How a trick on LinkedIn can help a piece of content go viral and why this visibility can do more harm than good. We answer these questions in this article.
It started at the end of 2019: some users took advantage of a new feature of LinkedIn's smartphone app. Clever images were used to prompt other users to double-click on the image. Here are two prominent examples:
Nobody wants an unlit tree at Christmas. Therefore, here is the invitation to make the Christmas tree light up by double-clicking:
Or for fans of Michael Jordan and Co:
There were quite a few similar examples. If a user followed this request and double-clicked, they gave the post a Like. In most cases, of course, this happened involuntarily. And: the promised action logically also failed to materialise: No Christmas tree was lit and there was no slam dunk either!
The Swiss law firm LinkedIn analysis 2021 by HeadStarterz.
The trick only works in the LinkedIn app. Anyone who visited LinkedIn via the internet browser on a laptop could click as much and fast as they wanted to – nothing happened (not even a Like). Until then, we knew this double-click function from Instagram. There, the Like via "double tap" has been known for a long time.
Why this claptrap? These posts generated a lot of attention for the publishing users. They received many (involuntary) likes. LinkedIn's algorithm was thrilled: Posts with this much engagement must be interesting. Consequently, LinkedIn pushed this content even further and granted it additional visibility.
Many of these posts went viral and collected thousands of likes. So the users were suddenly visible far beyond the boundaries of their followers on LinkedIn. So the absolute marketing dream?
As a joke at the introduction of this double-click function, such a post might have been funny – but only if you had this idea first and the integration into your own communication concept works accordingly. Beyond that, such posts are not useful. Here are a few reasons:
Especially in legal marketing, but also in the marketing of professional services in general, such activities are therefore not recommended. You risk your own reputation and damage your own branding more than you promote it.
The whole thing was copied quite quickly, used inflationarily and soon lost its effect. Today, these kinds of contributions have fortunately become rare again.
What else might interest you: How personal or private should I post on LinkedIn?
In digital marketing, social media platforms (e.g. LinkedIn) help us to make our expertise visible. Through targeted communication, we succeed in creating trust in this expertise. Success in social media is therefore based on consistency, frequency and quality.
The Swiss law firm LinkedIn analysis 2021 by HeadStarterz.
If you want to communicate and market your own expertise profitably, you should position yourself as a helpful, interesting discussion partner. After all, social media are not named that way by chance: Social behaviour on LinkedIn and Co. is based on the same basic manners as "real" life.
The platform is a chance to connect with others and discuss business topics. It is a commitment to listen to others and respond to their questions. Those who succeed in developing a concept to position themselves virtually as a helpful, interesting person will be able to use LinkedIn as an important tool for brand management and business development.
Especially when it comes to our personal branding, we should leave nothing to chance and control our perception in the market ourselves!
We are LinkedIn experts. We support companies and professionals in the use of LinkedIn. HeadStarterz offers everything from team training to individual social media communication concepts. Are you interested in this topic? Then get in touch with us!
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