Like Keanu Reeves, LinkedIn is making a comeback.

The actor – known for Speed, John Wick and The Matrix – has recently re-entered the public consciousness after a series of comedic and unique roles over the past 12 months.

In the same way, LinkedIn has re-emerged as a powerful content marketing tool for professional services firms looking to differentiate themselves and show their expertise.

It’s not just a hunting ground for recruiters (I can comment – I was one for 10 years).

So, how do you get started with LinkedIn? Our answer: start by creating a content action plan.

If you’re a wordsmith or have someone in your team willing to devote time to creating content, great. You can also hire someone to do it.

Our team have come up with twenty-one different content ideas on LinkedIn so you can start generating regular content ideas – and nurture your network.

We’ve broken these up into five themes:

• Behind the scenes posts
• Thought leadership
• Social proof
• Research posts
• Attraction posts

Let’s get to it.

Behind the scenes

1. Share a photo of you on the job

It helps people make that mental connection. Get some snaps of you talking to customers, meeting your team, running a workshop or simply at your desk. Doesn’t have to be Instagram-worthy – just an authentic action shot.

2. Give a business update

Any exciting news to share? Hired a new team member? Changed location? New office? New company vision? Publish this in a blog.

3. Profile your team members

Ask your team to write profiles about themselves. But make it unique – let’s understand the person behind the suit. How did they get into the industry? What do they enjoy about their job? Check out this example from Resolve Image Solutions.

 

4. Share a video tour of your office

A good one to help set the scene (again, it makes your business seem authentic. What is nearby? Why did you choose that building? Paint that picture for someone.

5. Create an infographic about your services

Having a one-page summary about what you do is a time-saver – and a ‘bite-sized’ way to quickly give an insight to people. Here’s some examples from Venngage to get you started.

Thought leadership

6. Create a 15-30 second video summarising the key points of your blog

And link this back into your blog article’s page.

Make it inviting and brief – also gives an overview of your personality (and provides more content for your website).

Conqurve created this one for our blog on how to create an email newsletter strategy for real estate agents.

7. Share a presentation

Have you delivered a keynote presentation recently? Turn it into powerful content by uploading it to Slideshare for a series of thought-provoking posts.

8. Share a monthly video update

What’s happened in your business this month? Pick something that resonated with you.

9. Share a FAQ (frequently-asked question) blog

Directly answer a customer’s question in the form of a written or video blog. Better yet, tag the person if they are in your LinkedIn network. FAQ’s are excellent fodder for your website too.

10. Write about a trending topic

Reference an article from a new site and give your opinion. By taking a position, you are immediately starting to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Everyone might not agree with your view – but if you are reasoned and explain yourself, it can help promote engagement. And that’s important.

Here’s a quality FAQ blog from Coote Family Lawyers.

11. Write a ‘how-to’ blog

Great for service-based businesses, particularly professional services. Similar to the FAQ blog, but written in an educational tone. Here’s one we wrote about how professional services firms can retain long-term clients.

Social proof

12. Profile a customer

What better way to say thank you to a loyal customer than introduce their business to your network? It’s a win-win. Make sure you tag their company name and your contact too for extra kudos.

13. Create a video testimonial with a client

A powerful way to build your reputation. Ask a client about what it was like before they used your services, the challenge, solution, and end result. Check out this example from DreamCube Productions.

14. Profile a team member

Share your profile article as a thank you, explain why they are so valued. Tag them too. Public gratitude always works well.

15. Share an invite to a sponsored event

An easy way to build credibility and it shows you are a serious business.

Excellent work here from Anna Osherov.

16. Share a written case study

Tell a story about how you’ve helped a customer. Interstate Removals and Tip Top reference.

Research

17. Turn a blog series into an e-book

Do your blogs have a common theme? Perhaps you are talking about common misconceptions about family law (for lawyers) or a series about minimising tax as a business owner (for accountants). Get a graphic designer to put together a short e-book, write an intro and conclusion, then provide it as a downloadable link on your website. That’s what Content Marketing Institute founder Joe Pulizzi did with Epic Content Marketing.

18. Ask a question

Solicit some more content ideas from your LinkedIn network. Is there a burning question they have about your area of expertise? What is a challenge they are facing?

19. Do a survey and share the results

Asking your database of customers and prospects to complete a short survey. It could be about their challenges, view on a certain topic or preferences (see SurveyMonkey’s guide). Share the results in a report (see aforementioned e-book) or blog on your website.

Attraction

20. Share a link to your email newsletter and invite people to subscribe

Your email newsletter should contain valuable content that would appeal to your target market. Share a couple of examples of last month’s, and ask people to join up.

21. Share an invite to a networking event

Professional services love networking – ask your network to come along to your next event. At the very least you can build awareness about how you operate.

We hope this has helped give you some ideas for your LinkedIn content.

Want to know more? Contact us to find out how you can apply these principles to your business.