Element 3: Consider visual formats that drive engagement - LinkedIn Tutorial

- The first thing your content has to do is stand out in a scrollable feed. You could have the best insights in the world, but you need people to actually stop scrolling to engage with those insights. Visuals are gonna play a very key role here. And visuals doesn't just mean photos. I think a lot of people think of photos, but it could also be infographics or a chart, or even a short-form video can really help your message stand out. Your visuals should also support the point that you're trying to make in your post. Don't just add a visual to get eyeballs to the post. It should be related. And I wanna double-click on short-form video. It is one of the the most effective ways to stand out on LinkedIn right now. And it really doesn't need to be professionally produced. I think that's another common misconception. Just grab your phone, find a bright or quiet space, and turn your next post into a video post. And to walk the walk here, I'm actually gonna shoot a clip now for you and I'll post a video using this clip on my profile. You can check it out. Are we ready here? Are we on video? We are. Okay. Amazing. Here we are. We are in studio shooting right now. And it's a super long day today, so to keep the energy up between takes, I'm doing something a little rogue, but I am letting out a big, sometimes fake belly laugh that then will crack me up as we go into each take, and it just keeps it feeling really fresh and warm and high energy as we knock out so many scenes today. So now I'm gonna cut back to myself and do a big belly laugh and we'll go to the next clip. Are we ready? (instructor laughs heartily) That's my tip, but if you want some more tips on short-form video, I've called up my friend, Julia Munslow. She is an editor at the "Wall Street Journal" and she makes amazing video content for her LinkedIn and she's got loads of tips for you. - When I'm thinking about videos, I'll think about whether the piece has a lot of visuals, whether there's an opportunity for myself or another journalist to really show their personality through a video and engage the audience in that way. But really, at the end of the day, I think the key is thinking about what kind of visuals you have available to you and how you can make them shine and tell the story in the best possible way using video. - And more on the advice front. What other advice might you have for someone who feels really intimidated by the idea of making their first video? - I think that the key is to just go for it and to create a safe space for yourself to experiment and practice. Really, the first step to any of this is just pulling out your phone and recording yourself. And know that that video never has to be published anywhere. It's really just about first getting comfortable on camera. Ultimately, I think that the key is preparation, practice, and reminding yourself that you are an expert on the topic that you're speaking about. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. You don't have to do what other people are doing on LinkedIn. Just think about what your strengths are, what your interests are, and talk about those on camera. - Just remember, if you're including a visual or a video that is not your own, get permission from the original creator and cite your sources.