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Uncomfortable interactions with strangers on the internet are common, but you wouldn’t expect them on a professional platform.

Well, guess what? Even LinkedIn has its bad moments.

While LinkedIn has strict policies to prevent abusive behavior, hate speech, and misinformation, and while its algorithm isn’t friendly to scammers, uncomfortable situations can still arise. That’s why LinkedIn provides the option to block (and unblock) profiles.

This article will help you identify which profiles should be blocked, guide you on how to block and unblock a profile, explain the consequences of doing so, and help you manage your LinkedIn connections effectively.

7 Reasons to Block Someone on LinkedIn

If someone is bothering you on LinkedIn or making you uncomfortable, you can report their actions and block their profile to prevent unwanted interactions. Blocking someone on LinkedIn may seem like a significant step, but it can help you maintain a professional and secure social network.

Here are 7 reasons to block someone on LinkedIn:

  1. Inappropriate behavior
    If someone is rude or uses abusive language toward you, blocking their profile can prevent further interactions.

  2. Unwanted contact
    If someone repeatedly sends unsolicited messages despite your clear disinterest, blocking them can help you avoid further unwanted communication.

  3. Privacy concerns
    If you want to limit who can contact you on social media, blocking a profile can help protect your privacy and maintain your boundaries.

  4. Hateful or violent content
    If a connection promotes hateful or violent content, you can report their actions and block them to stop seeing their posts.

  5. Over-engaging behavior
    If a connection’s excessive likes or comments flood your profile with notifications, you can either remove them as a connection or block them if necessary.

  6. Harassment
    If someone is using LinkedIn as a dating site or engaging in harassing behavior, blocking their profile is the best course of action.

  7. Fake profiles or scammers
    If you suspect a LinkedIn user is running a scam or using a fake profile—for example, pretending to represent a company without proof—you should report their actions and block them to avoid further contact.

Steps to Block a Profile on LinkedIn

LinkedIn allows you to block people without stating a reason for it. If someone has shown inappropriate behaviour, it is best to report their actions before you block them. LinkedIn will not notify a person when you block them, protecting your privacy and allowing you to maintain a professional network effectively. 

Whether you’re using a desktop or a mobile device, you can follow these steps to block a profile on LinkedIn:

1. Log in to your LinkedIn account.

2. Search for the profile you wish to block. 

3. Click on the option “More” under their profile picture. 

4. A drop-down menu will appear, select “Report/Block”.

5. A pop-up window will appear where you can choose between reporting and blocking the person. Click on “Block (user name)” to proceed. 

6. Confirm your action by clicking “Block” on the new pop-up window. 

Note: If you can’t find the profile of the person you wish to block when you search for them, chances are they have hibernated their profile, been removed by LinkedIn, closed their account, or blocked you. 

What Happens When You Block a Profile? 

Blocking a profile is not similar to removing a connection or unfollowing a profile. While it does both these things automatically, it also helps you protect your privacy and maintain a professional environment on LinkedIn. 

Let’s look at everything that happens when you choose to click on that “Block” option:

  • The person you block will be removed as a connection automatically. 
  • A blocked account cannot view your profile; which includes the headline, profile photo, summary, and all other details. 
  • If you block someone, they cannot send you messages on LinkedIn. 
  • You can no longer view each other’s posts or any other updates on LinkedIn.
  • Any endorsements or recommendations from the blocked account will be removed from your profile. 
  • If you try to view the blocked person’s profile, you will not show up in their “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” list and vice versa. 
  • In case the person you block was subscribed to your newsletter, they will stop receiving it.
  • You can not join an audio event if you have blocked the host or a speaker in that event. 
  • You and the blocked account will also not appear in each other’s featured lists such as “People You May Know” or “People also Viewed”.

LinkedIn protects your privacy when you block a profile, but blocked accounts can still access some information. For instance, if a mutual connection shares your content, the blocked person will be able to view it. 

If you’ve set any information as “public”, such as your profile, shared content, or comments, it can be viewed by your blocked accounts on search engines.

To restrict such information from public access, go to your privacy settings, click on “Visibility”, and adjust all the sections of your profile that can be displayed publicly. You can simply turn off the sections you wish to keep private and turn on the information you want to display on search engines. 

Understanding Blocking in LinkedIn Groups

If you are a member or an administrator in a LinkedIn Group and a fellow member is sharing inappropriate content or harassing someone, there are ways to prevent that from happening. Let’s learn about the process of blocking someone in a LinkedIn Group. 

As a group member:

  • You can only block admins if their admin permissions have been removed.
  • You can not block the manager of a group without first leaving it.
  • You can reach out to the manager or admin and request to block a group member. 

As a group administrator:

  • If you want to block a member of your group, you will have to remove them from the group first. 
  • If you block a fellow admin, you will only see the profile name on the Page admin view. Their profile photo and LinkedIn account will not be visible.  

Can You Unblock a Profile on LinkedIn?

Yes, blocking is a reversible action on LinkedIn. Whether you blocked the wrong person by accident, reconciled with a colleague, or had a change of heart, LinkedIn provides the option of unblocking a profile. However, it is essential to understand that unblocking is not an exact reversal of blocking. 

If you choose to unblock a person, your connection will not be restored. Just as someone is not notified when you block them, they are not notified when you unblock them. So, if you want to re-establish the connection, you will have to do it by sending a connection request. 

Steps to Unblock a Profile on LinkedIn

Unblocking a profile on LinkedIn can be achieved through both your desktop and mobile device. So, if you decide to unblock a person, follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to your LinkedIn account. 

2. Click on the “Me” section on your profile. 

3. Select “Settings & Privacy” from the drop-down menu.

4. On the left side, find and choose the option “Visibility”.

5. Click on “Blocking”. 

6. A list of all blocked accounts will appear. Find the profile you want to remove and select “Unblock”.

Note: After you unblock someone, LinkedIn will not notify them but they can view the content that was previously hidden from them.

The Effects of Unblocking a Profile

When you unblock a profile on LinkedIn, it lifts some restrictions between you and the previously blocked account. While the person is not notified that they have been unblocked, they may start to notice your presence on the platform. 

Some immediate effects of unblocking a profile include:

  • The unblocked person can view your profile as long as your privacy settings allow it.
  • They can engage with your public content again, such as liking posts, leaving comments, or sharing it. 
  • If you re-establish a connection by sending a connection request, you can interact directly with the person.  

If you accidentally unblocked the wrong person, or want to re-block someone due to unchanged inappropriate behaviour, you will have to wait 48 hours before you can do so. 

Conclusion

While LinkedIn is a professional platform, some users may not maintain appropriate behavior on it. Thus, it is important to be aware of the actions you can take to protect your privacy, such as reporting and blocking profiles on LinkedIn.

If you understand how blocking and unblocking work on LinkedIn and their immediate effects, you can maintain your connections more effectively and strengthen your professional network.

At GrowedIn, we help industry leaders build a professional network and establish an influential presence on LinkedIn. Schedule a call with us to discuss how you can manage and grow your LinkedIn connections more effectively.

0
min read

Learn how LinkedIn’s blocking and unblocking features can help you build a more focused and professional network.

Written by
Keyur Kumbhare
in

In 2024, LinkedIn is the largest and fastest-growing professional networking social media platform. Compared to Instagram, X, TikTok, and Facebook, LinkedIn is gaining more popularity by the day as the best channel to find high-performance individuals, initiate conversations that fulfill, and expand circles to greater levels.

It is no wonder LinkedIn has also begun shaping its algorithm to bring to every user tons of networking and growth opportunities. What started as a typical job-discovery platform is today buzzing with CEOs and interns, corporate and entrepreneurial minds, scientists and artists, students and retired officers. Networking on LinkedIn has become a boon thanks to its highly connection-based and community-driven nature.

This blog talks about how you can navigate through LinkedIn and its seemingly complex yet highly advanced features to expand your network. In 2024, make the most of this hangout spot for professionals seeking like-minded peers to connect with and learn from.

Why Should You Network On LinkedIn?

When you talk about “networking”, what exactly is it that you refer to?

Is networking simply adding units to your follower count?

Is networking the act of collecting names of people in high corporate positions so that you can reach out to them when you need a favor?

Is networking merely a one-sided deed of receiving information, commendation, or service?

In the most mature terms, networking is a bidirectional interaction between two parties who are willing to help each other grow. Both offer great conversational prompts, show interest in each other’s work, provide solutions when the other is stuck, and vouch for one another when times are tough.

There definitely are benefits of networking on LinkedIn, like getting endorsed for your skill set, winning life-changing recommendations from leaders, and having a smooth lead generation cycle. However, networking in its truest sense is a genuine connection that two people establish over time for reasons greater than self-fulfillment. For this purpose, you must turn to LinkedIn. Why you should double down your networking efforts on LinkedIn is explained below.

➤ For one, unlike other social media platforms, on LinkedIn, your identity is your designation, company, and professional achievements. You are known for your true self. Your identity is greater than external beauty and materialistic possessions. On LinkedIn, you get to brand yourself based on merit, knowledge, and true personality. This makes LinkedIn a zone to proudly be yourself, display your achievements, and support fellow users. While other social media platforms tend to be about competition, LinkedIn is commonly known for its collaboration.

➤ Second, the network you seek here will consist of professionally driven, entrepreneurial individuals who are passionate about personal growth, just like you, and believe in community growth through relationship management and deep conversations. Most LinkedIn users take healthy advantage of thriving in a community amidst pragmatic minds that are focused on spearheading their way into the future. You can rest assured that less sincere people find no place on LinkedIn.

➤ Third, advanced AI-enabled and technologically developed features that LinkedIn offers for targeted networking, filtered outreach, and ingenuous connection make this platform the best choice for meeting new people. Your networking here can be mindful and deliberate. Of course, people can chance upon your profile, but you can reach out to people you want to talk to specifically through filters and search results. You can choose to reach out to exactly 3 CEOs from New York City who have been working with FinTech for the past 7 years, and LinkedIn will bring you a list of candidates that fit into the description!

Invest heavily in your network, both qualitative and quantitative. After all, your network is your net worth.

How To Network On LinkedIn – Top 6 Ways

Personalized Connection Requests

When you first create an account on LinkedIn, you will come across the option of a “Connection Request”. This button is the gateway to getting to know another person. All profiles on LinkedIn are open to the public, that is, you can view another person’s profile picture, headline, banner, About section, work experience, and education, among the other handful of sections. Access to this information means that you can thoroughly analyze who to reach out to if you wish to expand your network in a deliberate manner.

The easiest way to catch someone’s attention on LinkedIn is to send them a connection request.

A “Connection Request” is a polite proposal to be part of someone’s network and in turn, to have them over as part of yours. A connection is a two-way follow; now, you both can not only view each other’s posts on the main feed, but also can talk to each other via the DMs, leave each other recommendations, endorse each other, and further explore their 1st-degree connections. A connection request is like the first handshake toward nurturing a future relationship.

Now, when you’re extending a hand of friendship, you need to be offering something valuable that the recipient can gain from. Else, there must be a specific purpose behind your connection request. Only then will any high-value profile agree to connect with you. This does not necessarily mean a future deal or a financial benefit. It can mean an eager ear to listen to their experiences, a humble request for guidance, or even gratitude for their business model.

That is why, in your connection request, you must always leave a note, as LinkedIn’s suggestive pop-up shows. Add in context; sending across a blank one might seem like a rude demand.

Here’s how you can personalize your connection request note:

  • Start with how you heard about them. When you make them the center of focus, their interest in your message is peeked and you secure their attention for the next half a minute.
  • Inform them about the medium through which you discovered them and their work. You could have heard about them through a mutual contact or connection. You might have been drawn towards their business thanks to a webinar you attended. You might have read their newly launched book. You can even congratulate them on their startup’s funding round.
  • Mention the intent with which you reach out. It can be admiration, conversation, or simply relatability. You can even authentically inform them about future business possibilities that you look forward to with them.
  • Always end with a call to action. Let them know if they can send you an email or a reply with a LinkedIn message. Otherwise, you can end with a simple indication that you would love to hear back from them.

Let’s take a look at a successful connection request note:

Michael did everything right while sending Keyur a connection request. His note began with the recipient’s name, not missing the chance to grab his attention. Then, he introduces the context that drew him towards Keyur’s profile – most probably from a recent post that Keyur put out. He also ended it with a CTA, requesting Keyur to connect back. Thus begins a conversation between leaders. As is evident, Keyur extends an invitation to meet off the platform. What more can you ask for?

However, there are certain social constructs that you must adhere to while sending a connection request to avoid repelling the recipient.

The worst notes force complicated thought-spirals. Complex questions, interrogative suggestions, and news-related opinions are a no-no. Your note must be welcoming and positive, not intimidating and repelling.

Once accepted, your connection request note turns into a DM message – voilà, you found your way into their network.

Consistent Mindful Engagement

On LinkedIn, remember that the best way to find connections is to remain active throughout the year. 

Engagement is a way to get in touch with fellow leaders and potential connections on LinkedIn. Once in a while, leave valuable comments and congratulations on posts of people and companies that you want an in to. By engaging with their content, you are showing your support and encouragement for their work. This way, you can begin adding not just the posting profile to your network but also fellow C-level executives from the comment section!

For example, look at the above connection request sent by someone who found Abha through another LinkedIn user’s comment section. The intent is declared, the source of information is conveyed, and a mutual contact is referred to. All these factors add up to enough incentive providing the recipient of the connection request a fair enough desire to reciprocate.

Over time, such organic engagement can bring you leads if you are looking for hiring or marketing growth, too.

Curious Visitor Tracking

With LinkedIn Premium, you open up the gateway to abundant data metrics that help you network smartly.

One of the most celebrated data points is that you can track who visited your profile. Every few days, you can take a peek into who is interested in discovering your profile and work. The source of intimation will not be known but once you get to know who viewed your profile, you can filter the names that you want to add to your network and reach out to them via a connection request.

The advantage gained here is that you know that your lead is warm – they already have familiarized themselves with you. You have to take it to the next level now.

This is best done when you are at the top of their mind. If they have viewed your profile now and you manage to reach out to them within the next 2 hours, it gives the best networking result since they still might recall your name and work. Any longer than that will reduce the probability of them remembering you.

Outreach Through Filtering

If you wish to add a very specific category of leaders to your network, you can take the help of the filtering option that LinkedIn gifts to every profile.

It’s simple:

  • Type in a domain of your interest in the Search bar. You can type in the most commonly used keywords related to the domain or look up companies and names too.
  • Choose which aspect of the search results you want to explore further. You can choose between people, posts, companies, locations, degrees of connection, events, and many more.
  • Click on “People” to know accounts, “Posts” to find relevant active members, and “Groups” to be part of a community.
  • Set a few filters and you will see a list of highly qualified leads for your network. You can begin your connection with them and enhance your circle.

Groups & Events

LinkedIn Groups & Events are mass networking opportunities. Through LinkedIn Groups & Events, you can gain access to communities of people who are connected with one another through a common goal, interest, affiliation, or company. You can become part of a strong entrepreneur leadership network.

Joining Groups can open up doors to partnerships, conversations, deals, and outsourcing possibilities. You usually have to request to join a group and are expected to meet the set criteria to be accepted. Once in, you can post relevant content here, answer questions, hold discussions, and participate in group activities.

LinkedIn Events are live hostings for the public that are free to create and be part of. These include workshops, casual meetups, and webinars. A lot of business leaders launch scheduled LinkedIn Events and send out invitations for special attendees. By partaking in one of such Events, you can gain instant access to 100+ potential collaborators and thought leaders at once (you can view the number of attendees per event).

Events can help you promote your business, find new connections, collaborate with domain experts, and interact with a whole new crowd of people who can take your work forward through word of mouth. You can search for upcoming events from your Home page too, or click on https://www.linkedin.com/events/.

Proactive Organic Posting

The best way to increase your network and add noteworthy personalities to it is by maintaining a reputable digital brand on LinkedIn. How?

The answer is through proactive and consistent organic posting on your profile.

Build a content strategy around your domain of expertise and begin creating content around it. The more you put yourself out there, the better people will know you. You can update your profile regularly, post about your thoughts and opinions, or teach people about the subject matter you hold expertise in. Through this churning out of content, people will begin paying attention to you and your network will expand naturally.

This conversation is a great proof of the benefits of proactive posting. George came across a post that Keyur put out. He reached out and communicated his admiration for Keyur’s content, thereby carrying the conversation forward and leading it to a collaboration opportunity.

As an entrepreneur, regularly writing and posting content can become a time-consuming practice. You can consider a low-volume, high-value routine and delegate the entire cycle to a team of experts – LinkedIn ghostwriters or account managers. These talents understand your personality, format your experiences into stories, and maintain regular activity on your profile. An agency like GrowedIn can partner with executives like you to help you leverage LinkedIn’s potential so that you can build it into a channel for lead generation and network expansion.

Over time, you will begin seeing an influx of messages and connection requests from fellow executives, potential clients, business partners, investors, etc., and thus, you can steadily work on becoming part of an entrepreneur leadership network.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator – How To Leverage It For Networking?

LinkedIn offers the ultimate networking tool that ranks at the top compared to every other social media platform – the LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a powerful B2C and B2B lead generation tool that can transform the way leaders interact with one another. It comes with a LinkedIn Premium package. Over LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you can set even more filters and gain higher visibility than you could with the basic, default account. Here’s how to go about it:

Step 1: Define Who You Are Looking For

A leads list is a tally of profiles that fit into your ICP. A leads list helps you perform social selling better by filtering and categorizing profiles.

To create a leads list, go to Sales Navigator and click on “Leads Filters”. This is what you will see:

Begin inputting the data that relates to your ICP closest. Let’s say that you wish to network with individuals from Google Fiber and Google DeepMind specifically for a certain project. Set the corresponding filter accordingly:

Similarly, you can set other filters and narrow down to a handful of personas that you would want to network with:

Step 2: Generate A Leads List

Once your filters are set, add these profiles to a leads list. You will be thus saving these accounts for future reference. You can even create multiple parallel leads lists so that your network-related outreach can be maximized.

Type in your description to help you navigate through multiple lists later and save the list. Now, not only will you be able to go back to these very accounts, but you’ll also be served system-recommended leads along the same lines by Sales Navigator! You can keep track of these profiles’ activities and edit the list as and when your requirements change.

Step 3: Create A Personalized Message

Once you have your leads in place, start reaching out to them with the pure intent of networking and getting to know them better. You must remember that unless you include a purpose, value, and CTA in the InMail or connection request, there are low chances that you get a reply. Personalize the subject line and messaging according to their work, profile, and life. Here’s an example:

By such personalized and deliberate outreach, you can strike up conversations and make your time on LinkedIn worthwhile, by spending it only on people you wish to invest in in the long term.

3 LinkedIn Sales Navigator Networking Secrets

The potential of LinkedIn Sales Navigator is tremendous. LinkedIn Sales Navigator not only brings you a superior channel to connect with great minds, but it also serves you on the platter several data points that you can use to your benefit. It shows you the number of days that a certain profile has been active, the exact people who viewed your profile, the number of searches performed, the rate of acceptance of InMails (direct messages with profiles that aren’t connected yet), and more.

Studies reveal that inculcating LinkedIn Sales Navigator into your network expansion and lead generation efforts produces a 312% return on investment within 3 years. Because of impressive statistics like these, this tool becomes indispensable when you talk about strong networking strategies on social media.

Let’s reveal 3 less-known LinkedIn Sales Navigator secrets that can ensure the best results.

Personalization

LinkedIn Sales Navigator reveals a lot of activities that go on in a certain user’s profile. You can gain access to a recent business update or news item that a profile has been part of and tagged in. What a golden chance to start a conversation with this!

Take this opportunity to stay updated with what’s going on around the world with potential connections on LinkedIn. When you begin a discussion based on updates in their lives, it leaves a good impression and can make the conversation less synthetic. Relatability can be a compelling reason for someone to accept your connection request or InMail. By leveraging this emotion, you can refine your networking capabilities.

Automation

Did you know that LinkedIn Sales Navigator lets you know which leads on your list go on to accept your connection requests and InMails?

This information can unpack loads of conversational opportunities. Look out for this update when searching for potential connections in your leads list. Be it a business competitor or an ally, you can enrich your conversations with this opener.

Utilization

You only get a limited number of InMails per week with LinkedIn Sales Navigator. So it becomes imperative that you use each very deliberately by thoroughly analyzing your leads list and narrowing your outreach list.

Here comes the third trade secret – “Open” profiles do not consume InMails!

Open profiles are LinkedIn accounts that allow you to send them direct messages without having to connect with them first, and without any cost of InMail count.

You will see the tag “Open” next to their headlines as shown below:

Fully utilize these free InMails and increase the number of users you reach out to. The more outreach messages you send, the more networking benefits you profit from!

Conclusion

There is no doubt that LinkedIn networking can lead to benefits like working together and collaborating with fellow entrepreneurs. With LinkedIn, you can put in committed effort in networking mindfully to find your place among an entrepreneur leadership network. If you wish to double down on networking strategies but need a helping hand, GrowedIn can be your best bet. We help leaders like you convert LinkedIn into a networking channel such that you can enjoy maximum business ROI with digital growth. If you wish to make 2024 the most profitable year for your business on LinkedIn, reach out to us today.

0
min read

LinkedIn is the top networking platform for C-level executives in 2024. Master these 6 best networking techniques to maximize your LinkedIn personal brand.

Written by
Keyur Kumbhare
in

Gettig Started

What Are Personal Branding and PR?

What comes to your mind when you hear the term ‘Personal Branding’? Self-promotion? A person talking on and on about themselves on social media? As the name suggests, personal branding does involve talking about yourself—not in a self-absorbed way, though. Personal branding is an intentional and deliberate process. We will explore more about it in the coming sections.

Perhaps the term ‘Public Relations’ is more familiar. PR involves thinking a little more strategically than personal branding. It is about how you share information about yourself or your brand with the media and the public. Think press conferences, news releases, events, etc.

Do you find yourself wondering, ‘What’s the difference?’ There might be instances where the line between the two approaches blurs.

It helps to think of Personal Branding and PR as different means to the same goal: building trust and making an impression. With Personal Branding, the approach is to show who you are, communicate your values and strengths, and tell your story to your audience. PR is generally managed by an external agency, and several approaches can be followed. Personal branding feels more authentic and genuine than PR, which tends to be more strategic and ROI-driven.

The rest of the article delves deeper into both approaches and compares the two to see if one is indeed better than the other.

Personal Branding: What, Why and How

The What: As far as definitions go, personal branding is the process of intentionally defining and expressing your values, skills, and experiences to differentiate yourself from others.

With personal branding, the brand you are selling is you. Think about yourself as a brand. What makes you unique? Who is your target audience? What is your story? This gives you the basic structure for the brand image you want to create.

The Why: Personal branding builds trust by showcasing your authentic self, values, and expertise. It opens doors to better career opportunities, stronger professional relationships, and thought leadership in your industry. A strong personal brand helps you stand out in a competitive market, control your narrative, and align your story with your aspirations. By consistently delivering value and engaging with your audience, you drive growth, build a loyal network, and enhance visibility on platforms like LinkedIn, connecting with key industry leaders and creating meaningful opportunities.

The How: Let us take a look at how you can build your personal brand.

  • Purpose: Before starting, you need to have a clear vision and mission. Think about the value you are offering to your target audience and how they can connect with your vision and mission. How do your offerings differ from your competitors? Having these details will help set you apart from the competition.

  • Target Audience: Determining your target audience is crucial for effective communication. Start by identifying your niche and expertise, and consider who would benefit from your knowledge or skills. Analyze demographics such as age, gender, location, and profession. Next, consider psychographics—understanding interests, values, and behaviors helps tailor your message. Engage with potential audience members through surveys or social media to gain insights. Lastly, create personas representing different segments of your audience to guide your content and outreach strategies. By clearly defining your target audience, you can build a more authentic and impactful personal brand.

  • Tell Your Story: Many users treat LinkedIn as a mere broadcasting tool to announce courses they’ve completed or job changes. Share these achievements by all means, but also let your audience see the person behind them. A business venture that didn’t take off? An interview you tanked spectacularly? A course you’re currently taking that makes you want to pull your hair out? What did you learn from them? Stories make you human for your audience and add authenticity.

  • Deliver Value: Delivering value through personal branding involves sharing your unique skills, insights, and experiences to benefit your audience. Start by identifying your strengths and areas of expertise, then create content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. This can include informative blog posts, engaging videos, or interactive social media content. Consistently provide actionable advice, industry insights, or inspiration to establish trust and credibility. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and questions, fostering a community around your brand. By prioritizing value in your messaging, you not only enhance your personal brand but also build lasting relationships.

  • Consistent Engagement: Consistent engagement is vital in personal branding as it helps build trust and loyalty with your audience. Regularly share valuable content, respond promptly to comments and messages, and answer questions with expert insight. Utilize storytelling to share personal experiences and insights, making your brand relatable. Participate in relevant conversations and industry events to stay visible and relevant. By engaging consistently, you reinforce your brand identity and create a strong, lasting impression, ensuring your audience feels valued and connected to your journey.

Best Practices for Personal Branding on LinkedIn

  1. Optimize Your Profile: Use a high-quality profile picture, and craft a clear and impactful headline that reflects your expertise and value. Write a summary that tells your story, highlighting your skills and experiences.

  2. Showcase Your Skills: Regularly update your skills section and seek endorsements from colleagues. Request recommendations from peers or clients to add credibility.

  3. Create Valuable Content: Post articles, insights, and updates relevant to your industry. Comment on and share posts from your network to build connections.

  4. Build Your Network: Connect with professionals and leaders in your industry by actively engaging with their posts, sharing insights, and starting meaningful conversations.

  5. Engage with Professionals: Actively engage with posts, share insights, and start meaningful conversations with industry professionals. Comment on relevant topics, share your expertise, and build genuine relationships through thoughtful interactions.

  6. Be Consistent: Post consistently to stay top-of-mind with your connections. Maintain a consistent tone and messaging across all interactions.

  7. Use Visuals and Features: Incorporate images, videos, and presentations to make your profile visually appealing. Highlight significant projects or achievements through LinkedIn’s featured section.

  8. Monitor Your Analytics: Regularly check who’s viewed your profile to identify potential connections. Analyze which types of posts resonate most with your audience.

By implementing these best practices, you can effectively build and maintain a strong personal brand on LinkedIn, enhancing your presence.

Public Relations: What, Why, and How

The What: Public Relations (PR) is the practice of managing a person, brand, or company's reputation and public perception. It is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and the public. PR encompasses a variety of activities, including media relations, crisis management, event planning, and content creation. By crafting compelling narratives and engaging with stakeholders, PR professionals aim to shape public perception, enhance reputation, and connect with target audiences. Effective PR helps build trust, navigate challenges, and drive brand loyalty, making it an integral part of any communication strategy.

The Why: PR strategies help you effectively communicate your expertise, achievements, and personal brand, ensuring you stand out in a competitive environment. It supports reputation management, aligning your online narrative with your career goals. Additionally, PR enhances visibility, connects you with ndustry leaders, and positions you as a thought leader. Leveraging PR on LinkedIn can drive professional growth, expand your network, and open up opportunities by strengthening your personal and professional reputation.

The How:

Here’s how you can manage PR for your LinkedIn page:

  1. Building a Brand Foundation:
    Start by defining your unique value proposition—what sets you apart in your industry. Create a professional profile with a compelling headline, an engaging summary, and relevant experiences that reflect your expertise. Regularly share valuable content that resonates with your target audience to establish thought leadership. Actively engage with your network by commenting and sharing insights. A strong foundation fosters trust, enhances credibility, and positions you for opportunities on LinkedIn.

  2. Crafting Your Story:
    Craft your professional story to connect authentically with your audience. Highlight key milestones in your career—experiences, challenges overcome, and lessons learned. Frame these elements into a narrative that showcases your skills, values, and motivations. Use a conversational tone to make your story relatable and incorporate examples that illustrate your expertise. Sharing your unique journey creates an emotional connection, builds credibility, and engages your audience, enhancing your personal brand.

  3. Launching Your PR Strategy:
    Identify relevant media outlets and influencers within your industry. Build relationships by engaging with their content on LinkedIn and attending industry events. Create shareable, high-quality content that highlights your expertise and aligns with your goals. Monitor engagement metrics and gather feedback to refine your strategy, ensuring continuous improvement.

  4. Mastering Media Relationships:
    Cultivate strategic connections with journalists and influencers in your industry. Engage with their content and share meaningful insights. Develop a media kit showcasing your expertise, achievements, and contact details to make collaboration easy. Use LinkedIn’s publishing platform to share original articles that demonstrate thought leadership. Proactively pitch story ideas and updates to relevant media contacts. By fostering these relationships and providing value, you can significantly boost your visibility and credibility.

By adopting a strategic approach to PR, you can effectively shape your professional image, enhance your LinkedIn presence, and achieve your career goals.

Comparative Analysis: Is There a Clear Winner?

So far, we have taken a detailed look at Personal Branding and PR. While there are some overlapping factors, there are also distinct differences between the two. Below is a table comparing various aspects of these approaches to provide a more in-depth understanding:

1. Definition and Purpose:
Personal branding and PR share the goal of enhancing reputation, but they differ in scope and focus. Personal branding is about developing an individual’s identity, reputation, and image. It emphasizes showcasing personal values, skills, and traits to build trust and establish a unique identity. PR, on the other hand, is the management of information between an organization or entity and the public. Its purpose is broader, aiming to maintain and enhance reputation, manage communications, and foster positive relationships with the public and stakeholders.

2. Target Audience and Strategies:
Personal branding primarily targets employers, clients, and followers. It relies on strategies like maintaining an active social media presence, creating valuable content, and networking. PR targets a wider audience, including media, customers, stakeholders, and the general public. It employs strategic tools such as press releases, media pitches, and event planning to shape public perception and influence public sentiment.

3. Tools and Ownership:
The tools used in personal branding include platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, personal blogs, and podcasts, which give individuals direct control over their narratives. In contrast, PR relies on traditional media outlets, digital platforms, and press kits, with messaging often managed by PR professionals or dedicated teams. This distinction highlights the personal ownership inherent in personal branding versus the collaborative and organizational approach of PR.

4. Metrics and Challenges:
The success of personal branding is measured through engagement metrics, job offers, and the individual’s brand recognition. However, maintaining authenticity and managing negative feedback can pose challenges. For PR, effectiveness is gauged by media coverage, public sentiment, and the ability to manage crises. PR faces the challenges of ensuring consistent messaging and navigating crisis situations, often under public scrutiny.

5. Focus and Time Frame:
Personal branding focuses on personal stories, values, and unique traits, aiming for long-term visibility and personal development. PR, by contrast, often focuses on organizational achievements, newsworthy events, and community relations, with efforts sometimes concentrated on immediate events or crises. This difference reflects the enduring, relationship-driven nature of personal branding versus the event-driven and outcome-focused nature of PR.

6. Emotional Appeal:
Personal branding relies heavily on emotional connections and relatability. It thrives on storytelling that resonates on a personal level, making it ideal for influencers, thought leaders, and freelancers. PR, however, aims to create a broader positive sentiment, using campaigns, corporate announcements, and nonprofit initiatives to influence public perception and enhance organizational reputation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, personal branding and PR play distinct yet complementary roles in professional development and communication. Personal branding emphasizes establishing an individual's identity, fostering authenticity, and building meaningful connections to advance career opportunities. On the other hand, PR focuses on managing public perception, engaging with media, and addressing crises, making it particularly vital for organizations. The choice between the two depends on specific goals—whether to promote a personal narrative or enhance an organizational reputation. By integrating both approaches, individuals and brands can create a powerful strategy to effectively communicate their values and achieve greater visibility in their fields.

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min read

Personal Branding and PR are different strategies for building your LinkedIn presence. Read on to find out what each strategy entails, and how they are different.

Written by
Keyur Kumbhare
in
Getting Started

More than 11 million users are posting on LinkedIn in 2024, but only about 1% will reach the topmost positions in terms of reach, engagement, branding, and leads generated. This is because social media platforms like LinkedIn highly depend on 1 factor that is difficult to maintain – consistency.

Consistency in the world of LinkedIn posting can be defined as sticking to the same time and same days of the week every time you post. That is primary; whether you post every other day or only twice a week is secondary.

But how do you choose that “time”? Before we answer this question, there are 2 more important questions to be asked.

Is The “Best Time To Post On LinkedIn” A Myth?

A lot of LinkedIn users ask if there really are “best times” to post on LinkedIn, or if this is merely a myth.

Simply put, it is not. LinkedIn, just like any other social media platform, runs on an algorithm. And algorithms love repetition.

If you perform the same act regularly enough around the same time, then over a few weeks, the algorithm will become trained enough to support your posts at that time. Now, imagine thousands of users posting at some common time during the day. This would imply that the LinkedIn algorithm is going to be most effective and supportive at that time.

That would be the ideal posting time.

Best Time of The Day to Post on LinkedIn

How does this work, though?

The “best” days and time to post on LinkedIn aren’t the same for everyone, but this data does remain constant across industries or niches. This is because as humans, we often think in a like-minded manner to our peers belonging to the same line of work. Most doctors might consider the early morning window of around 7:00 am for LinkedIn. Professionals in the education domain might prefer 10:00 am as a better choice.

The best times to post on LinkedIn reflect those parts of the day when your target audience or preferred engagers are active. These windows of time are when you can attract the most eyeballs and ensure that your content gets the attention it deserves, organically. In fact, it’s not just humans that justify this data point of “best” and “worst” times to post on LinkedIn in 2024 - it’s the LinkedIn algorithm itself. The algorithm boosts your content in these hyperactive time slots.

That’s double the strength of LinkedIn for promoting your post.

The Science of a Well-Performing LinkedIn Post

Should I Post Every Single Day On LinkedIn?

Posting regularly on LinkedIn will prove to be a good habit to follow. But posting regularly does not mean posting every single day. It means posting often, at equal intervals. For example, if you have a LinkedIn management team handling your account, you can try reaching a mark of about 20-22 posts in a month, excluding weekends. Such regularity will keep you reputationally relevant on the platform.

However, posting every day on LinkedIn is not a good strategy if you are doing all the work yourself.

If you’re a CEO, there are a million other high-value tasks that you can give your time and attention to that will generate 10x higher direct returns than LinkedIn will, with a higher rate of guarantee. 

As an executive, posting at the best time on LinkedIn about 3 times a week works well. You stay active enough on the platform and stay visible to your ICP.

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Best Time To Post On LinkedIn [Updated As Of March 2024] - Weekly Analysis

Remember that these times are with respect to your local time assuming that your business and your ICP belong to the same timezone. If there is an exception, for example, if you are a business operating in Australia but catering to clients in the US, then it’s best you consider these below timings to be US local time zones. This way, you will be able to reach out to your target audience when they are most active.

Monday:

11:00 am

Mondays start fresh yet hectic. Business has been waiting since Friday, and when the clock strikes 9 on Monday, it all comes pouring in.

That’s why most businesses prefer to check their LinkedIn feeds a bit later during the morning.

This is why data also shows that 11:00 am is the best time to post on LinkedIn on Monday. It is the most effective time for your post to reach a large audience. More importantly, the right audience.

Tuesday:

7:00 am

Because the week’s already begun and the pipeline’s already flowing, professional minds are going to be attacking their workloads on Tuesday. This means that social media can take a back seat. That’s why, it’s best to choose a time early in the morning to complete your posting and let LinkedIn take it up.

As per reports, 7:00 am is the best time to post on LinkedIn on Tuesday, while on a commute to work, if that makes the scenario convenient for you.

Wednesday:

Weekly Analysis Heat Map

12:00 pm

Just got off your back-to-back brainstorming sessions in the morning? You’re not the only one. Most companies say that Wednesday is their tightest day, packed with meetings. It all falls into place with LinkedIn also reflecting that most users come to social media to take a breather from work.

That’s why the best time to post on LinkedIn on Wednesday is 12:00 pm, when your ICP is likely to check what’s up just before they break for lunch. This isn’t just for entrepreneurs or C-class leadership roles. Even those wanting to grab the attention of recruiters can make the most of this minute to reach far and wide.

Thursday:

12:00 pm

Work tasks take up most of a Thursday, leaving post-noon sessions open for LinkedIn regulars to catch up. This is the best day to make the most of corporate stories that emotionally engage and educate. That’s why, the best time to post on LinkedIn on Thursday is 12:00 pm, just before you dive into the second half of the day.

CEOs, talk about your worst mistake, your best deal ever, your favorite mentor to date, and your secret recipe for sealing deals in 5 minutes. Post about your resilience. Talk about the future of FinTech. Make Thursdays thought-provoking.

Friday:

8:00 am

Fun Fridays start with people checking their LinkedIn feeds before their workdays start. Actually, Fridays are known to be great timestamps for clients to close those deals that have been on their radar for quite some time now.

Strange, but definitely strategic.

That’s why, the best time to post on LinkedIn on Friday is 8:00 am. It maximizes your chances of getting leads generated since your clients are probably out there looking for you. You can also utilize this time to send people connection requests because many people might be in the mood to focus on expanding their networks.

Disclaimer: The above time windows are purely based on data. However, the most important practice is to choose any time convenient for you and stick to it every time you post. You can choose to post at 10:00 am every single time, and as long as you prove to be active at that time on the platform, it is the best time to post on LinkedIn for you.

Should You Post On LinkedIn On Weekends?

Ideally, no.

LinkedIn on the weekends is lazy.

Posts reach fewer accounts, people don’t actively engage as much, and technical thought-inducing content dies soon.

Weekends must be reserved for slow, engaging, emotional, soft-launch stories. Rewinding from the stressful corporate week that just passed, employees might take their weekends easy. People usually look for no-brainer, non-educational content during these days.

That’s why a picture of your dog at the park might rank higher than a bulletin on why digital transformation is the way ahead.

You can post on weekends occasionally, but it’s best to keep it independent of your content strategy.

The best time to post on LinkedIn during the weekends can be considered from about 10:00 am to 11:30 am.

Disclaimer: It is worth mentioning again that these timings are the averaged-out data points. Ultimately what matters is whether you are consistent with whatever time you choose.

The Worst Times To Post On LinkedIn In 2024

Simply put, the worst times to post on LinkedIn are those when your ICP is most likely to ignore your activity.

The worst time to post is typically during non-business hours, like from 10 pm to 5 am (bedtime). In fact, data will show that any posting time beyond 8-9 pm should not be preferred since your post will remain on active feeds only till an hour after posting. This means that the lifetime of your post will decrease.

The lifetime of a LinkedIn post is the countdown to its expiry. After being published, engagement on a post stays active for about an hour. As time passes, the chances of the post topping on your connections’ feed lowers exponentially. By the 12th hour, your post is almost forgotten. This holds true for most content, except hiring posts, since they remain active through constant sharing from connection to connection.

Worst Times to Post on LinkedIn

That’s why, the worst times to post on LinkedIn to post are:

  • After 10:00 pm
  • Before 5:00 am
  • Between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm

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Bonus: Top 3 LinkedIn Scheduling Tools

To maintain your posting consistency on LinkedIn, it’s best to take the help of an automated scheduling tool for publishing your posts. You can address the comments and requests at your own convenience any other time during the day.

Top 3 LinkedIn Scheduling Tools

Here are our top 3 choices:

  1. Publer: With Publer, you don’t need to worry about missing the publication of your post at the time you have chosen. If you decide that 10:30 am is the best time to post on LinkedIn for you, put up your posts on Publer and set that time. Plus, it also helps you schedule the first comment on your LinkedIn post in advance.

    In fact at GrowedIn, Publer has proven to be the best scheduling and comment-originating tool that can also kickstart comments.
  1. Buffer: Buffer is the simpler version of Publer in many senses. It is a basic, easy-to-use tool that helps you maintain your posting time, but doesn’t allow intiating engagement through the first comment.
  1. Taplio: Taplio is a level ahead – it also lets you generate content for your posts through AI. However, if you really want your posts to make a difference in your marketing strategy, we suggest you have them written and not generated.

Conclusion

While there are best and worst times to post on LinkedIn in 2024, it is essential to remember that at the end of the day, consistency matters more than punctuality to the times mentioned above. Pick a time of the morning that suits your work schedule best and constantly show up on LinkedIn. That will make a huge difference in post visibility and reach of content. The “best” time to post on LinkedIn can only be a suggestion, not a rule. Experiment around to figure out what works best for you and your profile.

We partner with executives to help them leverage LinkedIn’s potential and build it as a channel for reputation-driven business growth. If you’d like to discuss LinkedIn branding for your profile, you can schedule a call with us.

0
min read

The best time to post on LinkedIn in 2024 depends on your target audience’s activity and the LinkedIn algorithm. Read more to know the exact timings.

Written by
Keyur Kumbhare
in
Getting Started

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