LinkedIn's algorithm can be cruel. Even when you've done everything right, your post just may not get the views you hope.
What about the timing of your post? Yes, there are certain days and times during which LinkedIn posts seem to perform well.
Yet the best time I've found to post on LinkedIn is just before I go do something else. That's right. I post and leave. Especially for posts I care about.
Why? Because the more I care, and the longer I sit there, the more likely I am to lose crucial time that I need for other things.
Sweat It or Forget It?
To be sure, my approach has more to do with psychology than function. Posting on LinkedIn is an investment: the rewards generally prove out over time.
Like an investment, I know there are things I could do to squeeze more out of my effort. For example, LinkedIn heavily favors posts that gain interactions in the first hour. The algorithm rewards these posts with greater visibility across the platform, thus reinforcing a post's initial performance.
"LinkedIn's algorithm excels at . . . keeping users on the site. That means you and me.
Should I sit at my desk or over my phone for the first hour, then, reacting to comments or likes as they come in? If my goal is to maximize engagement immediately, then yes, I probably should.
Yet LinkedIn's algorithm excels at something else: keeping users on the site. That means you and me. When LinkedIn hijacks our time and brainpower, then we risk sacrificing energy we can't get back.
Therefore, I'll publish a post, go to a meeting, dive into a project, drive carpool, or go for a walk. I'll come back later that day and interact with the post then. Like investing, sometimes I see small gains, sometimes larger gains. Like investing, I want to know my post is out there working for me, but I don't want to obsess about it all day. I'm more of a set-it-and-forget-it guy.
Primary vs. Secondary Value
Posting on LinkedIn serves two purposes: 1) Engagement. 2) Credibility. While engagement and credibility support one another, they are not equivalent. A post that does not generate significant engagement may still be credible to potential clients evaluating you for legal services.
On the flip side, a post that is not credible could generate impressive engagement--for the wrong reasons.
In the moments after posting, it's easy to prioritize primary value--engagement. Yet over time, credibility is more likely to matter more to your current and future clients.
Prioritizing LinkedIn, Yet Safeguarding Time
LinkedIn is essential to my marketing plan, but it's not the most important part. It's fourth or fifth down my list of priorities. As such, I try to treat LinkedIn as, well, the fourth- or fifth-most important thing on my list on a given day.
Lawyers are well-served to remember this, too. If LinkedIn engagement is a significant part of your marketing strategy, then it may be worth your time to dwell (a technical term, to be sure).
However, after posting, my time is better spent engaging with clients, creating new content, or connecting with people I care about. I suspect for many of you, that will be the case, too.