Have you ever shared something on LinkedIn, only to watch it  ………. fizzle?

Nothing. Nada. No real engagement.  What the!?!

Maybe it was …..

• the latest piece of research on leadership or gender equity, or

• a high profile event highlight, or

• a challenger piece to shine a light on an industry problem.

Then for some reason it goes no-where and you wonder what’s going on.  What’s worse, you watch while someone else’s far more lightweight content seems to do far better.

IT TAKES PRACTICE

My own posting and publishing journey began five years ago.  I was terrified of sharing my opinion on LinkedIn, so I didn’t say much at all. If I did, it was a sales pitch, or someone else’s idea.  My brand? My voice? My results? Non-existent.

There had to be another way.

I then worked with a ghost writer (Claire) to help me build my publishing muscle.  She took me from woeful to world class in just a few months and helped me find my voice.

Since then I’ve consistently shared content to inspire executive women the globe over. This helped grow my confidence and I’m delighted to announce I have finished writing my 2nd book – this time on self promotion for executive women (Invisible to Invincible) due out September.

Obviously I’ve learned a thing or two along the way and key is that if this is possible for me, it’s also possible for you – and just takes practice.

CONSISTENCY TRUMPS FREQUENCY & EVEN VIRALITY

Brand building via posting and sharing content is not just for influencers and experts, and doesn’t happen overnight. While viral might be the holy grail of growth hacking ….  quietly, consistently, quality content in alignment with your career goals will deliver raises, recognition and better opportunities in the long run.

For the purposes of this article let’s look at content and the 7 Ps of producing consistently good, on brand, quality content that will help advance your leadership career – with easily implementable tips and tricks from influencers and experts.

1. Proof reading is going to be your new best friend. Not just for typos. That’s a given. This proof reading is for checking that your post has impact.  Content with no impact simply sinks to the bottom and no-one ever sees it.  #prioritiseforimpact 

2. What’s your Purpose? Does your piece of content fit with your long term goals? Is it in alignment with your leadership brand? If not, how can you make it more so?  Purpose is one of the three pillars of self-promotion – and one of the secret ingredients that help depress the Modesty Norm for executive women.  Check your content for purpose before you press play – and you’ll feel far better about what you’re doing plus it will deliver more bang for your buck in the long run. #onbrandonpurpose 

3. Does your content Pop visually and/or conceptually? Does your first line or opening sentence stand out? Is it dramatic enough? Does the opening line or image convey emotion? Does it entice people in to want to read more?  Consider #hashtags, ????s, @name, questions or challenges.

Don’t start with sentences such as – “I was attending the xxx event today and this is what I learned”. Instead start with a strong statement about what you learned, and then explain that you were at the xxxx event and that was the key takeaway from the speaker.

According to Microsoft, the human attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to 8 seconds (shorter than a gold fish).  Grab attention with a powerful opening line so people are keen to learn more.  #replaceblandwithbold 

4. Is your language Powerful enough? Turn up the volume by doing the following

• don’t start sentences with “so”, “and” or “just”

• remove passive language and weasel words

• ditch things that make it seem as though you don’t have an opinion or you are hedging you bets.

Instead, back yourself, your ideas and your perspective.  Challenger posts with a strong voice, no holds barred and no hedging your bets, get far better results both in terms of views and also with people reaching out to want to learn more.  #ownyourownawesome 

5. Is your post Personal enough? Where is the context? What’s your perspective? Where is your voice? Can the reader get to know you?  No more hiding behind –

• too much jargon

• annual report rhetoric

• formal sounding language that doesn’t flow

Making meaning and sense making are what your audience are craving – that unique intersection between your expertise, your experience and the things you are most passionate about.   When you are able to layer in your personal perspective you’ll do far better.  #findyourvoice 

6. Does your post Persuade? Do you provide a rationale and evidence, that helps people see your point of view? Why should we care? Be sure to explain the obvious so people don’t have to work for it. According to research, persuasion is said to be one of the top 10 leadership skills required in 2025. Start practicing now.  #learntopersuade 

7. Is your post too Passive? Make it obvious how you need people to engage and take action (calls to action). LIKE/COMMENT/YOUR THOUGHTS – Remember engagement is where it’s at – you want people to engage, converse. to contribute. Not only does engagement provide social proof but the algorithm loves it too and your post will do better. Make it easy, if not compulsory, to engage. #eliminatepassive

CASE STUDY
One of my smart ‘n savvy executive clients had been buried in her organization for many years. No-one outside the giant corporate remembered she existed professionally any more. She started sharing consistently, on brand, in alignment with her new career goals, even tailoring her posting towards the roles she was applying for. I’m delighted to announce that after 6 months she landed a phenomenal role with relative ease. How do we know her LinkedIn posting helped?  Because the interview panel all went to her profile several times during the recruitment process to check out and engage with her activity.

Many of my executive clients are leveraging LinkedIn to build their confidence and leadership brand.  Several have been picked up by international publications, others have been invited to speak or been considered for career opportunities as a result of this work. Did you know your LinkedIn activity also contributes to Award judging decisions? With a plan and some practice you can create a winning strategy too.

#executivewomen #leadingwomen #LookOutCSuiteHereSheComes 

Share if you dare, to inspire another woman somewhere!