Is LinkedIn Creator Mode Right for You?
If you've recently received about a dozen invitations to subscribe to someone's newsletter on LinkedIn, you're not alone!
LinkedIn recently made some changes with Digital Creator Mode, and those who have faithfully been posting regular articles to LinkedIn have found themselves with access to the elusive, exclusive LinkedIn newsletter feature.
I've been in the DMs with many of you asking about how to get the Newsletter or LinkedIn Live feature.
Well, first steps first, you must understand the power of Digital Creator Mode and whether or not it's a good fit for you.
As much hype as there is around it for those of us who like to think we know a little about LinkedIn, it's NOT the best fit for every person on LinkedIn.
In this Mondays with Mindi episode, we get into the pros and cons of Digital Creator Mode, so that you will know EXACTLY whether (or not) it will help you scale your impact or grow your network.
What's the hype around LinkedIn Creator Mode?
You must understand the power of LinkedIn Creator Mode and whether or not it's a good fit for you.
As much hype as there is around it for those of us who like to think we know a little about LinkedIn, it's NOT the best fit for every person on LinkedIn.
It all depends on your goals for your LinkedIn profile - whether or not you should turn it on!
In a nutshell, LinkedIn Creator Mode is going to be the best fit for those of you eager to build thought leadership and who share a good amount of content on LinkedIn.
But, there are a few caveats to that piece of advice, especially if you’re just starting out on LinkedIn and have yet to build up a solid network.
One mistake that people make when it comes to updating their profile is that they think they should immediately turn on LinkedIn Creator Mode because they see it as an available option. If all these other experts are using it, shouldn’t you?
Thing is that not every LinkedIn profile will benefit from using LinkedIn Creator Mode unless they understand the pros and cons of turning it on (or when to turn it off!)
I’ve had some people reach out to me to tell me that their search appearances plummeted as soon as they turned it on.
Others report the exact opposite that now they are getting more traction than ever on LinkedIn.
So what’s the difference between the two experiences?!
It’s knowing exactly who LinkedIn Creator Mode is for AND the timing of when you should turn it on or toggle it back off.
Just turning it on to get some cool hashtags below your name is NOT going to necessarily help you grow your LinkedIn network or start racking up more followers.
Let’s talk about what you need to know FIRST.
When to turn ON LinkedIn Creator Mode?
LinkedIn Creator Mode was created by LinkedIn with the intention to provide LinkedIn content creators with a suite of tools they can use to better connect with their audiences, especially if they tend to share an array of content and be pretty active on LinkedIn.
Here are my rules for turning ON LinkedIn Creator Mode:
When you’re already actively sharing content weekly (or more frequently)
When you have decided that you want to use LinkedIn Live
When you are regularly publishing LinkedIn articles and want to get the newsletter feature
When you already have 500+ (ideally 1000+) LinkedIn connections, and you’re not worried about whether or not people actually connect with you -- it’s okay if they just “follow” you.
Here’s my rule for turning OFF LinkedIn Creator Mode:
When your search appearances or profile views are dramatically dropping
When you have less than 1000 connections and are actively trying to get more connections
When you are on LinkedIn to do social selling and want to make it as EASY as possible for prospects to connect with you and start up a conversation
When you are not sharing content at least weekly
Make sense? So, it all depends on how you’re planning to use your LinkedIn profile.
The Five Perks to LinkedIn Creator Mode
I’m going to share my screen here, so you can see what I’m referring to with LinkedIn Creator Mode - what it looks like and the benefits of how it all works if you’ve decided, “Okay, Mindi! I’m a content creator and am ready to turn it on!”
Who likes to get a little nerdy? Let’s take a look at LinkedIn, so you can understand how to use LinkedIn Creator Mode.
#1 - Your Five Hashtags
Choose five hashtags that best describe the content you share and your areas of expertise. Pick 3 really popular hashtags (and you can see my recent Livestream where I nerded out on all things hashtags to figure out what to put here!) The other two hashtags can be product-specific or hashtags you created yourself that are directly related to your programs, products, services.
You can display the topics you post about in your profile introduction as hashtags. This will make it easier for other LinkedIn members to discover your content and follow you.
#2 - You Get the Follow Button
Instead of seeing “Connect” as the CTA on your LinkedIn profile, you’re going to have a button that says “Follow.” People can still send you a connection request, but they have to know where to look to find where to send you a connection request. LinkedIn will also give them a message that says “you prefer to be followed.”
LinkedIn will display the number of followers you have at the top of your profile.
#3 - Highlight Your Original Content
LinkedIn will highlight your original content on your profile by moving your Featured and Activity sections to be first on your profile.
The Activity section on your profile will no longer include your likes, comments and other activities, but they will still be available when you click on See all activity).
#4 - Eligibility to be Featured
You become eligible to be featured as a suggested creator to follow so potential followers can discover you and your content across LinkedIn.
Not sure if this is as important unless you already have a huge network of followers and a lot of influence, but it’s not a bad thing.
#5 - Access to Creator Tools
You will get access to creator tools like LinkedIn Live Video and the LinkedIn Newsletter feature if you meet the access criteria. They are still gradually rolling out creator tool access to all members in the coming months, so it’s not available to all Creators yet.
You’ll know if you have it by looking in the Creator Mode Edit Hub.
So there you have it! If you’re curious about turning on LinkedIn Creator Mode, you now will know whether or not you SHOULD turn it on and WHEN to turn it on.
Turn it on: when you create a lot of content and plan to build a following around the content you’re sharing.
Keep it off: when you want to build up your LinkedIn network and aren’t currently sharing a lot of content so that you can continue to get more connections (with whom you can have two-way conversations!)
If you’re looking for that extra edge to get you started on the right path with LinkedIn, get on the waitlist for the next cohort of The LinkedIn Accelerator kicking off at the beginning of 2022, which is tailored to take you through ALL of the sections on your LinkedIn profile (and goes deeper into Creator mode) in just five days flat - - one week, and you’re off to the LinkedIn races. If you’re interested, here’s the link to get on the waitlist and find out a few more details.
