Hungry for something… more? So is your audience. But no matter how much you love stew, roast chicken, or broccoli and SPAM. It’s probably unlikely that you end up eating that great thing for every meal, each and every day. It’s not only boring, but it probably won’t be the most nutrient-rich diet to follow. And, long term, this lack of variety could end up damaging your health.
Before you ask, no I’m not a nutritionist. But this article isn’t really about dictating what you put on your plate. It’s more about what you put on the banquet table, that is, LinkedIn. And the health of your audience engagement. You guessed it – It’s a metaphor (even if a bit of a heavy-handed one). One food that never disappoints on LinkedIn, is the Content Sandwich. So, why do you need the Content Sandwich? Here’s a taster.
LinkedIn is like a Box of Chocolates…
The Strawberry Creams will more than likely be abandoned
The strawberry creams being the ‘boring’ reasons why you might be on LinkedIn.
To sell a product. To promote your brand etc. They’re valid reasons to be on the platform, of course. They can and should excite you. LinkedIn is one of the most powerful selling tools in the world, after all. But you’ve got to do it right.
And if every single one of your posts is a watered-down pitch message, it’ll likely get glazed over, and receive minimum engagement in the process. That’s not going to get your audience to value what you have to say, or make them eager to start a conversation.
The Content Sandwich – Varied, and Freshly Baked
Your content needs to be enriched with topics catered to your audience, your industry and your own personal interests. By all means sprinkle in those well-written, informative posts about the outstanding services your business offers. Your content sandwich needs that bread for that foundation. But once you have those foundations, you can quickly adapt the fillings of that sandwich, find what works for your target audience, and what needs some spicing up.
Should I get Personal?
No one’s asking you to share your life story or the three digits on the back of your credit card.
But is it worth getting a bit more personal as part of your Content Sandwich? I’d have to say, yes. Your audience, no matter how professional they are, want to get to know you on a deeper level. Be vulnerable, be relatable, and share what you’re working to improve.
Show your audience that you’re not just on LinkedIn to sell. But to learn too.
They’ll respect you more for it.