LinkedIn - a copywriters paradise and hell

For writers, LinkedIn can be paradise and hell at the same time.

Paradise:

1. There are so many awesome writers here!

Let's take Saurabh, Finn and Nico as an example:

I never thought that I would work with writing.

But there is something appealing in a well-written and crisp text that breaks downs a complicated topic and leaves you with a sensation of:

"Yeah, that makes total sense!"

Those posts hooked me and got me interested in writing as a professional skill.

Today the list of great writers I follow gets bigger week by week and I draw a big amount of inspiration from it.

2. You get direct feedback from members and readers.

Unlike blog posts or newsletter articles, you get direct feedback and see what resonates with other people and what does not.

Not only through your posts but also through following other writers and their posts.

This contributes to your understanding of interests and writing styles and helps you to evolve.

3. It's "easy" to gain reach.

Sure, easy is relative. Even on LinkedIn, reach doesn't come for free. You consistently have to invest time and effort.

But try to do the same thing with a blog!

It doesn't matter how good your writing is. If nobody finds your blog, your articles will lead a lonely existence on google page 5.231.

LinkedIn network effects make it easier for you to gain reach as a newcomer and unknown writer.

Hell:

1. Distraction and comparison.

Yes, there are excellent writers on LinkedIn. Following them will lead to your understanding of writing styles and inspire you.

But: It's SO easy to get sucked into the feed!

Worse: Especially if you are just starting to write, it can be very discouraging to see how much engagement other writers get.

(Especially if their articles seem to be way shallower and simpler than yours - often favored on Linkedin).

2. Character limit of 3000 characters.

LinkedIn has different writing styles, but they are all limited by the trenches of 3.000 characters in each post.

Posting on LinkedIn will develop your skills of conciseness and clearness in expression.

But it's not the best platform for creativity and long-form writing.

3. Victimized by algorithms and public interest.

This is something I struggle a lot with myself:

If you want to establish yourself on LinkedIn, you can't just write how and about whatever you want.

Specific topics and writing styles (clickbaity claims, engaging CTAs, etc.) will perform better than others.

It doesn't matter how good your message and intentions are. If you ignore algorithms and public interests, you'll reach nobody.

This can sabotage freedom of thought and expression and eradicate uniqueness in writing and thinking.

What is LinkedIn for you?

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