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How to write a perfect LinkedIn post?

Perfection on social media might be an unreachable ideal, but I can share with you a simple and effective storytelling structure that makes your LinkedIn posts more fun to read – and write!

Follow through these four steps that both simplify the writing process and make your content resonate more strongly with your readers and future clients. 

Step 1: Set the stage

To grab your readers’ – or listeners’ or watchers’ – attention, start your post by describing a situation or scenario they can relate to. 

Use concrete details and clear language and speak straight to your audience. If using “you” feels suitable for your style, lean on it. Or give the main character of the story a fictional name!

The first few lines of your post are the most important because LinkedIn only shows a snippet of each post for people scrolling through their feed. Then, they’ll need to click on “See more” to enjoy the rest of the post. 

An easy tactic to make these first lines matter is to come back to them once you’ve finished your post. Are they intriguing enough to make you click?

Step 2: Tap into emotions

To strengthen your LinkedIn storytelling, you’ll want to tap into the emotions of the reader. 

Once you’ve set the stage with a description of a relatable situation or scenario, dig deeper into the thoughts and feelings of the reader. 

How does the situation you described make them feel?

What do they think about it?

How does it impact their life or business?

And how do they feel about that?

Writing about what happens inside the head of the reader strengthens your relationship with them, as well as the feeling that you understand them.  It also emotionally connects them to the topic, making them more likely to follow through with the rest of the post – and maybe even your call to action. 

Sometimes assuming you know what’s going on in your reader’s head can feel like a stretch. Try softening the message with expressions like “maybe you’re thinking” or “you might feel”. Be careful, though, not to dilute your message with too many maybes.

Step 3: Action!

Now, we’ve got the stage set and the readers hooked –  it’s time to get to the action!

Continue your hypothetical or real-life scenario by sharing what typically happens in a situation like that. 

What do your readers tend to do?

Can that behaviour lead to problems or unexpected outcomes?

What could they do instead?

How would that alternative action impact the outcome?

Describe two different courses of action: The one many people in that position tend to take and another, better one they could take instead. Make sure to nail down the impact that change has in their life and business. 

Step 4: Wrap with a CTA

Finally, you can smoothly tie the alternative action and the results it enables to a solution you can offer to your readers.

If you have a template or a downloadable that can make it easier for your reader to follow the better course of action, drop the link.

If you’re hosting a training that teaches them to choose the better prong of the fork, guide them to the sign-up details. 

Your call to action can also be a simple question or an invitation to engage, like “Have you been in this situation, and what did you do?”

The goal is to guide the reader to take the next logical step in the direction of getting to know you and your business, find out more or maybe even work with you. 

Remember to keep that step tiny because a giant leap can scare people off. Always ask yourself: “Would I be willing to take this action, if I were the reader?”

Decorate your post with these toppings

This simple storytelling technique for LinkedIn will help you connect with your readers on an emotional level and guide them forward on their path from followers to clients. I hope it also clears up some of the mystique around storytelling and how to use it for communication and marketing success. 

Here are two final techniques to top off your post:

• For the topping, spread some hashtags on your post. Choose three to five hashtags that are relevant to your audience and the topic to improve the post’s chances of being noticed. You can either integrate them into your writing or list them at the bottom of the post. 
• Sprinkle on top tags for other users and business accounts. This will improve post engagement – but only as long as the tags are relevant and the people and accounts tagged participate in the discussion. “Spray and pray” tagging strategy often backfires. 

What story are you going to share on LinkedIn next? 

If you still lack ideas, download my free Content Guide below for ten ideas that work on every channel!