When you share quality content and posts from others in a “sharing post”, you are saying thanks to them and providing interesting content to your network. This is good. But if you just share the article link, you are not really helping your network.
If you want them to truly benefit from your sharing post, then you have to do some marketing: you need to quickly make them want to “… see more”, and you need to provide value to the reader.
This article will teach you three ways to market your shared article and help your network know why they should read it.
Write your post like an information marketer
If you were a new graduate who just started using Linkedin to explore work opportunities, which post would catch your attention more and make you click “… see more”?
Example 1
| Some tips for new graduates: Formal photo …see more |
Example 2
| 5 essential tips for the newly graduated LinkedIn users: 1. Take a formal photo (LinkedIn is not Facebook or Instagram, so you need to look more professional)2. Create a informative headline for yourself (e.g. New grad seeking …see more |
I am sure you chose Example 2. It has a more persuasive hook and gives clearer and more detailed information about the article contents. To market any product – whether it is a shampoo or shared article – you need to get people’s attention to raise their awareness and then give enough information to make them want it.
Persuasive hook
- It is in our human nature – or at least social media human nature – to be attracted to headlines with numbered lists like “3 mistakes to avoid …” or “5 essential tips for …”. And if we add adjectives like “essential” or “key”, then it taps into FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
Detailed information
- The headline in Example 2 is also clearer and more specific: “newly graduated Linkedin users” tells us the advice is for recent graduates using Linkedin. The second example also makes better use of the first three lines and provides two numbered bullets with enough detail to teach the reader something and want to click on the “… see more” to read the rest.
Three steps to successful shared posts, or information marketing
There are three marketing strategies to get your network to notice your post and want to read your shared content. Ideally, you will want to include all three strategies as a three step process to maximize the chances of your reader clicking on the article and reading it. But, depending on your time or interest, even if you choose the first strategy, it will be much more effective than just sharing the link.
Here are the three information marketing steps to a value-added post that shares content:
- STEP 1. Hook. This is a catchy 1-sentence teaser to get the reader to read the article or watch the video. The hook is like a good news article headline that tries to grab the reader’s attention.
- STEP 2. Hook + bulleted Summary of main points. This will help the reader decide if she wants to read the article to get more details on the main points.
- STEP 3. Hook + Summary + Call-to-Action. This works like the marketing AIDA, where the hook catches the reader’s Attention, the summary raises her Interest and Desire to read the shared article, and finally a comment or question that is a call to Action to get the reader to engage in conversation in the comments section below.
Exercise 1. Following the three steps above, put the sharing post part letter next to the STEP.
| STEP? | Sharing post text |
| STEP 1: __ | a. Create opportunities. You can impress recruiters and professional contacts with your unique professional story by creating a professional LinkedIn profile showcasing your experiences, skills, and education. |
| STEP 2: __ | b. The 4 top reasons for any professional to use Linkedin. |
| STEP 2: __ | c. Convenient accessibility. You can access LinkedIn from a desktop, LinkedIn mobile app, mobile web experience, or the LinkedIn Lite Android mobile app. |
| STEP 2: __ | d. I love the knowledge- and skill-sharing articles and videos most. How about you? Which reason appeals to you the most? |
| STEP 2: __ | e. Help your career. You can find the right job or internship, connect and strengthen professional relationships, and learn the skills you need to succeed in your career. |
| STEP 3: __ | f. Linkedin is a multifunctional platform. You can organize offline events, join groups, write articles, post photos and videos, and much more. |
It should not have taken you long to figure out that the hook is “The 4 top reasons …” and the final comment and question is “Which reason appeals to you the most?”. That leaves the four reasons in the middle. But did you think about the order of those main points? Which points will be the most relevant to the most people? Should they appear at the top, or the bottom? We will analyze this example in more detail below.
STEP 1. You need a hook
How much time do you have to grab your reader? – Only two to three lines of text before the “… see more” message appears.
So, you need to grab the reader’s attention with a hook. Unlike science microblogging-style covered in another article where the interesting data and its visualization are the emblematic hook, posts that share articles need to do more persuasion work. They need to do some marketing and promotion to inform and entice the reader to click the “… see more”.
I use the term marketing on purpose. The reader first notices the article link, with its headline and maybe an image. If that headline seems interesting, she notices you as the poster, and if she shares your interests or industry, she will skim the first few lines until the “… see more” cuts off the post.
The job of the first few lines then is to persuade your reader to click on “…see more” and finish reading your sharing post. And if the post was successful, then the reader will click on the article or video link. Just like in journalism, the job of each line and sentence is to persuade the reader to read the next.
The first few lines are key, and we can describe them as headlines or hooks. They need to hook the reader’s attention.
As a tactic to catch the attention of your reader and raise her curiosity, the hook often comes in five common forms in social media. Quickly do the exercise below to see what these five hooks are.
Exercise 2. Match the hook type with the hook example.
| Hook type | Hook example |
| __ Provocative question or series of questions | a. 5 essential tips for the newly graduated LinkedIn users: |
| __ A numbered list of things worth learning | b. Happy Daughters Day to my beautiful girl. I am so blessed to be your Mom.🙏💗 |
| __ Interesting quote from the article, or a quote by a famous person. | c. Were you shocked to hear what happened with #CambridgeAnalytica? Did you like #TheSocialDilemma? When you download an app do you wonder what could happen to your #data? |
| __ Interesting news story or trending issue/event | d. “Just relax and treat it like a conversation” is both the cruelest and the true-est advice you can give to a job-seeker with a big interview coming up. |
| __ Eye-catching number or statistic or fact (often used with a question) | e. “Did you know that The Project Management Institute predicts that there will be 2.3 million new project management positions a year through 2030? |
Probably the easiest hook to create and most commonly used is the question. In the Example 3 post below, the author shares a video discussion and uses three provocative questions as hooks to create interest in the post’s video content. In fact, the writer combines hooks 1 and 4:
- the first two questions tap into Hook 4, a trending news story and media issue in order to set up the third and final question, which is the topic of the video interview.
Example 3. Question hook + trending issue
| Were you shocked to hear what happened with #CambridgeAnalytica? Did you like #TheSocialDilemma? When you download an app do you wonder what could happen to your #data? … see more |
In the screenshot below, you can see all three steps in the full post. The second paragraph briefly introduces the participants and interview topic, the third paragraph mentions the organizer of the event, and the last paragraph is a call for the reader to engage with “Let us know what you think!”.
You will also notice 12 hashtags placed throughout the post and two linked mentions (Tommaso Buganza and Symplatform) to make this post more searchable to a wider audience.
STEP 2. Provide a detailed summary to save the reader time
The summary part of your post is the real key to adding value to your post. Can you help the reader quickly understand whether the article is worth reading for him ? Going back to Examples 1 and 2 above, if we read the full post after the “… see more” message, we can see other advantages of Example 2.
Which one looks more interesting to read?
Revision Example 1.
Original version
| Some tips for new graduates: Formal photo …see more Informative headline Consider all of your experiences (Volunteer experiences and test scores are important too!)Connecting with classmates, professors, colleagues, etc. (Chances come to you through the network)Customized LinkedIn URL |
Revised version
| 5 essential tips for the newly graduated LinkedIn users: 1. Take a formal photo (LinkedIn is not FB or IG … seem more – you need to look more professional)2. Create a informative headline for yourself (“New grad seeking marketing position”)3. Consider all of your experiences (Volunteer experiences and test scores are important too!)4. Broaden your connection with classmates, professors, colleagues, etc. (Chances come to you through a bigger network)5. Customize your own LinkedIn URL (So people can find you easily!) |
The revised version, right?
It is easier to read because each numbered bullet point has the same grammar: they start with base form verbs. This list is a set of 5 tips, and since tips are advice, like someone is telling you what to do, the base verbs are actually like commands, such as wake up early, wash your fash, brush your teeth, etc. The bullets are also numbered to reinforce the “5 essential tips” headline.
But even more importantly than consistent grammar and numbered bullets, this list has more details to better explain what each piece of advice means. Now the writer has provided real value to the reader to give him enough information to decide if he wants to find out more and click on the article link.
STEP 3. Offer a thoughtful or informative comment, engaging question, or request feedback to start a conversation
You only learn when you do something with knowledge. If you read an article, you may gain some knowledge. But if you do something with the knowledge, like have a discussion or write about it, you start to learn and deepen your knowledge.
So, when you offer a final thoughtful comment, ask a provocative question, or encourage your reader to give you feedback, you push your reader into learning mode. There is another more selfish benefit of writing a good 3-step sharing post – you also push yourself to learn something new.
One simple way to start a conversation with your network about your sharing post is to do what the author in Example 3 did and simply request feedback:
Example 4. Request feedback
| “Let us know what you think!” This is a request for feedback.” |
Another way is to add your comment or opinion about the content. In one sharing post by reporter Angelica Oung, she summarized her own news story about a Google recruiter’s advice on job interviews, and then finished her post with a thoughtful comment and advice from her own experiences:
Example 5. Thoughtful comment
| As somebody who’s been through the multi-round process for start-puppy type things (and yet who is still in journalism) I would also say just trust the universe. If you don’t get it, it was probably A Good Thing. |
Finally, asking a provocative question is very effective, just like it is for catching the attention of the reader at the beginning of a post. Similar to directly asking for feedback (“Let us know what you think!”), when you ask a question to your network, they feel you want to talk about the topic. And if the topic is relevant and interesting enough to them, they will naturally want to answer it. At the end of a shared post on Google partnering with Samsung to challenge Apple in the smartwatch market, the post writer finished her post with this question:
Example 6. Ask a question
| “Is Apple untouchable in the smartwatch market? Or, do you think the Google and Samsung collaboration will finally remove Apple from 1st place?” |
These different ways can encourage your readers and network to start and continue a conversation about the subject of the shared content. This can promote everyone’s learning and improve relationships and connections.
Putting it all together
We have covered the three steps to help you share informative shared posts that can add value to your network’s knowledge and build relationships.
Let’s now look at an example that can be improved.
The writer of Example 6 above is involved with the IT industry and wearable devices in particular. The shared article is news about Google teaming up with Samsung to try to increase their market share and decrease Apple’s.
Revision example 2
Original version
| https://lnkd.in/ei6kmWf#wearabletech #google #wearos #samsung #tizenGoogle and Samsung are partnered up to build a unified API. …see more This partnership creates opportunities for developers to build apps for both WearOS and Tizen. The joined force is set out to provide longer battery life for smartwatches and take on Apple, the market leader in the smartwatch category. Apple Watch has dominated the smartwatch industry since its first arrival. It will be interesting to see how the collaboration between Google and Samsung will shake up the competition among all the major players. This partnership will not only create a bigger platform for developers, but will also make this wearable technology more accessible. Most excitingly, longer battery life for its users. |
How can this post be improved?
Let’s analyze this post with the three information marketing steps of
- Hook,
- Hook + Summary, and
- Hook + Summary + Final Comment/Question.
First, the Hook is not attention grabbing. The link is put in the first line, and hashtags in the next line, which means that there is only one more line to catch the reader’s attention before the “… see more “ message. That sentence is “Google and Samsung are partnered up to build a unified API.” Unfortunately, this is just a descriptive sentence and with no further explanation, most people won’t really know why this is an interesting story.
As for the Summary, it doesn’t seem to be organized to help the reader quickly get the main points. The final comments at the end also seem to be mixed with some main points from the article, like “longer battery life for its users”.
The Final Comment/Question step only offers a vague observation: “It will be interesting to see how the collaboration between Google and Samsung will shake up the competition among all the major players.” This will not provoke much response, except for a possible reply of, “yes, it might shake up the industry” or “it might not”. Also, this comment is not even the last sentence (which is summary information about “a bigger platform for developers” and “longer battery life”), so it gets buried and forgotten. There is no real call to action asking the reader to participate in a conversation about this story.
With these points in mind, let’s revise the post to make it more effective.
Revised version
| Google and Samsung will partner to build a unified API. But will it be enough to surpass Apple in the smartwatch market?This partnership will …see moreCreate more opportunities for developers to build apps for both WearOS and Tizen Make wearable technology more accessibleProvide longer battery life for smartwatches Challenge Apple as the market leader in the smartwatch category. Apple Watch has dominated the smartwatch industry since its first arrival. But will Apple remain untouchable in the smartwatch market? Or, do you think the Google and Samsung collaboration will finally remove Apple from 1st place? #wearabletech #google #wearos #samsung #tizen https://lnkd.in/ei6kmWf |
The revised version is improved and all three marketing steps are clear, persuasive and informative.
- The hook is now effective. The article link and hashtags have been placed at the bottom to free up more lines at the beginning for a question hook. There is even enough space before the “… see more” message to start the summary part of the post (“This partnership will …”). This will let the reader know that a summary is coming and will give more reason to click on “… see more”.
- The summary is now more clearly organized in one location and in four bullets with consistent grammar to make it stand out and easy to read.
- The final comment is a now call-to-action question to get those who decide to read the article to continue the conversation with the author and other commenters.
Conclusion
Now you know three steps to make sharing posts have more value to you and your network. You know you have only three lines to get your readers to click “see more” to read the rest of your post. And now you also know five different kinds of persuasive hooks, how to organize your ideas and grammar into easy to read bullets, and three different closings to create a call to action to start a conversation about your shared content.
And best of all, this process not only benefits your network, but also you. You look more professional and generous with your thoughtful summary and final comment, and most importantly, you have pushed yourself to engage more with the content and think more about it. In short, you have gained a deeper understanding.
In summary, if you want to add value to a post sharing someone else’s content, don’t forget to follow this information marketing strategy checklist:
- Add a hook at the start
- Use bullets and grammar to help make the main points standout and easy to read
- Keep you bullets in the same kind of grammar
- Finish with a thoughtful comment or question to start a conversation about the topic
- Order your bullets from most to least important for your reader
- Write like you are talking talking to your reader; use “you” not “I”
- Use hashtags to make your post more searchable for more people.
Exercise 3. Compare the original and revised versions. What marketing strategies were used to make the revision?
Original:
| Why should you pay attention to Linkedin? 1. Find the right job or internship, connect and strengthen professional relationships, and learn the skills you need to succeed in your career2. Access LinkedIn from a desktop, LinkedIn mobile app, mobile web experience, or the LinkedIn Lite Android mobile app3. Connect with opportunities and showcase your unique professional story by creating a professional LinkedIn profile (through experience, skills, and education)4. Organize offline events, join groups, write articles, post photos and videos, and more |
Revised:
| The 4 top reasons for you – and any professional – to use Linkedin. Help for your career. You can find the right job or internship, connect and strengthen professional relationships, and learn the skills you need to succeed in your career.Opportunities. You can impress recruiters and professional contacts with your unique professional story by creating a professional LinkedIn profile showcasing your experiences, skills, and education.Convenient accessibility. You can access LinkedIn from a desktop, LinkedIn mobile app, mobile web experience, or the LinkedIn Lite Android mobile app.Linkedin’s multifunctional platform. You can organize offline events, join groups, write articles, post photos and videos, and much more. I love the knowledge- and skill-sharing articles and videos most. How about you? Which reason appeals to you the most? #Linkedin #jobseeking #networking #careerbuilding |
