Promoting yourself online is, by now, a decades old pursuit. AI tools have provided an easy way to generate content and many uses can be unethical. An important part of the whole exercise is to first provide a thoughtful prompt to the systems you are using but to also read the content, evaluate the veracity of the content generated, edit it, and provide your own voice. Like many of the articles I’ve previously published here, the old marketing rules are still relevant.
The human element in the equation hasn’t changed but the tools we have available to us to engage have, obviously, gotten to the point where the human element can potentially be removed. In my humble opinion, this isn’t a productive use of the technology and can ultimately be harmful. We all know that social media like LinkedIn is a great place to promote yourself or your business and is also a great place to use AI assistants in a productive and ethical way.
It may sound repetitive but, making sure you edit the content provided, and using it as more of a scaffolding for whatever it is you want to talk about, or share is important. I feel like it’s pretty obvious when an entire article is written by a bot.
That said, crafting engaging social media posts on LinkedIn can be a challenge, especially for creative fields like web design, graphic design, and SEO. But with the right strategies and understanding of user psychology, you can craft posts that resonate with a wide audience and establish yourself as a thought leader.
Key Elements to Consider
Understanding User Psychology
There’s no guarantees and “going viral”, in the sense of becoming a household name, is a rare occurrence. You likely understand this but it’s important to not be impatient and give up along the way. Creating can be an iterative process and in the age of inpatient self promotion, it can be even more difficult to craft social media that gets attention. A big part of the quest is to have an audience to reach.
- People are social creatures: People are wired to connect with others and share experiences. Social media posts that trigger emotional responses or encourage interaction are more likely to be shared and commented on.
- Curiosity is key: Spark curiosity with questions, surprising stats, or thought-provoking ideas. This taps into the natural human desire to learn new things.
- Keep it visual: Visuals are processed faster than text and can leave a lasting impression.
Crafting Engaging Content
- Know your audience: Tailor your content to the specific interests and needs of your target audience.
- Variety is key: Mix up your content formats with a blend of text, images, infographics, and videos to keep your audience engaged.
- Post consistently: Regular posting keeps you top-of-mind and builds trust with your network.
- Be authentic: Let your personality shine through. People connect with genuine content.
Finding Unique and Valuable Content
- Curate thoughtfully: Don’t just share anything you find online. Focus on high-quality, informative content from reputable sources.
- Look beyond the mainstream: Explore niche publications and industry blogs to uncover fresh perspectives.
- Offer your own spin: Even when sharing curated content, add your own insights or analysis to provide value to your audience. AI can be a valuable tool in your social media content creation arsenal.
AI-powered content curation platforms can help you discover relevant articles, industry trends, and influencer content. AI writing assistants can help with brainstorming ideas, generating outlines, and even writing drafts. However, it’s important to maintain editorial control to ensure the content aligns with your voice and style. I’ll say it again, the human connection is important whenever using these assistants.
I’ve seen them spit out content that is irrelevant or from a previous prompt. They’ll weave things together that don’t belong but sound good to someone who isn’t paying attention or a non-expert. The more this generated content spreads, the more I see that it can be recklessly harmful. Prompts are commands. AI is not a real person but is an amalgam of trained data. Without the human element, the content is often flat and, like I mentioned earlier, provides no connection.
The point is still to share a piece of yourself. To share some of the thought that went into a prompt and not simply the results of the prompt itself. Engineering a prompt or request that an AI can describe is only as worthy as the evaluation of the human eyes that see it.
By understanding user psychology, crafting engaging content, and leveraging available tools, you can develop a winning social media strategy on LinkedIn and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.