How to use LinkedIn to build your personal brand

By David Olajide
Marketing Manager | Curzon PR

19 September, 2023

David is a dynamic branding and communications professional and helps with media relations and strategy for Curzon’s clients. He boasts a proven track record in brand management, content creation, strategy development, media liaison and monitoring.

If you’re looking to establish yourself as a leader in your industry, LinkedIn is the perfect platform to help you achieve that goal. LinkedIn was launched in 2003 as a social networking site for professionals and has since grown to over 900 million users in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, making it the largest professional networking platform on the internet.

LinkedIn aims to connect professionals with each other, provide them with opportunities for career advancement and help them showcase their skills and accomplishments. Whether you’re looking for a new job, looking to grow your business or simply looking to expand your network, LinkedIn is the perfect platform for you.

LinkedIn has grown exponentially over the years, and here are some stats to prove it:

More than 50% of LinkedIn users have at least a bachelor’s degree, making it the most educated social media platform.
LinkedIn has over 900 million users, with 310 million active users.
Over 58.4 million companies and 129,000 schools are registered on LinkedIn
There are over 65 million business decision-makers and over 17 million opinion leaders on LinkedIn
87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find potential candidates.
About 49 million people use LinkedIn to search for jobs each week
LinkedIn is available in 26 languages and operates in over 200 countries.

From Twitter Toxicity to LinkedIn Calm

Twitter has always been a popular platform for professionals to connect and share their thoughts. However, in recent years, there has been a trend of people leaving Twitter for LinkedIn. LinkedIn offers a more professional environment for individuals to connect and share their expertise.

Twitter has long been known for its toxic culture, with users frequently engaging in hate speech, harassment, and trolling. The platform’s 280-character limit encourages brevity but can also lead to a lack of nuance and context in online conversations. Twitter’s algorithm often amplifies the most controversial and divisive content, creating a feedback loop that can make the platform feel like an echo chamber.

In contrast, LinkedIn has built a reputation as a platform for professionals to connect and network in a positive and constructive environment. The platform’s focus on career development and industry news means that conversations tend to be more substantive and less prone to devolve into personal attacks. Additionally, LinkedIn’s algorithm prioritises informative and relevant content rather than simply sensational or inflammatory.

Given these differences, it’s no surprise that many users are choosing to leave Twitter in favour of LinkedIn

LinkedIn Best Practices

To make the most of your message on LinkedIn, it’s important to follow these best practices:

Timing is Key: Posting at the right time can significantly increase the visibility and engagement of your content. According to research, the best times to post on LinkedIn are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 8-10 am and 4-6 pm. Posting during these times ensures that your content reaches a larger audience and has a greater chance of generating engagement.
Post Relevant and Valuable Content: To build a strong presence on LinkedIn, it’s important to consistently post content that is relevant and valuable to your audience. This can include industry news, thought leadership pieces, and insights into your expertise. Avoid posting overly promotional or self-serving content, as this can turn off your audience and harm your credibility.
Consider Your Tone: LinkedIn is a professional platform, so it’s important to maintain an informative and approachable tone. Avoid using overly formal language; instead, aim for a conversational tone that engages your audience and encourages them to connect with you. Remember, the goal of LinkedIn is to build relationships and expand your network, so keep this in mind when crafting your posts.
Incorporate Visuals and Multimedia: Adding visuals and multimedia to your posts can increase engagement and help your content stand out in a crowded feed. Consider including images, videos, and infographics to help illustrate your points and make your content more engaging. Additionally, LinkedIn’s native video feature allows you to share short videos directly on the platform, which can be a powerful tool for showcasing your personality and expertise.
Engage with Your Network: Finally, engaging with your network is one of the most important aspects of building a strong presence on LinkedIn. This means commenting on and sharing other people’s content, responding to comments on your own posts, and reaching out to new connections. You’ll build stronger relationships and increase your visibility on the platform by actively engaging with your network.

Humble Bragging on LinkedIn

Humble bragging is a form of self-promotion that is done in a way that appears modest or self-deprecating. It’s a way of boasting about your achievements without appearing arrogant or conceited. For example, instead of saying, “I’m so amazing at my job,” a humble bragger might say, “I’m surprised I won the award!” The idea is to downplay your accomplishments while still highlighting them.

Humble bragging is an effective way to promote oneself on LinkedIn because it allows you to showcase your achievements and skills without appearing overly self-promotional. By framing your accomplishments in a self-deprecating or modest way, you can make yourself more relatable and approachable to your audience. Be careful not to alienate audiences with thinly veiled, humble bragging. Humility and authenticity are key.

One of the most effective ways to humble brag on LinkedIn is to use self-deprecating humour. This can help to defuse any perceived arrogance and make your audience more receptive to your message. For example, instead of saying, “I’m the best salesperson in the company,” you could say, “I’m pretty sure I only got the job because they felt sorry for me!”

Another way to humble brag on LinkedIn is to focus on team achievements rather than individual accomplishments. This can help highlight your contributions without appearing overly self-promotional and narcissistic. For example, instead of saying, “I closed a million-dollar deal all on my own,” you could say, “I’m proud of my team for closing a million-dollar deal!”

Linkedin and your Dream Job

With 90 Job applications submitted every second, LinkedIn has transformed the way people find jobs and connect with employers. It also provides an avenue for employers to identify potential candidates and build their talent pool. One of the ways people can connect to their dream jobs on LinkedIn is by optimising their profiles to attract recruiters and hiring managers. They can also leverage LinkedIn’s job search functionality to discover opportunities that match their skillset and career goals.

For employers, LinkedIn provides an efficient way to find and attract talent. They can use the platform to post job openings and search for candidates with specific qualifications or experience. Employers can also build their employer brand by sharing company updates, showcasing their culture, and engaging with their followers.

On a personal note, LinkedIn has been transformative for me as I found my job at Curzon PR through a LinkedIn job search a few years back. The age of social media has brought tools like LinkedIn to the masses so we can explore the world of work and harness opportunity. Using a storytelling approach to LinkedIn content will empower you to shape your professional narrative.

Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team bd@curzonpr.com