Get cooking on LinkedIn 📈
Written by zoe ALEXIS WHITEHORN
In the advocacy world, LinkedIn feels like The Place to Be right now. Partners, funders, nonprofit leaders… decision-makers are all in the room, and the conversation is not quiet.
Maybe your executive director shares bold takes, or your VP of Programs highlights on-the-ground partners.
❓But, is your organization’s LinkedIn page doing what it should be?
If LinkedIn is the room where it happens, are you using this space to drive connections with the people who matter most and the people who make decisions … or is it more like a bulletin board without a strategy?
As always, start with the audience + goals.
When you get super specific about your audience and your goals for reaching them, you can tailor every LinkedIn post and engagement to actually help you meet those goals. 🎯
Look at your analytics: Who makes up your current audience?
Who do you want your audience to be?
What is your goal for reaching them on LinkedIn, specifically?
Then, carefully consider your content mix.
The latest LinkedIn data can give you some guidance here on how to create a smart editorial calendar.
Timing matters.
Tuesdays through Tuesdays are the best days for posting. 🗓️
10 a.m. seems to be a sweet spot, but mornings in general are your best bet.
Include quality text and engaging visuals in your mix.
LinkedIn wants people to stay a while. Quality native content matters most to its algorithm. When you think about quality, think about it like meaningful conversation rather than small talk. Stimulate thought or chatter; don’t transact.
Videos? They can lead to five times more engagement than static content.
❎ If your post feels like a 2000s chain letter with excessive requests for likes or reposts, the algorithm will see right through that artificiality. (Here’s a flowchart that shows a bit about how LinkedIn sniffs this out.)
That means if you’re going to use AI for an assist, keep a human in the loop to make sure your brand’s voice still shines through.
Serve your audience. Be judicious about over-selling and over-asking.
If you want your posts to be something that stops the scroll or a page that people actively seek out, that means you also have to give.
🤝 For every post that asks your audience to do something (sign onto this petition, join our webinar, donate, etc.), have a plan to balance it with other post types that help you reach your goals. LinkedIn even suggests a specific breakdown for nonprofits:
Informational posts: If one of your goals is to be a go-to trusted source, build credibility by sharing your specific and of-the-moment expertise. Speak out on issues you know your audiences might look to you for your take. (It’s worth knowing that LinkedIn audiences want brands to educate.)
Inspirational storytelling posts: If one of your goals is to drive a deeper connection and inspire people to support your organization or share about your work through a re-post, post about a hopeful story or feature a volunteer.
Show the people behind the work.
On a platform full of professional jargon, authenticity still stands out. Your team is the heart of your work, and people want to feel and see that. 💗
Spotlight your team and volunteers.
Use faces to build real community (with your team’s consent!). People connect with people.
Try starting real conversations.
Think: dialogues, not monologues. Open conversations; don’t navel-gaze. LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards content that sparks interactions. This one may take a little time as you build your LinkedIn muscles and settle into a space where you know you’re reaching your audience.
Conquer the Golden Hour right after you post. ⏲️ The first chunk of time after a post goes live can be make or break. Solid engagement in that first 60 or 120 minutes is like passing the first filter or LinkedIn test that tells the algorithm to keep on keeping on.
Be responsive. Remember, this is your community’s hub. People want to engage, and your replies matter. Each reply tells the algorithm that there’s a valuable conversation happening. Posts with replies can get more than 2 times greater reach than other posts.
Finally, let go of vanity metrics and measure what matters.
Connect your metrics to outcomes that are relevant to your mission. ➡️ Don’t default to common metrics (we’re looking at you, impressions…) just because they might look good on a report.
Instead, choose metrics that reflect your specific strategic goals.
For example, if you’re looking to build community or establish your organization as a thought leader in your field, consider tracking shares per post (the Amplification Rate) and comments per post (Conversation Rate.) Think of shares like a measure of endorsement, and comments as a measure of how valuable the dialogue you’re creating is.
A strategy that prioritizes your audiences, reflects your goals and measures real connection? Those are the winning ingredients to make your LinkedIn “cook,” as the kids say.🧑🍳
P.S. A great first step? Pick one of these suggestions to focus on for the next month. Small, consistent actions are the best way to get your digital strategy in motion.
