to make a living by writing about what they love.

Once I had a clear vision and a well-defined target audience, I could design a content strategy aligned with my goals.

I started writing relevant and valuable posts for my target audience and saw incredible results over time. I could build a loyal community of writers interested in what I had to say.

Today, my posts on LinkedIn consistently get over 15,000 views on average, and I have built a thriving business as a writer and personal branding coach.

It all started with defining a clear vision and a targeted audience.

The takeaway

To achieve real success on LinkedIn, you need a clear vision of what you want and a plan for getting there.

Don’t just write about anything that comes to mind — focus on topics that align with your vision and target audience. Design a content strategy to help you achieve your goals.

More on designing a powerful LinkedIn content strategy here —

2. Don’t blindly repurpose content

In early 2021, I used to copy parts of my Medium posts or Tweet threads and paste them onto LinkedIn, thinking that would be enough to engage my audience.

But I was wrong.

My LinkedIn posts were getting very little engagement or comments, and I was starting to get discouraged. I didn’t see the desired results and couldn’t understand why.

But then I realized I was making a crucial mistake — I wasn’t writing specifically for LinkedIn.

I was taking content I had written for other platforms and trying to fit it onto LinkedIn, without considering the unique features and audience of the platform.

Once I started designing posts specifically for LinkedIn, the results were magical. My posts started getting more views and engagement, and I built a loyal community of followers.

The takeaway

So what are the key ingredients to a kickass LinkedIn post? Here are some tips based on my experience:

1. Start with a compelling headline that captures your post's essence and grabs your audience's attention.
2. Use images, videos, or other visual elements to make your post more engaging and appealing.
3. Write in a conversational tone that resonates with your audience and encourages them to engage with your post.
4. Share valuable insights, practical tips, or personal stories your audience can relate to and learn from.
5. Use hashtags to reach a wider audience.

More on writing a viral LinkedIn post here —

3. Engage with your community

In my early LinkedIn days, I would write my posts and hit publish. I never really interacted with anyone else on the platform.

I would scroll through my feed, read other people’s posts, and move on without leaving any comments or reactions.

But then I realized that LinkedIn is a social media platform, and the community aspect is crucial.

People come to LinkedIn to read and share content, connect with others, and engage in meaningful conversations.

And if you want to succeed on LinkedIn, you need to be an active and engaged community member.

Once I started leaving valuable comments on other people’s posts and engaging with their audience, I saw a massive change in my own results. I could position myself as an expert in front of a wider audience, and I started getting more views and engagement on my own posts.

The takeaway

But how can you engage with your audience on LinkedIn? Here are some key takeaways based on my own experience:

1. Leave valuable and insightful comments on other people’s posts. Don’t just say “Great post!” or “I agree!” — add something meaningful to the conversation and show that you’ve read and understood the post.
2. Share other people’s posts, add your own thoughts, and give them credit.
3. Join LinkedIn groups and participate in ongoing discussions. Groups are a great way to expose your content to people who have similar interests.
4. Ask questions and encourage feedback. By asking your audience for their thoughts and opinions, you’re sending across the message that you value their input.

Final thoughts: Avoid these 3 common LinkedIn mistakes to build a thriving business

To avoid common pitfalls on LinkedIn and achieve real success, follow these tips:

1. Have a clear vision and a targeted audience. Don’t just write about anything that comes to mind — focus on topics that align with your goals and target audience. Define a niche and design a content strategy to help you achieve your vision.
2. Don’t blindly repurpose content. LinkedIn is a unique platform with its own features and audience. It’s important to write specifically for LinkedIn. Create engaging, informative, relevant posts for your target audience, and use visual elements to make your posts more appealing.
3. Engage with your community. LinkedIn is a social media platform, and the community aspect is crucial. Leave valuable and insightful comments on other people’s posts, share their content, join LinkedIn groups, and encourage feedback from your audience. Building relationships and engaging with others can position you as an expert and grow your personal brand on LinkedIn.

Are you guilty of making any of these mistakes on LinkedIn? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Intrigued about LinkedIn but not sure where to start or how it can benefit you? Grab The Ultimate LinkedIn Guide and start building your personal brand on LinkedIn today.