Strategies for building a personal brand, increasing followers on LinkedIn

Turning your LinkedIn profile into a powerful tool for professional growth and networking involves a combination of optimising your profile, sharing valuable content, expanding your network, and consistently engaging with your connections.

During a panel discussion at TechSparks 2023, Rohan Ganatra Founder & CEO, SocialSense, Vedika Bhaia Co-founder, The Growth Square, and Ramya Ramachandran, Founder & CEO, Whoppl., discussed strategies for transforming LinkedIn into a powerful personal brand.

Content strategy and algorithm 

“LinkedIn is a crucial platform for creators to showcase their professional journey, experiences, and unique voice, ensuring they align with brands they wish to affiliate with,” said Ramachandran.

She emphasises the significance of separating platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram to ensure creators balance promotional and organic content. 

“Instagram is quick and relatable, while LinkedIn is more personal and focused on storytelling. YouTube and Instagram have different spending behaviors for brands and creators, with YouTube being longer and Instagram being shorter. Maintaining authenticity and reaching target audiences requires a marketing spend split between these platforms,” she added.

While talking about short format video content being pushed out more and potentially influencing the algorithm, Bhaia, said “LinkedIn's algorithm is increasingly focusing on video content, leading to a rise in the use of pictures in posts. Tests show that videos and pictures perform 10 times better than without them.” 

She added, “Therefore, attaching a picture to posts is not necessary if the algorithm is promoting video content. People are only engaged with posts with a picture, so it's crucial to experiment with different content types to find the best approach for your audience.”

Ganatra highlighting the role of users in engaging with content. “Users are the primary reason LinkedIn promotes image-based content, but the relevance of these images is a bigger question. To address this, the suggestion is to begin with text and gradually transition to images and videos to tackle the issue," Ganatra said.

Ganatra pointed out that the question of whether AI is a threat to content creators and their businesses is often misunderstood. “AI is being used to differentiate content creators and entrepreneurs by focusing on storytelling rather than copying content from everywhere. Storytellers help take stories out of algorithms and write in a way that appeals to the masses. AI is also used for research fact-checking, but it has not yet been able to articulate stories.”

“In conclusion, AI is a valuable tool for content creators and entrepreneurs, allowing them to share knowledge and insights in a meaningful way. By leveraging AI for the right reasons, creators can differentiate themselves in the world of social science data and content creation,” he added.

Personal branding for founders 

While personal branding has gained popularity, founders often struggle to maintain an authentic image due to reluctance to share their personal experiences, potentially affecting their business negatively.

“People first want to trust the person behind the brand, and then they trust the brand. This is why founders should communicate their authenticity and values to their audience. By doing so, they can build trust and credibility with their audience, ultimately leading to increased trust in their brand,” Bhaia reiterated.

The discussion revolved around the importance of striking a balance between vulnerability and professionalism on social media platforms.

“Tailoring content to audience needs is crucial for a successful social media presence. As a founder, it's your moral responsibility to be authentic and share relatable, inspiring, or informational stories. Communicating in a language everyone understands is essential for creating valuable learnings that people will return to. This approach leads to a more engaging and impactful social media presence,” Ramachandran stated.