I’ve worked with a lot of small companies and big professional services businesses delivering ongoing social media content and one of the most common complaints is why their company page content typically gets engagement from their own people and less from any true prospects or new audiences.

Firstly, it’s never a bad thing if you’re getting engagement from your own people. If your people engage, then their connections are likely to see the content also, and that’s who you want to reach. However, I've seen firsthand how personal LinkedIn accounts can significantly outperform company pages in reach and engagement, so a REALLY successful social media campaign depends on your own people not just liking or commenting supportively but having their own large and engaged audience online.

The LinkedIn algorithm massively favours individual users in terms of reach and engagement but there is still an important role for company pages. The opportunity is massive - activating your staff as brand ambassadors can be the secret to driving substantial growth in sales and talent acquisition but it requires training, consistency, positive communication and trust in your people.

This comprehensive list of 115 actionable techniques is designed to help you empower your team to elevate their LinkedIn activity, enhancing both their personal profiles and your organisation's visibility and success.

I’ve grouped these into sections to make this a bit easier to handle. If you want to come back to read more here’s some shortcuts to the various sections:

Understanding LinkedIn's Importance

Educate employees on LinkedIn’s role in professional networking: Host regular workshops or training sessions to explain how LinkedIn is a powerful tool for building professional connections, finding new opportunities, and staying updated on industry trends.
Share industry-specific LinkedIn success stories: Highlight case studies and examples of how other professionals in your industry have successfully used LinkedIn to advance their careers and contribute to their company's growth.
Explain how LinkedIn can enhance personal and company brand: Demonstrate how active participation on LinkedIn can help employees build their personal brand, showcase their expertise, and enhance the company’s reputation.
Discuss LinkedIn's impact on lead generation and client acquisition: Provide data and examples showing how LinkedIn can be an effective channel for generating leads and acquiring new clients, making it a valuable tool for both personal and company growth.

Setting Up for Success in Employee Advocacy

Collaborate on the plan: Take time to share the objectives of your employee advocacy plan with senior management and gain their buy-in (and hopefully their participation!). You’ll allay concerns that teammates will be taken away from their day-to-day work to post online or that they’ll be put under pressure to post if they don’t want to.
Employee advocacy can never be mandated! It has to be encouraged but freely given!

Get buy-in from senior leadership but make sure to spellcheck your presentation in case you didn’t spell ‘employee’ properly.

6. Get your baseline: Take time to look at your current metrics in terms of sales/lead generation, website traffic acquisition, average applications per role, conversion rates, social media reach and engagement. We’ll need to report on progress as we go.

7. Everything is content: Ensure all team leaders and department heads understand that social media is no longer just the domain of the marketing team and that everything is content! Client site visits, awards, visiting delegations from senior colleagues, staff secondments, new business wins, old business retention, anniversaries, new babies! There’s a place for all of it in your content schedule

8. Sharing is Caring: Highlighting the need for content to senior teammates is one thing but creating a platform where stories can be pulled from is another. Ensure the person steering this juggernaut is involved in a Slack channel, weekly email or management meeting where these stories are shared and that social content is part of every senior-level meeting agenda!

9. Hub: Create a central hub for all things related to your brand including logos, font file (if using something non-standard) and approved graphics for header images, email signature blocks etc. When there’s an update to promote a specific content theme or new product launch or awareness campaign, make sure your team know about it and that they have access to all the assets they need to align with your brand.

10. And spoke: Creating a communication channel to share suggested content, increase engagement with your participants and reward engaged ambassadors is an essential element. But bear in mind the size of your organisation and the number of participants. A Slack channel that is constantly buzzing will end up being muted and ignored. If your entire advocacy program is comprised of more than say 30 people, consider splitting the group up by function/location / level of engagement/seniority or some other classification that will allow you to deliver more relevant content and support where it is needed and keep the notifications to a useful and not distracting level.

11. Start Small: If this is your first time running an employee advocacy campaign for your business it’s advisable to start with a more select ‘ambassadorship’ programme for employees. Select 5-10 willing participants and work with them individually to raise their profile online. Once they’ve done it, their teammates (and senior management) have a template for success and the business case has been proven for a larger roll out!

Perfect Profiles for Your Employees

12. Guide on choosing a professional profile photo: Advise employees to use a high-quality, professional headshot that is clear, well-lit, and represents them in a positive light. Why not offer a ‘headshot day’ with a photographer and make it a fun event with hair and make-up on-site for those who need it!

Yes, gurl, this headshot is serving face and representing executive realness, okurrr? Slay.

13. Steps to write a compelling LinkedIn headline: Teach employees to craft a headline that not only states their job title but also includes key skills and industry keywords to make their profiles more searchable.

14. Tips for crafting a detailed and engaging summary: Encourage employees to write a summary that highlights their professional achievements, skills, and career aspirations, making it engaging and reflective of their personal brand.

15. How to list experience effectively: Show employees how to list their job experiences in a way that highlights their accomplishments and responsibilities, using quantifiable metrics where possible.

16. Adding relevant skills and endorsements: Guide employees on selecting and listing relevant skills, and encourage them to seek endorsements from colleagues and clients to validate their expertise.

17. Requesting and writing recommendations: Explain the importance of having recommendations and provide tips on how to request and write meaningful recommendations that highlight specific skills and experiences.

18. Customising your LinkedIn URL: Teach employees how to customise their LinkedIn URL to make it more professional and easier to share, such as using their name or a variation of it.

19. Updating contact information: Ensure employees keep their contact information up to date, including their email address and any other relevant links, making it easy for potential connections to reach them.

20. Setting up profile sections in the optimal order: Guide employees on arranging their LinkedIn profile sections in a logical order that highlights the most important information first, such as experience, skills, and recommendations.

21. Ensuring consistent profile information across platforms: Advise employees to maintain consistency in their professional information to build a cohesive and professional online presence.

Helping Your Employees Find Good Content

22. Create and share a company content calendar: Create an editorial schedule and share it at the start of each month with your employee ambassadors so teammates can have time to think about how they will reshare it to their own audiences

23. Crowdsource content: Share a long-term content plan and ask your team to contribute their knowledge and experience to it. Their involvement makes their participation in distribution much more likely!

24. Sharing company blog posts: Encourage employees to regularly share blog posts from the company website, adding their own insights or comments to personalise the content and engage their network.

25. Posting industry news and trends: Advise employees to stay updated on industry news and trends, sharing relevant articles and adding their own perspectives to demonstrate thought leadership. Research news sources specific to both industry and job function to make this easier for your teammates in finance, sales, marketing and IT!

26. Creating and sharing infographics: Create or encourage the creation of visually appealing infographics that simplify complex information, making it more engaging and shareable.

27. Writing LinkedIn articles: Motivate employees to write and publish LinkedIn articles on topics relevant to their expertise, helping to establish themselves as thought leaders.

28. Posting video content: Suggest creating short, professional videos that offer tips, insights, or behind-the-scenes looks at the company, as video content tends to have higher engagement.

29. Sharing event updates and highlights: Encourage employees to share updates and highlights from industry events or company activities they attend, showcasing their involvement and the company’s engagement in the industry.

I hope they don’t call me up on stage, those steps look shoddily made.

30. From the Vaults: Encourage teammates to dig through your archive of content to resurrect a good article to reshare

31. Repurposed and revived: A great way to get more mileage from a piece of content is to repurpose it in multiple ways. Just released an industry survey? Landing page with the full document download (lead magnet), key findings article, 5 stats infographic, key findings carousel, animated stats video, talking head interview with research leader, improvised to camera pieces by relevant staff members highlighting the relevance to their specific audience, fun video asking multiple people what their opinion of the most interesting stat in the report is.

32. Posting personal insights and experiences: Encourage employees to share their personal insights and professional experiences, making their posts more relatable and engaging.

33. Sharing client success stories (with permission): Highlight client success stories to showcase the impact of the company’s work, ensuring client confidentiality and approval.

The Nitty Gritty of What (and how) to Post on LinkedIn

34. Using hashtags effectively: Educate employees on the strategic use of hashtags to increase the visibility of their posts to relevant audiences (and use a specific hashtag to help you monitor participation).

35. Timing posts for maximum engagement: Provide guidance on the best times to post on LinkedIn based on when their audience is most active, to maximise reach and engagement (hint - it's the morning).

36. Writing engaging post captions: Teach employees how to write captivating captions that encourage interaction, using questions, calls to action, or intriguing statements.

37. Incorporating images into posts: Emphasise the importance of using high-quality images in posts to attract attention and enhance engagement.

38. I get so emoji-nal baby: Using emojis is totally fine for LinkedIn. Just don’t overuse them and ensure everyone knows what an eggplant and peach emoji REALLY mean…

39. Creating LinkedIn polls: Encourage the use of LinkedIn polls to engage their network, gather insights, and stimulate discussions on relevant topics.

Specific Types of Content for Your Employees

40. Sharing case studies: Motivate employees to share detailed case studies that highlight the company's successes and expertise, providing valuable insights to their network.

41. Promoting webinars and online events: Advise employees to promote company webinars and online events, adding their own insights on why the event is valuable.

42. Sharing behind-the-scenes content: Encourage the sharing of behind-the-scenes content to give a human touch to the company and build a stronger connection with the audience.

Hurry up and take the picture Jeff! Are you recording a video? Jeff!

43. Posting about company culture: Highlight aspects of the company culture in posts to attract potential talent and show a positive workplace environment.

44. Announcing new hires and promotions: Share news about new hires and employee promotions to celebrate achievements and introduce new team members to the network.

45. Highlighting corporate social responsibility initiatives: Showcase the company's CSR initiatives to demonstrate commitment to social and environmental causes.

46. Promoting job openings: Advise employees to share job openings within their network to help attract qualified candidates.

47. Sharing book recommendations: Encourage sharing of industry-relevant book recommendations to spark discussions and provide value to their network.

48. Posting motivational quotes relevant to your industry: Use motivational quotes that resonate with industry professionals to inspire and engage their network.

49. Creating a series of themed posts: Suggest creating a series of posts around a specific theme or topic to build anticipation and sustained engagement.

50. Sharing updates on ongoing projects: Keep the network informed about ongoing projects to highlight the company's continuous efforts and successes.

51. Highlighting team achievements: Celebrate team achievements publicly to boost morale and showcase the company’s collaborative environment.

52. Sharing professional development tips: Provide tips and advice on professional development to add value to the network and position the employee as a resourceful professional.

Engagement Strategies for Employee Ambassadors

53. Create the network: Ensure everyone in your company has your company page linked in their profile as their current employer and are following the page and ideally have notifications enabled.

54. Build connections: Encourage everyone in your company to connect to EVERYONE else in your company and to proactively engage, share content with each other and tag each other whenever they see something that might be relevant to their teammates.

55. Commenting on relevant industry posts: Encourage employees to actively comment on posts from industry leaders and peers to engage in meaningful conversations and increase visibility.

56. Liking and sharing peers' content: Advise employees to support and amplify the content shared by their colleagues and peers, fostering a sense of community and mutual growth.

57. Joining and participating in LinkedIn Groups: Suggest joining relevant LinkedIn Groups and participating in discussions to network with like-minded professionals and share expertise.

58. Engaging with company posts: Encourage employees to like, comment, and share company posts to increase their reach and visibility.

59. Responding to comments on your posts: Teach employees the importance of responding to comments on their posts to foster engagement and build relationships.

60. Connecting with new contacts after events: Advise employees to connect with new contacts made at industry events to expand their professional network and if speaking at an event to include their LinkedIn profile at the beginning and end of their presentation.

61. Sending personalised connection requests: Encourage sending personalised messages with connection requests to increase the likelihood of acceptance and start meaningful conversations.

62. Endorsing colleagues’ skills: Motivate employees to endorse the skills of their colleagues, which can help build stronger professional relationships and mutual support.

63. Congratulating connections on milestones: Regularly congratulate connections on their career milestones, such as promotions or new jobs, to maintain active engagement.

Awh, that’s lovely Jeff. But to be clear we’re clapping for your wife.

64. Participating in LinkedIn conversations: Get involved in trending conversations on LinkedIn to increase visibility and showcase thought leadership.

65. Asking questions in posts to drive engagement: Post questions related to industry topics to encourage engagement and stimulate discussions within their network.

66. Engaging with influencers in your industry: Follow and engage with industry influencers to build relationships and increase visibility among a larger audience.

67. Sharing relevant industry reports and insights: Regularly share industry reports and insights, adding personal commentary to provide value and encourage discussion.

68. Participating in LinkedIn challenges: Join LinkedIn challenges or campaigns relevant to the industry to increase engagement and visibility.

69. Following and engaging with key industry hashtags: Track and engage with posts under key industry hashtags to stay updated and involved in relevant conversations.

70. Sharing user-generated content: Encourage employees to share user-generated content related to the company, such as client testimonials or employee highlights.

71. Tagging relevant connections in posts: Tag relevant connections in posts to draw attention and increase engagement.

72. Engaging with alumni groups: Join and actively participate in alumni groups to reconnect with former classmates and colleagues, and expand professional networks.

73. Celebrating international days relevant to your industry: Share posts celebrating international days or events that are significant to your industry, adding a personal touch.

74. Providing constructive comments on industry discussions: Regularly comment on industry discussions with constructive insights to build a reputation as a knowledgeable professional.

Personal Branding for Your Employees

75. Defining personal brand values: Encourage employees to identify and articulate their personal brand values that align with both their professional goals and the company’s mission.

76. Aligning personal brand with company values: Teach employees how to incorporate the company's core values into their personal branding efforts to create a cohesive and consistent message.

77. Showcasing expertise through posts: Advise employees to regularly share posts that highlight their expertise, such as industry insights, project successes, or thought leadership pieces.

78. Sharing personal achievements: Encourage employees to share their professional milestones and achievements to build credibility and inspire their network.

79. Posting regular updates: Suggest maintaining a consistent posting schedule to stay visible and relevant in their network's feed. Minimum twice per week but the more they post the faster their following will grow.

80. Using a consistent tone of voice: Guide employees in developing and maintaining a consistent tone of voice in their posts that reflects their personal brand.

81. Maintaining a professional yet approachable profile: Advise on balancing professionalism with approachability in their LinkedIn profile and interactions. We want your team to come access as experts - but human experts so reassure them that some personal content is a positive thing and they don’t have to speak in the exact same tone of voice as your company page!

82. Networking with industry leaders: Encourage employees to connect and engage with industry leaders to expand their network and gain valuable insights.

83. Speaking at or attending webinars and sharing insights: Motivate employees to participate in webinars as speakers or attendees and share key takeaways on LinkedIn.

Does anybody have any questions? No, not you. Someone else. No, not you Jeff, sit down!

84. Get personal: Linkedin is no longer just a CV database, it’s a place where humans connect, so let’s be human! While pics of your cat are totally fine it’s important to find a balance between the professional and personal!

Analytics and Improving Employee Performance on LinkedIn

85. Tracking post engagement metrics: Show employees how to track engagement metrics on their posts to understand what type of content resonates best with their audience.

86. Using LinkedIn analytics to measure profile views: Teach employees to use LinkedIn analytics to monitor profile views and understand who is visiting their profile.

87. Monitoring follower growth: Encourage employees to keep an eye on their follower count to gauge the growth of their network over time.

88. Analysing content performance: Guide employees on how to analyse the performance of their content to identify successful posts and areas for improvement.

89. Setting and reviewing LinkedIn goals: Advise employees to set specific LinkedIn goals (e.g., number of posts per month, engagement rates) and review their progress regularly.

90. Conducting quarterly LinkedIn audits: Encourage employees to audit their LinkedIn profiles and activity quarterly to ensure they are aligned with their goals and best practices.

91. Seeking feedback from peers on profile and content: Suggest employees ask for feedback from trusted colleagues on their LinkedIn profiles and content to gain new perspectives.

92. Implementing changes based on performance data: Teach employees how to make data-driven adjustments to their LinkedIn strategy based on analytics and feedback.

Tools and Resources for Improving LinkedIn Performance

93. Using LinkedIn Scheduler for posting: Introduce employees to LinkedIn’s scheduling tools to help them plan and post content consistently.

94. Leveraging LinkedIn Learning for skill development: Encourage employees to utilise LinkedIn Learning to continuously improve their professional skills and knowledge.

95. Automate content curation: Help your ambassadors surface relevant content by setting up Google alerts for new content from leading publishers or even your own blog page.

96. Using Canva for creating LinkedIn visuals: Teach employees how to use Canva to create visually appealing images and infographics for their LinkedIn posts, create and share a brand folder on Canva with approved logos, layouts and other graphic elements to keep the look on brand.

97. Accessing LinkedIn’s Resource Hub for updates: Encourage employees to regularly check LinkedIn’s Resource Hub for the latest tips, updates, and best practices.

98. Reading LinkedIn’s official blog for tips and news: Suggest following LinkedIn’s official blog to stay informed about new features, trends, and strategies.

99. Following LinkedIn influencers for inspiration: Recommend following LinkedIn influencers to gain inspiration and insights from leaders in their industry.

Incentives and Recognition for Your Employee Ambassadors

100. Creating an employee recognition programme: Develop a formal programme to recognise employees who are active and effective on LinkedIn.

Why aren’t you standing up and applauding, Deborah? 28 isn’t a high enough score for you? What do I have to do to earn your respect? 30? 35? When will it be enough Deborah! When?!

101. Offering incentives for top LinkedIn advocates: Provide tangible rewards such as bonuses, gift cards, or additional paid time off to employees who excel in LinkedIn advocacy.

102. Highlighting top posts in company newsletters: Feature employees' top-performing LinkedIn posts in the company newsletter to recognise their efforts and inspire others.

103. Gamifying LinkedIn activity with rewards: Create a points-based system where employees earn rewards for specific LinkedIn activities like posting, commenting, and sharing.

104. Hosting internal LinkedIn contests: Organise contests within the company to encourage LinkedIn activity, such as challenges for the most engaging post or the highest number of new connections.

105. Recognising top contributors in team meetings: Regularly acknowledge and celebrate top LinkedIn contributors during team meetings to motivate others.

106. Creating an “Employee Ambassador of the Month” award: Establish a monthly award for the employee who demonstrates exceptional LinkedIn activity and engagement.

107. Creating a wall of fame for LinkedIn advocates: Set up a digital or physical “wall of fame” to showcase employees who are LinkedIn stars.

108. Offering free courses or certifications as incentives: Provide access to relevant courses or certifications as rewards for LinkedIn engagement.

109. Offering tickets to industry events as prizes: Provide tickets to industry conferences or events as prizes for top LinkedIn performers.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Employee Advocacy Campaigns

110. Avoiding overposting or spamming connections: Educate employees on the importance of quality over quantity in their LinkedIn posts to avoid overwhelming their network.

111. Steering clear of overly promotional content: Teach employees to balance promotional content with valuable insights and personal updates to keep their audience engaged.

112. Handling negative feedback professionally: Provide guidance on responding to negative feedback or comments in a constructive and professional manner.

113. Maintaining consistent activity: Encourage employees to stay active on LinkedIn by regularly posting, commenting, and engaging with their network.

114. Avoiding controversial or sensitive topics: Guide employees to steer clear of controversial or sensitive topics that could harm their professional image or the company’s reputation.

115. Keep your brand visuals on point: Keep an eye on your teammates’ use of logos and visual assets and offer additional support if you see logos being used incorrectly or a training need if someone has gone rogue on Canva. While we want everyone to use their individual voices, it’s still important that we represent our brands at a good level; if additional design resource is needed, make it available; empowering your team as another comms channel is just as important as making content for your company page.

Conclusion

Empowering your team to become active and effective LinkedIn advocates can significantly enhance your organisation's visibility, engagement, and overall success. By implementing these 115 actionable techniques, you can help your employees build their personal brands while driving growth for your company. Whether it's through consistent content creation, strategic engagement, or comprehensive analytics, each step contributes to a robust LinkedIn presence.

I can help!

Do you need LinkedIn training for your team? I offer individual masterclasses or a series of lunchtime learning webinars that will take your team from novices to thought leaders in just a few sessions! These can be delivered virtually or in person and can be as interactive and as bespoke as you need them to be.

Need help creating a fully-rounded employee advocacy campaign? I've successfully helped major brands quadruple their application rates and generated millions of engagements for small tech start-ups by putting this advice into action in a structured and realistic plan. Get in touch if you'd like help in getting started - book some time in my diary for a quick chat!

The Ultimate Guide to Employee Advocacy: 115 Techniques To Empower Your Team, Drive Engagement and Build Brand Awareness on Social Media