Episode 244 - How to Write for LinkedIn with Lynnaire Johnston

01/10/24 • 39 min

Do you want to write better for your LinkedIn audience? This is the episode for you. I’m joined by professional writer and LinkedIn writing coach, Lynnaire Johnston, to discuss writing for LinkedIn. From the dangers of using AI to write for you to Lynnaire’s personal tips for writing better, we dive into all things writing. It’s time to make personal connections on LinkedIn through the written word.

Tips to Start Writing for LinkedIn

Start writing whatever’s on your mind, and you will eventually end up talking about what you want to talk about.
Use short, simple words and sentences.
Don’t use jargon or marketing terms.
Have one idea per paragraph and one main idea per post.
Have white space and multiple paragraphs.
Don’t use hashtags in your post; it is confusing.

About Lynnaire Johnston

Lynnaire is considered to be a top 20 international LinkedIn expert and works with clients globally to help them leverage the power of LinkedIn to achieve professional success. She is the author of 2 books about LinkedIn, one a best-seller, the other listed by BookAuthority as a top LinkedIn book of all time. She is a regular guest on podcasts worldwide and hosts her own events – masterclasses, LinkedIn lives and LinkedIn audio rooms.

Lynnaire is the founder of the Link∙Ability members site for those wanting to be successful on LinkedIn. Lynnaire and her team provide done-for-you and coaching/training services to individuals and companies globally.

Coming from a journalism and broadcasting background, Lynnaire has been a reporter, feature writer, magazine editor and copywriter for the majority of her career. She has written for industries as diverse as automotive, beauty, local authorities and not-for-profit. She founded her copywriting business, Word Wizard, in 2000 and began specialising in LinkedIn in 2016.

The Dangers of AI Writing

Lynnaire Johnston joins me to talk about how to write for LinkedIn. Especially with the rise in AI writing technologies, it’s important for people to understand the importance of human writers. While useful in some situations, AI writing is full of long sentences and far too much jargon. As Lynnaire says – reading it just makes her eyes glaze over.

The rising use of and reliance on AI writing will inevitably make people worse writers. But, especially on LinkedIn, using AI to write your posts and comments defeats the purpose of the platform. “We’re here on LinkedIn to develop relationships, get to know people, and build the know, like, and trust factor. So, how is AI going to help us do that if we are not communicating directly with our audience?”

Tips to Write for LinkedIn

If you’ve been turning to AI to help you write because you don’t know what to say, Lynnaire offers some great advice. Get your inspiration from your life and some of the things that happen to you; even carry a notebook around to take notes about your day. Then, just start to write. Even if you don’t know exactly what you want to write about, by writing about anything, you’ll eventually come to the point you want to make.

Lynnaire also shares the importance of consistent posting on LinkedIn. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what schedule you stick to. What matters is that you show up regularly. And, if you’re wondering how to become a better writer, Lynnaire says the best way to improve your writing is to read more.

How often do you post on LinkedIn? If you’re not consistent, what’s stopping you from posting regularly? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode