LinkedIn Gets Contented

In an evolution of its Influencers program, LinkedIn recently announced the rollout of its publishing platform to 25,000 users. The company says all 277 million LinkedIn users will eventually be able to publish long-form content on the site, just like prominent contributors do now. The Influencers program has been very successful for LinkedIn in terms of user engagement, and the quality of the posts is high.

What will this new LinkedIn feature mean to you? That likely depends on your resources and where your content already is (or isn’t). News flash, I know – but still requiring of careful consideration. With so much real estate available for your content these days, choosing what to call home – or even where to make the occasional visit – isn’t so easy. Here are some pros and cons of your coming ability to publish on the world’s largest professional networking site.

Yay!

– Control.

The platform is yours, presumably with very minimal gatekeeping. LinkedIn warns about copyright infringement and self-serving advertising, but the potential to showcase yourself is undeniable, and the content becomes part of your company or personal profile.

– Audience.

The news feed puts what you’ve published right in front of your connections and anyone who chooses to follow you. Posts can be found through an article search on the site, and LinkedIn will independently distribute posts it likes site-wide and perhaps beyond.

– Metrics.

Access page views, likes, followers, and other performance metrics from your profile.

Nay?

– Flood of crap content.

Low-quality contributions are inevitable. Posts and comments already vary in quality, and this new feature gives more ground for everyone to play, pro and amateur alike.

– Possible SEO impact.

Because of domain authority issues, it’s possible that content you choose to publish on LinkedIn could outrank its original home (i.e., your company website) during search. Read about a few ways to address this.

Time will provide more insight into whether and how best to use this new platform (hey, technical considerations can’t be the only reason LinkedIn is opting for a phased rollout). But especially if your lack of traditional publishing clout calls for smarts and creativity, the platform promises a reach and credibility not easily found elsewhere.

Emily Smith – Editor