There is no getting away from the fact that numbers really do matter on LinkedIn. There’s a reason LinkedIn puts them right next to the headshot on EVERYONE’S LinkedIn Profile.
You’ll read from a few people with 10,000+ followers telling you that the number of followers doesn’t matter. But that’s mostly bollox. They weren’t saying that when they were sat at 50 followers.
Can We Agree To Agree?
So can you and me, now that you’re here, just agree that you and I do care about the numbers?
There is without doubt a deep need for authenticity on LinkedIn. It’s especially vital for prospective Thought Leaders! But let’s not allow “being the authentic-me” to get in the way of growing your numbers, unless you’re planning on being a LinkedIn Thought Leader on Authenticity.
The Headline Numbers
These are literally shown next to the headline on EVERYONE’S LinkedIn profile.
- Number of Followers
- Number of Connections (Shown as 500+ once you acquire 501 connections)
I’m not a psychologist, but I do understand the draw of higher profile numbers when I’m considering following someone. I’m certainly more likely to take a punt on following someone who has bigger numbers, rather than just move on. I’m far more inclined to be more discerning when it comes to people with low numbers. Right or wrong… that’s the LinkedIn numbers game at play right there.
So with that in mind, what’s you number?
My Number
My number is simply “more than last week”. It’s a great number! It’s the best number! This is a marathon, not a sprint. My number comes with absolutely no pressure or stress. Once I settled on “more than last week” I became more interested and focused on just creating good content. The numbers will take care of themselves if you’re creating content that people want to read and engage with.
Do not think for minute I don’t care about the numbers. I do! I regularly monitor the performance of my posts and articles to determine optimal activity in the future, but often I just say “f**k it!” and hit the post button.
Fox Tucker
More Public Numbers
- Number of Post Engagements
- Number of Post Comments
- Number of Reposts
Why These Matter:
On my own posts these act as a quick snapshot of how a post is resonating with my followers.
When viewing other users posts I don”t care too much, but I’m less likely to join in the conversation if the numbers are high as I don’t think my comment is likely to cut through all the noise. I’m wrong course. I should comment anyway, but time is my most valuable resource. I move on quickly.
These numbers matter for different reasons to different people. Some will always comment, some will never comment. I recommend commenting if you have time. I have to recommend that you make time. It will put you on the radar of the poster.
The Creator Mode Numbers
Activate Creator Mode to unlock these features.
- Number of Article Engagements
- Number of Article Comments
- Number of Newsletter Subscribers
The Private Numbers
- Number of Post Impressions
- Number of Article Impressions
- Number of Newsletter Edition Impressions
- Number of Profile Views
- Search Appearances (How often your profile appeared in search results)
Why these matter:
These give you a much better measure of performance over time. 7, 14, 28, 90, and 365 days analytics give you great insights. You can filter the stats by Job Title, Location, Industries, Seniority, Company, and Company Size.
Conclusion
Don’t let anyone convince you that the LinkedIn numbers don’t matter. They do! You just have to decide how much they mean to you.