"This isn't Facebook " - The Greatest LinkedIn Joke

You’re scrolling through LinkedIn.

By all accounts, your day is going pretty well – the LinkedIn content you see isn’t dry enough to cause a climate disaster.

But then you see it…

Mood ruined.

Paul doesn’t know it yet, but he’s committed one of the worst LinkedIn sins there is – being an absolute fossil that is terrified of change.

You see, Paul is of the belief that LinkedIn is for ‘professionals’ and should therefore only have ‘professional content’.

What the hell does that mean?

Well, LinkedIn – the world’s largest professional network on the internet – has a history as a job and networking platform for those in work and those looking for work.

Like most social platforms, though, LinkedIn has undergone considerable change in the last few years…

Change that seems to be a step too far for the Pauls of the world.

If you’re a professional on LinkedIn, the odds are you want to gain some inbound leads, right?

You’re posting consistently, connecting with people in your industry and potential clients, and engaging with other people’s posts.

Then Paul comes along with a bee in his bonnet over the fact that you dared to mention a non-sales, non-professional related topic and had the audacity to get decent engagement by doing so.

Here are the common offenders that cause Paul to escape his mum’s basement:

• Social issues (e.g., politics, LGBTQ+, mental health, world news, gender)
• Any post with a swear word in it
• Any post with an image of you in it
• Family pictures or occasions (usually this would be targeted more violently towards same-sex couples, with their personal pictures being deemed ‘inappropriate’)
• Personal struggles (e.g., recovery from a period of illness)

That’s not to say that every comment on these posts will be full of Pauls. On the contrary, many of the comments are supportive and positive.

Yet regardless of the value that the majority of the audience get from this content, Paul has decided that it is not worthy of LinkedIn.

The people scrolling through LinkedIn waiting for their opportunity to comment ‘this isn’t Facebook’ on a post all have one thing in common...

They’re stuck in their ways.

Social media platforms evolve with user needs – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and yes, LinkedIn, have all evolved massively from their original intended use.

TikTok, for example, was originally considered to be a ‘dancing app’ solely for a young audience, yet now many businesses and content creators have flocked to the app seeing its immense potential to connect with a much wider audience.

Similarly, LinkedIn may have originally been intended for a cut-and-dry, networking/job searching platform, yet now the platform is full of personal branding content that covers a range of topics that would also be seen on other social platforms.

But why has this change actually occurred?

Quite frankly, we all like feeling a connection or point of relatability with those we buy services or products from.

Great marketing relies on this – yet for some bizarre reason, the Pauls of LinkedIn seem to forget that the best networking and client relationships rely on this type of communication.

Building an audience as both an authority in your industry and an engaging presence can’t be done by only sales-led content.

Great personal branding content does this by itself.

By showing up on LinkedIn regularly and posting a mix of industry-relevant and personal content, you’ll start to notice a regular audience building because you’re appealing on both the business and the personal front.

Once your audience begins to associate you with your chosen industry or area of expertise, your personal content merely confirms whether they would find you a good fit to work with.

If your content resonates with your audience or makes them feel strongly about something, that’s just good marketing.

If you’re getting ‘this isn’t Facebook’ comments, then you’re probably doing something right.

After all, ‘this isn’t Facebook’ usually means that you’re posting content that doesn’t sound robotic, boring, or downright eye-roll-inducing.

That might be a threat to Paul’s content, longevity, and success on LinkedIn but it’s a badge of honour for you.

When you post content that gives your audience a better idea of your values and opinions, it gives them something to relate to you by.

This point of relation can be the difference between a person in your network working with you or choosing a competitor instead.

If you’re going to post the shit, then post the shit – Paul be damned.

Let us help instead!

Personal branding content for LinkedIn is kind of our bread and butter, and it can pay off massively for you and your business in the long term.

We can take the fuss and headaches off your hands, and you can get some 10/10 content that will make Paul pee his pants.

Drop us a line and let’s get your LinkedIn content popping off!