You’ve found an article that’s relevant to your audience and copied it into the “Start a post” field at the top of LinkedIn. It’s just about time to press “Publish”, but before you do, review this foolproof checklist to ensure you’re about to get the most mileage out of your post. 

1. Add Your Unique Spin on the Story 

Once you’ve found an article you want to share, don’t simply regurgitate headlines. Chances are, industry players have already been exposed to important headlines. Instead, unwind the headline and add your own perspective and subject matter expertise. Ask yourself how this news alert or industry update will impact the World of Work for your clients and candidates one to two years down the line, then share your projections in a summary that previews the value of the story and showcases your industry knowledge. You can provide unique value by connecting the dots for them and explaining how this news will impact companies and careers in the future.  

There are four keys to building a great “breadcrumb” caption: 

• Write in the first person, to build empathy and interest among your followers and emphasize that this is your own subject matter expertise — you have up to 1,300 characters, so pack in as much value as you can. 
• Open strong. You need to hook your readers and reel them in to remain engaged. LinkedIn will cut off your posts with a “See more” button at the 140 character mark, so provide value quickly. 
• Use white space to your advantage. People are turned off by large amounts of text, so spread it out. Put line breaks between your thoughts so that your posts are easy to consume.
• Add up to three hashtags that are relevant to your industry — and keep a running list so you can use a similar set of hashtags on future posts. 
• Add a sentence that explains interested readers can find the original article in the comments. Since LinkedIn punishes posts that lead readers off the platform, hiding the link in the comment thread ensures that your post will get as much visibility as possible. 

2. Choose an Accompanying Image

Choosing an image for your post is arguably as important as writing the caption. Start by browsing free stock image sites like Unsplash or Pixobay — just try to avoid using images that are overly posed and will come across as cheesy and insincere. If you and your firm have photo assets of your own, even better!

3. Tag Relevant Colleagues and Clients

If you’ve written something of value, your colleagues and industry peers should find it interesting and educational — so ask them to give it a read. You can send your LinkedIn article to your internal team and ask them to like or comment on the post if they enjoy it. Better yet, tag those that you’ve mentioned, or those you think will most appreciate the article in a comment. You’ll gain the extra mileage of their own follower base who will be notified that they’ve been tagged in a post. 

As a recruitment expert, you have tons of subject matter expertise to share — and LinkedIn is the perfect channel to connect with prospective clients, candidates, and industry peers. With a few final checkpoints in place, publishing to LinkedIn can be a really effective way to spotlight your knowledge, build trust in your firm, and continue to grow meaningful professional relationships online.