Podcast: Maximizing LinkedIn for Authors and Thought Leaders
Rachael Robinson is every author’s secret weapon. Rachael helps authors and experts create meaningful, impactful, and authentic LinkedIn strategies to help them
grow visibility for their ideas, book, and brand.
In this episode of All Things Book Marketing Podcast, Marissa Eigenbrood, Smith Publicity’s President, dives into a conversation with Rachael on theimportance for professionals–especially nonfiction authors and business thought leaders–to refine their LinkedIn strategies.
In the episode, they explore the vast opportunities that LinkedIn presents and shared tips for leveraging its potential effectively. Here’s a condensed version of their conversation, packed with actionable insights to amplify your presence on LinkedIn.
Why LinkedIn?
LinkedIn remains a pure and positive platform within the often tumultuous world of social media, focusing on professional networking and thought leadership. High school students are even gravitating towards it due to the supportive and achievement-focused community it fosters. It remains a space to celebrate
professional milestones and personal growth in a constructive environment.
Authenticity is Key
At its core, LinkedIn thrives on genuine stories. Authentic storytelling not only sets you apart from AI-generated content but also builds meaningful connections with your audience. Sharing personal anecdotes, failures, and successes related to your professional journey fosters trust and engagement. It’s not about airing every personal detail, but about creating relatable, human-centered content that resonates with your audience.
Getting Started with LinkedIn
- Optimize Your Profile: Update your profile picture, refine your headline to succinctly describe your role and expertise, and enhance your cover image with relevant visuals like your book cover or media logos.
- Utilize the About Section: Craft a compelling narrative in the About section that reflects your thought leadership, focusing more on storytelling rather than listing achievements like a resume.
- Leverage Features: Make use of the Featured section to spotlight key accomplishments, such as recent TED talks or pre-order links for your book.
Content Strategy for New Users
- Begin with a reintroduction post to refresh your connections on who you are and what you offer.
- Schedule regular content sharing, starting with repurposing existing content, such as blog excerpts or book content.
- Create a mix of personal insights and professional tips to maintain a balance of engagement and authority
Sustaining Consistency
Maintaining a consistent posting schedule is crucial. Start by aiming for three posts a week, focusing on quality over quantity. Engage with your community by repurposing other thought leaders’ content and adding your commentary. If you encounter a slump, switch up your content formats or host engaging activities like polls to rekindle interactions.
LinkedIn Trends and 2025 Forecast
- Video Content: Video reach increased by 25% in 2024. Though not mandatory, experimenting with short, authentic videos can amplify your engagement.
- Decline of Community Top Voice Badges: With AI’s rise, LinkedIn has streamlined its recognition system, focusing more on quality content.
- Newsletter Engagement: With engagement up by 47%, newsletters represent an untapped opportunity to reach and maintain your audience.
Navigating AI Challenges
While AI can aid in generating ideas or enhancing structure, avoid relying on it to create content entirely. Maintaining a human touch ensures authenticity, builds trust, and preserves your unique voice amid AI’s growing influence.
In summary, as we venture into 2025, LinkedIn remains an invaluable tool for thought leaders, one where true authenticity and strategic engagement can significantly bolster your brand. Let’s embrace these strategies and trends to elevate our LinkedIn presence and foster meaningful professional growth. Here’s to an exciting year ahead!
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Rachael Robertson is a LinkedIn strategist and consultant who specializes in elevating the presence and expert brands of non-fiction authors in fields like leadership, business, health and wellness, and workplace culture.
She has worked with clients worldwide, crafting personalized strategies and content to enhance book sales, launch speaking careers, turn books into business cards, and establish authors as thought leaders. As a solopreneur, Rachael prides herself on limiting her client roster to ensure she provides the maximum flexibility and dedicated attention that a book launch demands.
Not one to shy away from challenges, Rachael embarked on a transformative journey in 2018, thru-hiking all 2,190.9 miles of the Appalachian Trail. This adventure honed her resilience, self-motivation, and problem-solving abilities—skills she seamlessly integrates into all of her professional endeavors and client collaborations.
When she is not immersed in LinkedIn strategies, Rachael can be found outside exploring nature or enjoying quiet moments on her back porch with a good book and her two cats.
You are welcome to connect with Rachael on LinkedIn, where she shares more insights and tips for business leaders and authors.
For more insights about book publicity and book marketing, visit Smith Publicity and subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on upcoming podcast episodes.