Expressed opinions Entrepreneur Contributors own.
Terry Rice
Last fall LinkedIn announced their Creator Accelerator program, a 10-week incubator-style program where participants bring new ideas and philosophies, increase their audience and connect with the LinkedIn community.
Applications for the program closed at 11:59 PM on 12 October. I submitted my application at 11:56 PM and received an error message stating that I have another section of the application. With thousands of people applying, only 100 spots available, and my kids screaming for snacks, I knew I was in for some challenge. Any time for fancy words or curious angles; I only talked about the value I would provide if accepted.
“Through my content, I’m going to help people scale their business, save time and get more opportunities to enjoy the most important people and experiences.”
Fortunately, I was accepted into the program so now is a good time to remind you to follow me on LinkedIn. Although I was originally going to share only my core takeaways, I would regret to include the lessons learned by other LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Program (CAP) members.
Here’s what we learned.
1. Stop counting likes and comments, start building relationships and opportunities
Hannah Tran is a content expert who is interested in bringing mindful movement and workout to the world through social media. When asked about his core takeaway from the program, he said “hard work will not go unnoticed.” This is important because content builds relationships, but it’s easy to assume that no one is listening if you get too little engagement from some of your posts. Unfortunately, if you’re only concerned with how many likes you get on your post, you won’t be able to connect deeply with your content.
Anyone with a knock-knock joke can go viral. This is much more effective for writing content that benefits your specific audience. Focus on sparking conversations and relationship building. Your hard work will not go unnoticed.
2. You’re probably better at creating video content than you think
Video is a great way to connect deeply with your audience With no-code tools, including descriptions and canvas, you can easily create effective, well-edited content. Can’t think of anything to say? Answer the questions your audience has. This will give you the perfect opportunity to showcase your skills and personality.
Or, tell a story about your niche. In this example, I discuss how a typo caused someone to earn 6X income from a project
Most people get a little uncomfortable when starting out (I was always scared and angry) but the only way to improve is to get those delegates in.
3. When you talk to everyone, you don’t talk to anyone
While it may be tempting to talk about the broader category, it also applies to the creation of “wealth is in the niche” content. As a sustainable packaging consultant and podcast host, Cory Connors is deeply aware of this and has passed the following advice: “Adding value and supporting others is the way to success. Don’t talk to people, talk to them and get ideas forward. ”
One of the easiest ways to create a conversation is to start or end your posts with a question. When someone responds to your post, a percentage of their network sees their comment, which may get you more attention in your post. Then, be sure to respond to all comments as soon as possible. You will continue the conversation which can help you gain knowledge and connection.
4. You have to swallow to create
It is impossible to create a conversation unless you discover new information to share. You will eventually annoy everyone, including yourself.
Grace Gong creates content to help people who do not have the “right network” to choose the brains from successful technology leaders in career development. He shares his process for staying on top of the latest trends: “I used to force myself to read crypto news every morning so that I could create summaries for people to read. I also gained a lot of knowledge about what I ate through the process. “
I have noticed that some of the brightest people I know are often quoting another person or source If you want to be seen as a thoughtful opinion leader, you just need to discover and distribute relevant information to your audience.
5. Test and learn, then test again
Any digital marketer will tell you “test and learn” is a common way to create efficient marketing programs. Unfortunately, this can be bypassed-but not unless you’re a techie who knows what he’s doing. This is why the opportunity to post on LinkedIn is so unique for you. You can test your content for free, learn from the results, and create even better content next time.
Christian Paverley helps non-technical entrepreneurs start their online businesses without programming or technical skills. To his surprise, he discovered that spending more time on content does not necessarily lead to creation. Good Content he shared “Experiment with different content formats. Sometimes content that takes two days to create works worse than two lines of text and an image. Check and see the data. “
The goal of an experiment is to learn something. So, even if your post “flops”, you can still learn from it and continue to improve going forward.
6. You must pay to increase your audience
I often say “you have to pay for your audience’s attention”. “When we give, we always receive,” said Gender Van Gogh, a creative manager at LinkedIn. At the end of the day you must give a valuable gift to increase your audience.
Walter Gainer II, a content creator who created support systems for black professionals to feel discouraged about their careers, also learned that lesson. He shared, “While in the LinkedIn Creator Accelerator program, I realized that LinkedIn is a place for people to learn. So to grow on this platform, I need to create resources that will contribute to the growth of the community I want to support.”
These resources can be a simple checklist, guide or template that provides value for your visitors. It may take you hours to create it, but it’s the key to growing and unlocking opportunities on LinkedIn.
7. FFocus on impact, not perfection
Aubrey Bergauer is known for her data-driven pursuit of changing the narrative for results-driven, customer-centric, performing arts. Asked about his core takeaways from the program, he shares: “More than anything, I’ve learned that I have to push myself to express myself more. People like it when we get a little weak, even a little unpolished. It’s real and relevant. “
Creating content is a great way to build your personal brand. But if you don’t share a personal story, your audience will never know, like and believe you. Don’t want to share intimate details about your personal life? That’s right, you can still share the day of content of life because it applies to your work.
8. Never mix
Speaking of borders, Jahmal Marshall helps busy professionals set boundaries that free them to unlock their full potential. His experience in the accelerator program reveals the negative side of trying to copy the style of other manufacturers. “You are the only one. The fastest way to get lost in the noise of social media is to try and sound like other content creators.
You need to have the best version of yourself, but if you constantly copy others, your audience will never see that aspect of you.
9. We are all creators
Miller creates content to help creators build confidence and connect through collaboration. The value of the creator’s economy is currently 20 billion – and is expected to be $ 102 billion in 2022 – Miller has some encouraging words if you’re a little hesitant to start posting. “Anyone wondering if there is a place for them in the Creator’s economy. One thing I’ve learned at CAP is, yes, you belong there. Especially on LinkedIn.
Creating content is the key to unlocking your income potential, so don’t let your ideas and experiences get stuck in your head. Your content can solve someone’s problem and create a moment of relevance that gives birth to a new business relationship.
10. Future creators, but we have to create it together
I am extremely grateful to my Creator Manager, Kojo Opong, for his support, as well as for the entire Creator Manager team. Callie Schweitzer, head of LinkedIn’s Creator program, even led a call from her car to avoid missing an event!
Beyond that, I was amazed by the support and inspiration from my fellow program members and the larger LinkedIn community. I’ve been advised on how much to charge for creating content – shout out to Kim Koupe – the right tools to use and how to curate a valuable community for others.
As a creator it is very important to cooperate with us as opposed to competing for who can get the most likes and followers. Pride is the enemy, so let us all work together to build the future of the Creator.
Have questions about creating content or my experience with the LinkedIn Creator Accelerator program? Message me on LinkedIn today.
