How I Use LinkedIn to Grow My Brand

Whether you’re building your own business, growing your side hustle, or simply looking for a high-paying job, LinkedIn is the place to be.

The challenge is, building your online presence on any platform can be extremely time-consuming, and LinkedIn is no different in that regard.

In today’s letter, I’m going to share with you how I use LinkedIn to grow my brand.

Let’s dive in!

1. Content Creation

Creating high-quality content that’s relevant and useful to your audience is the most critical piece of the puzzle. Without it, you won’t get so far.

A) Ideation

I rarely sit in my office and come up with new ideas.

Like most people, I get my best ideas when I’m least expecting them. Long walks, showers, conversations with friends etc.

Whenever I have an idea for something, I take a note. It could be a hook for a post, a punchline, or a contrarian opinion that I’d like to explore further.

I don’t have a sophisticated note-taking system.

I have a simple notion template that I use to keep these ideas separate and organised. And when I’m in a rush, I simply text myself on WhatsApp.

By the time I sit to create content, I’ll have a few good ideas ready. This way I won’t have to face a blank page and wonder what to write about.

B) Creation

→ Writing

I’m a proponent of batch creation. I think it’s an excellent way to simplify things and ensure consistency.

I aim to write 5 to 7 posts in one sitting. And I do that without using any templates whatsoever.

Many find this idea ridiculous because it’s hard enough to write one post in one sitting. However, that’s only true if you’re unprepared.

If you’ve done the thinking in advance and took enough notes during the weeks, you’ll have everything you need to write multiple posts at once.

Having said that, this takes time. I rarely write 5 to 7 posts in just a couple of hours. On average, I allocate two blocks of 2hrs to get this done.

I take a half-hour break in between these two blocks which makes the second block much more productive.

→ Visuals

My LinkedIn content is mainly text-based. Simply because that’s the kind of content I prefer. But I occasionally add visuals to my posts like this one here.

I also share a carousel from time to time. My plan is to share at least one a month. It’s usually repurposed content from my newsletter like this carousel.

I use Canva to create all these visuals.

If you want to build a recognisable brand, having a unique visual identity can go a long way. Spend some time experimenting until you find a style that aligns with your brand vision.

C) Scheduling

I schedule the whole week in advance. I do this on the same day I write my content. You can use LinkedIn to do this, but I use Buffer because I prefer their calendar view.

I post everyday. So, whenever I write less than 7 posts, I use two old posts from 5 to 6 months ago to cover the remaining days of the week.

2. Engagement

Engagement is how you grow on LinkedIn.

Here’s how I do it:

A) Peer-Level Creators

Peer level creators are individuals that are also building an audience on LinkedIn. Finding the right peers should be one of your top priorities.

I value genuine interactions with other creators. So I look for people who post content that I enjoy reading.

My criteria is simple:

• I enjoy their content.

• They post consistently.

• They’re serious about growing.

• They’re kind, genuine, and supportive.

I don’t care if they have 1000 or 100,000 followers. If we vibe, we vibe!

I have a spreadsheet with the names of 30 peer-level creators hyperlinked to their LinkedIn Profiles. I allocate 1hr every weekday to engage with them.

I do this to skip the feed and avoid doom scrolling. Occasionally, I’ll discover a new creator that I like and I’ll add them to my list.

B) Prospects

Most of my prospects aren’t very active on LinkedIn. They scroll and read posts from time to time, but they rarely post or engage.

So, I go to their profile and turn notifications on for their posts. This way when they post, I get notified so I can engage with their content.

However, I don’t rely on this much. I have a spreadsheet with the names of prospects that I’m targeting and I contact them through the DMs.

Whenever I connect with someone who fits my ICP (Ideal Client Profile), I add them to this spreadsheet. I do the same if they engage with my content.

If you want more qualified leads from LinkedIn, you’ll need to constantly add more ICP to your network. The more, the merrier.

C) Big Accounts

The main goal of engaging with big accounts is to increase your profile’s visibility and convert viewers into followers.

Big accounts with 100K+ followers get a ton of views and engagement on their content. If you comment early on their posts, your comment will be seen by hundreds of active LinkedIn users.

I have notifications turned on for posts from 10 to 15 big creators. Most of them post during the time I’m active on LinkedIn which makes it easier for me to engage with them in a timely manner.

Also, the comment section of these posts is a great place to find active creators that you can interact with and potentially add to your peer-level list.

So, don’t just comment on the main post. Comment on other people’s comments too. Start genuine conversations, spend some time responding, and connect with new people every day.

3. Networking

A) Connection Requests

I send connection requests to prospects that could benefit from my marketing services, potential strategic partners, and creators I find interesting.

The priority is always for my ICP. Ideally, I’d like my 1st level connections to be at least 70% ICP. I aim for 10 new ICP connection requests everyday. It takes around an hour or two per week.

B) Direct Messages

I reach out to creators mostly after we’ve had a few positive interactions in the comments. The more time I spend on LinkedIn, the more selective I become about who I reach out to or reply to in the DMs.

I schedule a separate time to reach out to prospects. I track this via the spreadsheet I mentioned earlier, including follow up conversations.

I respond promptly to inbound leads from my ICP and also creators who actively support my work. The rest, I reply at my own convenience.

I delete DMs I don’t want to respond to and I archive all the ones I reply to.

I used to do this every now and then, but recently I’ve made it a habit to hit inbox zero by the end of the day.

C) Video Calls

If I’ve been connected to someone for a while and I’d like to know them on a more personal level, I’ll schedule a video call.

However, I don’t get on random calls. Only if it’s with a potential client or someone that has been a long-time supporter of my work.

I love talking to people. But sometimes networking calls are sales pitches in disguise. I’ve developed a sixth sense for these and I avoid them at all costs.

Other times, people have no real interest in who you are or what you do.

They read somewhere that it’s a good idea to have calls with other creators and you’re simply the next victim in line.

Remember, time is your most valuable resource.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this email and ask. I try my best to respond to everyone.

Until next time, keep creating!

Omara

Quick Picks

1. This week I re-read Hell Yeah Or No by Derek Sivers. Good books are meant to be read more than once. Especially if they’re short 😄

2. If you want to become a better networker, read this article.

3. On a more personal note, here’s my favourite live guitar performance of all time.

P.S. If you want to build your online presence without wasting months on guesswork, book a 1:1 Coaching Session with me and let me help you.