What was once a platform used for job searches and digital résumé posting is now an essential tool for business leaders to connect their knowledge, interests and community impact to their followers. In today’s digital age, business leaders can and should utilize LinkedIn to signal their values, build valuable connections and become advocates for change.
With a shift spearheaded by younger generations entering the workforce, engaging with followers in a value-driven way is more important now than ever. Employees, customers, community leaders and even social media algorithms expect philanthropic efforts throughout corporate culture. In fact, according to re:Charity, 71% of employees believe it’s important to work at companies that choose to give back to the community.
LinkedIn is the perfect platform for an organization to share its community commitments. With the latest algorithm changes happening earlier this year, the platform now prioritizes longer-form, value-driven posts, which means that traditional, generic or self-serving posts are increasingly ignored in favor of thoughtful conversations driven by experts.
Keeping in mind the emphasis on meaningful conversations, here are five tactics organizations can utilize in their next LinkedIn post — to ensure engagement, momentum and reach with return.
Announce corporate and community partnerships with purpose: Instead of simply announcing a collaboration with a nonprofit partner, organizations should share why a partnership matters. Audiences care about intentionality behind important decisions. What is the “why”? How does the collaboration benefit the company? How does it benefit the community partner? What impact goals have been set out together? It’s important to tell the story behind the larger announcement.
Delve into important issues: Organizations should address real issues facing their community. With shifting priorities, audiences look to leaders for guidance. If a company is investing in specific areas, it should share the reasoning behind those choices.
Highlight the heroes among the community partners and employees: Organizations should share stories from their partners and community and from the impact they create together. Share stories of employee giving and engagement in the community. What was the overarching goal, and what did the organization do to achieve it? How did it contribute to company culture? What was the final impact? It’s important to share the human side of corporate giving and volunteerism.
Share the personal story: Audiences resonate with stories, not just statements or statistics. Organizations should be authentic and embrace the ability to post long-form on LinkedIn. Leaders can share how their perspective changed as a leader, and their personal connection to a cause. They can use their platform to amplify other stories from around the community — whether it’s a quote from a mentor/mentee relationship or a family positively impacted by a grant.
Invite others to join: Leaders can loop in their network to join them in corporate philanthropy. Not only does this foster deeper connections between businesses, but it also amplifies impact and community stewardship. Leaders can frame it as a movement, with their company at the forefront.
Corporate engagement, philanthropy and volunteerism build stronger relationships and communities. When business leaders put intention behind their posts, they set a new standard for community leadership. With returns on investment in personal branding, employee engagement and corporate impact, LinkedIn becomes more than a platform simply for networking; it becomes a force for good.
Tamera Skrovan is chief of staff and brand at Valley of the Sun United Way. Valley of the Sun United Way envisions a community where every child, family and individual is healthy, has a safe place to live and every opportunity to succeed in school, work and life.
