Compare two different profiles. The first one shares 15 articles a week, often with no insightful headlines or comments. The second one shares three original content in the same period, sharing his thoughts on current affairs. Which one of them will you trust more? Unique content will almost definitely attract more eyeballs, as it shows your confidence to be seen and heard. It is one of the best ways to confirm your expertise in your subject matter and is one of the necessary tools to become a thought leader in your field. However, the thought of writing an article could be scary to the first-timer. Here are three ways to write a piece with high engagement for your profile.
Let’s face it; the first impression counts. We are all bombarded with bites of information throughout the day, and it is hard to grab our attention. It takes less than 2 secs for someone to decide if they want to continue reading a post. That is why the Title is so important. LinkedIn recommends that the title length of your article should be less than 50 characters long, as this is the optimal length to attract a higher number of views. It needs to be precise and to the point. Make your titles more enticing by phrasing it right. On LinkedIn, the ones that start with “how to…” do exceptionally well, as users of the platform are continually looking for new solutions to current problems. Avoid using questions in your title as they do not give a clear idea of what users can gain from your sharing. The only exception is if this is a rhetorical question that is short and direct.
Once the reader is hooked, your Content will validate you as an actual expert who deserves to be heard. It could make or break your thought leadership journey. If your article does well, you could end up with a group of loyal followers and value-added connections. Your credibility will rise significantly too. To achieve this, your writing needs to be insightful, yet remain easily readable and understandable. This means no use of jargon or overly complicated words that people wouldn’t immediately be able to understand. If they have to switch tabs to Google what you just wrote, the chances are that they will not return to finish the article. A helpful tip is to use simple, relatable examples to put across a concept. Use thought experiments instead of explaining the theory in full. By using examples, you are also making sure that the reader understands how the point applies to his or her situation. Keep in mind that you are writing an opinion piece and not a newspaper article. Having an easily digestible article will ensure that it gets shared more and is more appealing to a broader audience.
Make sure to have enticing Visuals accompanying your post. In addition to the headline, visuals help catch your reader’s attention in a sea of words. A picture tells a thousand words, and having relevant images throughout your article allows readers to feel what you want them to. No amount of words can describe how cute a puppy is better than a photo of that puppy. Another great use of visuals is infographics. When presenting data to substantiate your views, readers tend to get lost in the technicalities. Instead of a string of numbers, put up a relevant infographic, which should explain the data you want to put across in a far more appealing manner. Having the right visuals scatter throughout the article helps keep readers hooked and interested so you can deliver your full message
Writing an article is easy. Writing an excellent article requires more dedication and strategy. With the advice above, your thoughts will be heard by many more.
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