My Biggest Mistake on LinkedIn: Chasing Virality Over Authenticity

I wanted to share some thoughts on a topic that's become quite important in the professional digital space, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. It's about the choice between chasing viral content versus cultivating an authentic personal brand. Let's dive in.

Introduction

It's pretty common to get caught up in the pursuit of viral posts on LinkedIn, aiming for instant recognition and a wide audience. But let's be real, this often leads to short-lived excitement and unnecessary stress without much in the way of real business growth. On the flip side, focusing on authenticity and providing genuine, value-driven content is not just more sustainable, but it also sets you up for long-term success.

The Allure of Virality

LinkedIn is where many of us try to showcase our expertise and build a professional image.

It's understandable why virality is so tempting. Getting thousands of likes and comments on a post provides a quick dopamine hit and can make you feel good about yourself. Amassing more followers translates into a larger potential audience for your content. Crafting clickbait headlines and eye-catching graphics grabs more attention in a crowded newsfeed.

In the short term, optimizing strictly for virality leads to positive reinforcement:

• More reactions make you feel successful
• More followers signal social proof
• More clickbait drives more views

This forms an addictive cycle of chasing the next viral post just to reproduce these feelings and metrics.

The rush from a post going viral is undeniably great – it's like a seal of approval, making us feel seen and successful. The problem? This success is often just smoke and mirrors that don't lead to solid business results.

The Virality Trap

However, several problems emerge when virality becomes your north star:

• Inauthenticity: Tailoring all your content to maximize views often means distorting your true personality and interests. You end up posting inauthentically just to play to the algorithm.
• Stress: The pressure to constantly one-up your last viral post becomes mentally taxing. You develop anxiety about how each piece of content will perform.

When the quest for virality takes over, we sometimes lose ourselves in creating content just for clicks, sidelining what's truly meaningful. This can skew our core message and values and lead to a stressful cycle where numbers trump real connection and content quality.

A More Sustainable Approach

So, what's the solution? Authenticity. Being genuine on LinkedIn doesn't mean you can't craft engaging posts; it's about using those skills to truly represent your professional self.

Building a Genuine Brand

Creating a personal brand should be about honesty, not just following trends. Share your real journey, the ups and downs, and stay true to your values, even if it doesn't always fit the popular narrative.

Prioritizing Value

Remember, it's about how your content can help others, not just how flashy it looks. Meaningful contributions to your network are the real investments that lead to growth – the kind that truly counts.

What to Do

• Be Your True Self: Post content that genuinely reflects your passions, expertise, and unique experiences. Don't distort yourself just to play to what's currently trending.
• Optimize for Value: Focus on sharing advice, insights, and ideas that provide real value to your audience. Helpful, thoughtful content drives engagement over the long-term.
• Let Views Come Second: If you create authentic, high-value content, the reach and reactions will come naturally. But don't make vanity metrics the end goal.
• Using Actual Stories and Anecdotes: Sharing actual stories and anecdotes makes your content relatable and memorable. It humanizes your brand and allows your network to connect with you on a deeper level. These narratives provide context and color to your professional journey, making your experiences and lessons more tangible to others. Plus, they're just more enjoyable to read and can leave a lasting impression.
• Embracing Simplicity in Language
  Adding to this, using simple, clear language is crucial. It's not about dumbing down our message, but rather ensuring it's accessible to everyone. Steer clear of jargon and complex terms that can alienate your audience. The goal is to communicate, not to impress with fancy words.
• Avoiding a Salesy Tone
  Equally important is to avoid sounding like a sales pitch. People are inundated with advertisements and sales content daily; they crave real interactions and learning. Share insights and solutions rather than just promoting products or services. This approach fosters trust and demonstrates your value in a more organic and engaging way.

The Outcome of Authenticity

Choosing authenticity may mean a slower rise in followers, but the quality of your connections and the business opportunities that come your way will be much more in tune with your actual professional objectives. This is the success that feels right and benefits your career in the long run.

Chasing likes might seem tempting, but building a genuine presence and focusing on providing real value is what will make your personal brand resilient and truly rewarding.

Do these insights resonate with you. Let's discuss further!