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How do you stand out when applying for a job? Well, this could be a tough question to answer, but once you figure it out, it can give you a lead. While there is more than one way to stand out, let’s discuss an easy one today- LinkedIn content creation! Creating content on LinkedIn is easy yet effort-intensive and time-consuming. That said, it is a great way to demonstrate knowledge as a subject matter expert and get noticed by the right people.
However, not everyone is aware of the importance of content creation. So, anyone who chooses to create content builds a strong personal brand while becoming a part of a community that connects them to the right people. This also allows them to gain a competitive advantage and stand out from the job seeker pool.
Content Creation Process
In this section, let’s have a look at the content creation process in detail to help you create high-quality content for your target audience.
1) Identify your Niche
Before you start creating content, it is essential to identify the topics you will be talking about. These should primarily be based on your interest and target roles to allow the recruiters and hiring managers to find you for relevant roles. Remember, what you choose to talk about is what you will be known for. As mentioned earlier, content creation plays a crucial role in building your personal brand which greatly influences a target employer’s decision to hire you. Hence, start by shortlisting subjects that interest you and narrow down the list to the most relevant ones.
2) Understand your Audience
Think about the audience you will be creating content for. Let’s say you are a digital marketer who is looking for a similar role. Now while you want to be noticed by employers, your target audience also includes the people benefitting from your content. These could be fellow digital marketers, SEO specialists, email marketing experts, and more. Once you have clarity on your target audience, explore what they like.
To understand the content that is in demand, we suggest exploring content by other creators posted on LinkedIn. For this, you can use the search option and choose ‘posts’ or simply type the hashtag for the content you are looking for. For example, you could type #digitalmarketing, #marketing, or #contentwriting to explore content related to digital marketing. This will give you an idea of the type of content that is trending and is being liked by your audience.
Moreover, irrespective of the platform that you choose for content creation and publishing, you can try some external tools to identify the content and keywords that are trending. One of such tools is Google Trends. You can use Google Trends to compare keywords, understand what’s trending, and find other relevant keywords to talk about. Additionally, all this can be done based on geography. So, if your target audience is based in the US, you can find what’s trending there and create content accordingly. On the other hand, if you are targeting the European audience, you can identify relevant subjects for European countries using Google Trends.
2) Develop a Content Plan
Once you have identified the type of content you want to create, develop a content plan for efficiency. A content plan will help you stay on track and record details, keeping you organized. It allows you to set goals and priorities. At the least, your content plan should include topics, the planned date of publishing, the actual date of publishing, the link to the drafted and published content, and the type of content you plan to publish, such as a video, infographic, post, or an article.
We strongly recommend setting realistic deadlines and goals to avoid burnout and demotivation. For instance, if you think you can only post thrice a week, plan accordingly. If you feel what you are doing is less, start slow and increase your production gradually. This will help you create more, higher-quality content in the future.
3) Engage with Posts by Recruiters and Hiring Managers
Last but not least is engagement with the content created by recruiters and hiring managers. These could be posts written by them or shared from other sources. Engaging with content is a great way to get noticed, especially by your target employers. This is where your already established personal brand will help you.
The content you create will allow recruiters and hiring managers to learn more about you, convincing them about your subject matter expertise. We suggest doing this regularly to help them remember you. Once you start engaging with their content daily, you can reach out to them with a personalized LinkedIn request. Make sure to appreciate the content they create and highlight some of their older content to demonstrate your genuine interest in learning more about them.
Let’s see a video below to learn a bit more about creating content to get hired by your target employer.
Top Tips to Get Hired through Content Creation
In this section, we will discuss some top tips to keep in mind when creating content to get hired.
1) Stay Consistent
When it comes to content creation, consistency is key. Whether it is creating 5 posts in a week or posting thrice in a week, doing it consistently is crucial. This means that if you want to see results, you will have to be regular at what you do. Posting content one week while disappearing the next week, and again publishing some content in the third week won’t fetch you the results you are aiming for. You will have to maintain this consistency every week, every month. It is then you can expect to see some engagement on your posts.
2) Be Resilient
As mentioned above, to see the desired results, you need to stay consistent. This means that creating content and getting noticed by the right people may take time. In fact, the initial content that you create may not get enough engagement. Hence, it is essential for you to stay resilient and keep working on the content creation process irrespective of how well it does.
Additionally, you should also be prepared to receive some criticism on your content. Some people will love the content you create, while some may have different opinions. We encourage you to keep an open mind with a growth mindset. That said, stay confident and have faith in the content you produce. Do not change your opinions merely based on criticism. Do your research and present strong arguments in your favor. Wherever necessary, accept and acknowledge. Remember, this will also be a great learning experience for you.
3) Align with LinkedIn SEO Best Practices
Good quality content isn’t always enough for you to get noticed. You need to make sure you align with the best practices of the platform you are using, in this case- LinkedIn. LinkedIn has its own SEO that allows posts and profiles to rank higher based on their alignment with SEO norms. Some of these include:
- Using the right keywords
- Adding hashtags
- Ensuring your content has no grammatical errors
- Making sure your profile is complete
The above tips will ensure that your LinkedIn profile and posts are ranked higher when a recruiter or a hiring manager searches for relevant people. Additionally, people who follow relevant hashtags will be able to see your posts sooner. Hence, increasing your visibility to your target audience.
4) Don’t Oversell
While your goal is to sell yourself as an experienced, value-adding candidate, you have to be subtle about how you do it. Remember, your posts aren’t your sales pitches. The purpose of your posts is to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise and help you be a part of a community. This community will eventually help you reach your professional goals. So, when you create content, make sure it adds real value and isn’t spammy or sales-y. Some tips for creating engaging, high-quality content on relevant topics are:
- Stay updated with industry trends and news
- Establish your own voice in your writings
- Curate content whenever possible and relevant
- Makes your posts action-oriented and practical
- Answer commonly asked questions
- Give examples
Content creation is a great way to establish and develop relationships with the right people. Creating the right content could help you get noticed by your target employer, taking you a step closer to your dream role. Additionally, it is a great tool for developing your personal brand. So, explore your niche, find what you want to talk about, and start creating content today.
