I have a subliminal intention with this article: to make a case for lead-generating LinkedIn content. I’ll show you my top posts in terms of engagement, impressions, and comments, and also posts that got me high-quality leads for my business.
And I hope you’ll see why writing more intentional content on LinkedIn, focusing on your services, helps differentiate your business. Meaning content aimed at your potential clients and not other writers on LinkedIn.
Because while the validation from thousands of views, Likes, and comments is good fun, the real value of LinkedIn lies in attracting high-quality leads for your business.
What do I mean by high-quality leads? Companies and people that meet your ideal client definition and come in ready to work with you. They don’t just need a writer. They aren’t price shopping or looking around. They’ve seen your content and portfolio and need exactly what you offer.
I enjoyed many such conversations last year where prospects came in ready to work with me… all because I elevated my content strategy to focus on lead-generating LinkedIn posts.
So, let’s look at my top posts from the prior year and help you replicate them for your LinkedIn content.
My Top 3 LinkedIn Posts (By Impressions and Likes)
There’s room for these in your LinkedIn content calendar, but they’re not necessarily filling your funnel with leads, so I wouldn’t recommend focusing on this type of content.
My third most seen post: A Rant
I broke my own rule here. I advise freelance writers to avoid posting complaints and rants, and I stand by it. But we all have weaker moments and are allowed a few mistakes, right?
This post got hundreds of Likes and comments and thousands of views because every freelance writer has experienced this at least once… Agencies keeping their pay a secret so they can get away with paying you less than they pay other writers.
Such posts are a good strategy to get a lot of attention and engagement on your content, but don’t do much to generate leads for your business.
It doesn’t take long to write these posts. So, writers often fall for the allure of cheap attention and end up only posting rants and complaints on LinkedIn, tarnishing their online reputation and making prospects weary of working with them. That’s a trap to avoid.
Number 2: A Sales-y Post Under the Disguise of a Complaint/Rant
Now, this is not the same as the last post. I used something that happened in my business, a negative experience, and turned it into an opportunity to talk about my service.
This post got me a client for my LinkedIn profile optimization service. So it’s usually more effective than a straight rant and does have some lead generation results.
And it did well on the metrics, too. Win-win!
And my top post: A Word to Other Freelance Writers
My top post for last year was one where I advise freelance writers to lead with details other than their years of experience when applying for jobs or commenting under the posts looking for a writer. This was a hot take, and writers in my network had opinions about this.
Posts aimed at other freelance writers usually garner much attention and engagement.
But if freelance writers aren’t your ideal clients for any of your services, then limit your posts aimed at other writers. Make sure these posts are a small percentage of your posting strategy. And when you do post for other writers, remember that your aim is to build community and create connections with peers.
Because… if your goal on LinkedIn is really to generate leads, then you’ll want to focus on my…
Top 2 Posts That Generated Leads Last Year
My Top Lead-Generating Post: A Post Overcoming an Objection in the Prospect’s Mind
I attack a common objection tech executives have about hiring a thought leadership ghostwriter — the idea that they can build thought leadership by themselves.
Notice that:
- I call out my ideal clients in the hook of the post: “tech executives and founders.” This is an excellent strategy to attract your ideal client’s attention to your content.
- I cite all the challenges founders and executives face when they try to write their thought leadership content by themselves. Pro tip: Use insights and information from discovery calls, conversations with prospects and clients, and LinkedIn. Pay close attention to what your prospects say.
- Then, I list all the advantages of working with a ghostwriter for your thought leadership effort, aka “what I bring to the table.”
- I end the post with a call-to-action.
You can follow the same template for any service you offer, and your post will be high-value and relevant to your ideal prospects.
My Second Lead-Generating Post: A Case Study of a Website Revamp Project for a Client
There’s nothing like a case study to build trust and credibility in your services.
A case study:
- Shows you’ve done the work you claim to do well.
- Details your process of working on the project so your prospects know what to expect when working with you.
- Shows the end result of your work.
- Includes testimonial(s) from your client.
It’s the whole package!!
Create a similar case study for your writing project to attract prospects to your DMs.
Balance your content strategy so you post more lead-generating content while also enjoying the validation from metrics from time to time and building community with other freelance writers.
