According to research by Global WebIndex, 53.6% of the world’s population uses some form of social media. Deciding how much of our personal lives to share online isn’t always easy. This is especially the case when determining what to post on professional platforms such as LinkedIn.
How it Started
Unlike other social media sites of its time, LinkedIn established itself as a medium for business and employment. The emphasis has always been on the career development of its members. For instance, on LinkedIn you have a network with ‘connections’ (as opposed to ‘friends’).
Early users were only able to connect with people they knew personally or who were referred to them in their network. This helped give LinkedIn the professional edge because it made your network more exclusive and greatly reduced the number of unsolicited invites users received.
How it’s Going
LinkedIn is now the world’s largest professional networking site with over 774 million users in more than 200 countries worldwide. Although it’s a business platform, LinkedIn is also a social media site. Over time, many members have become more comfortable sharing personal details about themselves, while others consider it unprofessional to share personal information that isn’t business related. Striking the right balance with your LinkedIn profile can be challenging.
Things to Keep in Mind When Sharing on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn is fundamentally a business and employment platform and is therefore an online extension of your resume.
- There is a posting etiquette on LinkedIn which differs to that of other social media platforms.
- Given that it’s your professional profile and network, ask yourself if what you’re wanting to post is work related or work appropriate.
- Some members consider it an inappropriate platform for sharing personal posts. However, sharing some anecdotes and aspects of your personality on your LinkedIn can help add colour and make your page more appealing.
- A good rule might be to keep 80-90% of the content you share connected to your skills and professional life. Then the last 10-20% can be for personal content.
- There’s no right or wrong approach, it really depends on what you’re personally comfortable with.