Sharing posts is a great way to spread content and engage with your LinkedIn connections. Here is a quick guide on how to properly share posts from LinkedIn pages on the platform.
What Does Sharing a Post on LinkedIn Do?
When you share a post on LinkedIn, it will appear in the feeds of your connections. Sharing a post allows you to get more eyeballs on content you find valuable. Your connections can then engage with the post by commenting, liking, and resharing it themselves.
Sharing also allows you to add your own thoughts on the post through comments. You can provide extra context, insights, or opinions when sharing content created by others.
Some key benefits of sharing posts on LinkedIn include:
- Increasing reach and visibility of posts
- Spreading ideas and information quickly
- Engaging your professional network
- Commenting on and discussing trending topics
- Establishing yourself as an influencer and thought leader
- Driving traffic to external sites
How to Share a Post on LinkedIn
Sharing a post from a LinkedIn page you follow is simple. Here are the steps:
- While viewing a post on a LinkedIn page, click the Share icon below the post text (it looks like an arrow curve pointing right).
- A sharing window will pop up. The post text, images, and link will automatically populate.
- Add your own thoughts or commentary in the text field.
- Select which audience you want to share with: your connections, the public, or a specific group.
- Click the Share button to post.
The post will now appear in the feeds of your selected audience with your added commentary.
What Can be Shared?
You can share nearly any type of post from a LinkedIn page, including:
- Articles
- Images
- Videos
- Links
- Documents
- Presentations
- Text updates
- Job listings
- Polls and questions
The goal is to share content that would interest and resonate with your professional network. Think about usefulness, relevance, and quality over the quantity of shares.
Best Practices for Sharing
To get the most out of sharing posts on LinkedIn, keep these tips in mind:
- Add value with your comments. Offer insights and opinions rather than just saying “Great post!”
- Share sparingly. 1-2 shares per day is usually a good target.
- Vary your sources. Share posts from different LinkedIn pages and authors.
- Attribute properly. Make sure to tag the original poster if you share their content.
- Strike a balance between personal posts and shares.
- Analyze engagement. See which kinds of shares generate the most likes and comments.
- Follow the 80/20 rule. Share about 80% non-promotional content from others and 20% promotional content about yourself or your company.
Should You Always Include Your Own Commentary?
It’s generally recommended to include some commentary when reshares posts, but it’s not absolutely necessary every time. Here are some cases where you may want to share posts without additional comments:
- When sharing very short posts like quotes or announcements
- When resharing your own company/brand posts from your business page
- When resharing a post you were tagged in or mentioned
- When sharing very time-sensitive posts like events happening today
- When you want the original post to speak for itself
However, in most cases, adding your perspective or relating the post to your own experiences when sharing is considered a best practice. A few sentences is all it takes to provide meaningful commentary.
Things to Avoid When Sharing
To keep your LinkedIn profile professional, here are some things to avoid when sharing posts:
- Oversharing – stick to 1-2 shares per day max
- Sharing without reading the full post
- Sharing controversial political or social justice posts
- Sharing inappropriate or explicit content
- Sharing every single post from one source
- Automatically sharing posts without adding value
- Making every share an obvious self-promotional plug
Analyzing Your Shares
LinkedIn provides data on how your shares are performing. To view metrics:
- Go to your LinkedIn Analytics page
- Under the Posts section, view the Shares and Clicks tabs
- See total shares, clicks, top shared posts, audience demographics, and more
Analyze this data regularly to refine your sharing strategy. You can see which kinds of posts and commentary resonate most with your audience.
Conclusion
Sharing posts is an important way to engage your network and add value on LinkedIn. By sharing thoughtfully, providing unique insights, and analyzing performance, you can build stronger connections and expand your reach.
Focus on quality over quantity, and make sure any post you share would be relevant to your professional audience. With the proper sharing strategy, you can boost your brand and become an influential voice on the platform.
| Content Type | Best Practices |
|---|---|
| Articles | Share articles with insights and experiences relevant to your industry. Add analysis on key points. |
| Images | Use images that convey emotions and connections. Add descriptive captions. |
| Videos | Share interesting speeches, interviews, and more. Give your reaction in the commentary. |
| Presentations | Share slides and charts that provide data. Summarize key takeaways. |
| Job Postings | Share openings at your company. Express excitement at hiring. |
This table outlines best practices when sharing specific types of content on LinkedIn, such as sharing articles in your industry, captioning images, and highlighting key data from presentations.
FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about sharing posts on LinkedIn:
How many times can I reshare a post?
You can reshare a specific post up to 100 times. However, resharing that frequently is not recommended, as it would likely be seen as spammy to your connections.
Can I share a post and send it as a message at the same time?
Yes, when sharing a post you can select the “Send as a Message” option to share it both to your feed and directly message specific connections at the same time.
Does sharing a post automatically like/endorse it?
No, sharing a post does not automatically like or endorse the content. You have to specifically click the Like button to like a post in addition to sharing it.
Can I share a post and follow the person who created it at the same time?
LinkedIn doesn’t currently have an option to follow someone when sharing their post. You have to navigate to their profile and click Follow separately after sharing the post.
Will all my connections see the post if I share to Public?
When you share a post to Public, it will have the chance to appear in the feed of all your connections, but may not appear for every single connection due to LinkedIn’s algorithm.
Social Media Comparison
Here is how sharing posts on LinkedIn compares to sharing on other social platforms:
| Platform | Sharing Features | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Share with commentary to your network or groups. analytics provided. | Share professional content to build brand and connections. | |
| Share posts, images, videos. Target specific friends or groups. | Share personal news, ideas, and interests with friends. | |
| Retweet posts. Quote tweets to add commentary. | Share news, ideas, opinions, and trends publicly. | |
| Repin others’ pins. Organize content with boards. | Collect and share visual inspiration. |
While all social networks allow sharing content, LinkedIn is unique in its focus on professional networking and building your brand through valuable commentary.
The Takeaway
Sharing relevant posts with insights tailored to your network is a key LinkedIn strategy to engage your connections. Always keep your audience in mind when considering what to share. The more value your commentary provides, the more effective your shares will be.
Focus on quality thought leadership over spammy self-promotion. With strategic sharing, you can enhance your brand and become a trusted voice in your industry.