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Tired of chasing TikTok trends? Exhausted by the endless deluge of memes? Fortunately for today’s in-house counsel, using social media well for your career does not require creating buzzworthy content.
Lee Betancourt, senior vice president of business transformation at Edelman, and Lauren Ruvo, founder and coach at LMR Coaching LLC, joined ACC CHRO Patricia (PJ) Trudeau for a conversation about social media best practices.
Instead of focusing on being trendy, here are tips for building a strong, professional social media presence, especially on LinkedIn:
1. Position yourself as an expert.
Posting yourself is a great way to build a professional brand. Think about what unique experience and expertise you bring to the fold, and then hold yourself to a routine to make sure you are posting regularly. And don’t forget to engage with comments — or to get out there and comment on relevant posts from your colleagues.
Pro tip: Use “Views are my own” language to ensure that your posts on social media are separated from your professional employment.
2. Stay updated on industry trends.
Follow many sources of information on social media so you can keep up-to-date with the latest news and thought leadership in your industry.
3. Bridge the professional and the personal.
Use anecdotes from your personal life to weigh in on topics adjacent to your professional life. Sharing these stories can help with engagement and draw new connections with shared interests.
4. Keep in touch with colleagues.
LinkedIn is the modern-day Rolodex. Use it actively to stay connected with current, former, or potential future coworkers.
5. Expand your horizons.
Build connections beyond just your in-person network. LinkedIn removes the barriers for outreach, so don’t hesitate to reach out to someone new. But be sure to personalize your message so you don’t come across as insincere — or confused for a bot.
6. Think about new mediums.
Vary your content (e.g., audio or video) so that it feels fresh and unique. Motivational content or behind-the-scenes content tend to do well, but try different approaches and see what works best with your audience.
Pro tip: Time your posts to industry or association conferences (e.g., ACC’s Annual Meeting) to grab extra attention.
7. Find that next job, if you’re looking.
Set up job alerts to help filter through new postings. Follow companies on LinkedIn, especially those outside your area of expertise, to learn industry-specific key terms and gain insight on what professionals are talking about.
While LinkedIn remains the primary social network for in-house lawyers, there are opportunities to grow your presence on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. But working through your company’s marketing or communications team to post via the company’s account can ensure the posts on these platforms get the maximum reach — and remain on brand.
Learn more tips about taking your personal social media strategy from crawl to walk to run by registering and watching the full program on demand.
