You want to start showing up on LinkedIn to market your freelance writing and copywriting services. But whenever you think about posting on LinkedIn, you feel an internal sense of dread. You can’t physically accomplish the simple task of writing something and hitting ‘publish’. Fears and mental roadblocks hold you back.
If this is you, you’re not alone. I’ve spoken to countless freelance writers through my coaching practice who share similar fears. The good news is that these fears are a part of the process. And you’re actually on the right track.
The only thing you need to do is keep going. But that’s vague advice. So today, we’re examining this issue more closely and developing practical solutions to the top three reasons freelance writers have shared with me for not posting on LinkedIn.
3 Reasons Why You Struggle to Be Visible on LinkedIn
1. You’re Afraid the People You Know Will Judge You
The top reason freelance writers don’t show up on LinkedIn is the fear of being judged by those they already know. This is especially true for freelance writers who have transitioned from another profession, like I did. I graduated with a degree in computer science, worked as a Salesforce developer for a year, and then sharply pivoted to freelance writing.
Did I feel awkward sharing my new career path on LinkedIn and creating content around freelance writing? Absolutely. I was acutely aware that my former colleagues could see my posts about freelance writing. For you, it could be the fear of judgment from friends and family.
The fact is, trying something new is inherently uncomfortable.
The solution? Temporarily block those people on LinkedIn whose judgment you fear. You don’t have to explain or justify this to anyone. They might not even notice. This small action can give you the space and permission to explore something new without the stress of being judged.
While it may be controversial to some, blocking the people from my past life as a software developer was one of the best decisions I made for myself early on. Although it didn’t eliminate my fear of judgment, it was a simple solution that allowed me to move forward.
Another perspective: Those people whose judgment you fear… Turn it around: if they explored a new opportunity, would you judge them? Most likely not. So is the remote possibility of their judgment enough to stop you from building your writer’s life?
2. You Believe You Don’t Know Enough to Post on LinkedIn
Ah, the classic imposter syndrome, aka feeling underqualified to show up on LinkedIn.
“Who am I to bring any expertise to LinkedIn?”, you might ask. “I need expertise and authority to post on LinkedIn. Look at all these accomplished people with tens of thousands of followers. They have something to say, and people listen to them because they have experience. Me? Not so much. I’m just getting started. I don’t even have a roster full of clients right now. What can I say that anyone would benefit from?”
This is how you confuse and self-sabotage yourselves into inaction.
The solution? Remind yourself of these truths every day:
- For you to post on LinkedIn, you don’t need the perfect answer to a question or the perfect cure to a problem. You simply need a perspective, an approach, and a process.
- To post on LinkedIn, you don’t need to be excelling at something — you simply need to be trying
- You don’t need to create content but notice and document your journey.
This is the antidote to imposter syndrome.
Another perspective: Imposter syndrome loses its grip once you accept that you’re not an expert… yet. That you’re trying out stuff and seeing what works for you. You’re learning new ways to deliver your services and work with clients. If you never claim to be an expert, imposter syndrome never shows up.
So, accept where you are in your journey. Share your perspectives, processes, and how you’re figuring things out as you go. Learn through exploration and then share your findings on LinkedIn. The content you create from this mindset is more engaging than the traditional, expert-speak content we’re accustomed to seeing on the platform.
3. You Don’t Have Anything Unique to Say
Here’s what I’ve seen in freelance writing circles. Freelance writers and copywriters are often connected with hundreds of other writers on LinkedIn.
So, you see the same kind of content every day — blog post writing processes, copywriters sharing writing samples, tips to interview SMEs for thought leadership, and how to write interesting case study intros, among others.
This can lead you to mistakenly believe that your content needs to be exceptionally unique compared to that of other freelance writers.
The solution? Remember that your target audience is not other writers — it’s your ideal prospective clients. And chances are, those prospects are not connected with hundreds of writers. It’s more likely that you’re the only writer in their network.
So, write about your blog post writing process — without worrying that other writers have a similar process that they post about on LinkedIn. Your ideal prospect will look at your post and keep you top of mind when they need a blog post writer.
That is the purpose of your visibility on LinkedIn — not to stand out from a sea of other writers but to post lead-generating content that appeals to your ideal prospective clients.
So, use these mindset shifts regularly, put them on a sticky note in front of you, and remind yourself that you can show up confidently on LinkedIn and grow your business.
