Research shows
that internet users are increasingly turning not only to Google and search engines, but also to social media sites for news and information. And you've heard us say before that it's beneficial to
let go of your content
by publishing it in multiple places. After all, the more places you share content, the more eyes will see it.
That's why we're excited about LinkedIn's new news-sharing features,
announced yesterday
. Here's a quick, 47-second overview of the enhanced features.
8 Enhancements to LinkedIn's Sharing Feature:
The ability to specify
who will see your updates
(everyone vs. only your connections or just specific people, groups, etc.)
A
customizable,
sexier preview
of the content you're sharing (via images, article excerpts, etc.)
The ability to
preview, edit or delete
content you're sharing
A
re-share feature
that allows you to easily share content posted by someone else (think of it as a
retweet on Twitter
)
Ease of off-site sharing
for articles you find shared on LinkedIn
Availability of
shortened lnkd.in URLs
for simple sharing
Attribution
to the original link-sharer for content you re-share to your network
The ability to keep your LinkedIn profile
fresh and updated
by making the items you share public
Why Marketers Should Be Excited
It seems like LinkedIn modeled its new enhancements a little bit after Facebook and a little bit after Twitter, and we're definitely fans. We can speculate that allowing users to make the content they share on LinkedIn appear even sexier will increase the chances that people who come across that content will A) read and B) share the content themselves.
Although the chances that a person will spread your content largely depend on the quality of the content itself, it's also important that the content first catches their attention. Therefore, make sure it has a compelling and attention-grabbing title as well as an
aesthetically pleasing image
. And now that you have the ability to edit the excerpt that describes the content you're sharing, use the opportunity to write a description that people won't be able to pass up. These details will help draw your reader to the content in the first place.
What do you think of LinkedIn's new sharing enhancements? Will you use the channel to share content more now that LinkedIn has implemented increased functionality?
Video: How to Use Social Media for Lead Generation
Learn how to use social media for lead generation.
Download the free video
to leverage Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites to generate leads and customers.
Originally published Apr 22, 2010 1:01:00 PM, updated October 20 2016