I was desperate. Why weren’t my posts on climate change and climate action getting Likes on LinkedIn? I was an acknowledged decarbonization industry expert, and I run a well known climate consulting firm!
I called up a LinkedIn marketing expert. He started off.
“Are you a celebrity?”
Both of us knew it was just a protocol question; he moved on to the next.
“So, what are your posts all about?”
“I write on some pretty important stuff – decarbonization, climate action, you know, world saving stuff”
I heard a sound that might have been a groan.
“Ummm…all right…do you look good?”
What a jerky pivot, and more to the point, what a ridiculous question! But I decided to be honest.
“No. Most people think my face is rather avoidable, especially first thing in the morning.”
Silence. But this time I think he was impressed by my frankness.
“Have you completed any course and obtained a certificate recently, or been promoted?”
“Matey, I’m an industry expert, and I’m the boss. I give certificates and promotions to others”
Silence the second time – but he seemed to be thinking hard.
“OK, are your posts emotional and will they make readers cry?”
Cry? This was going from ridiculous to ludicrous. But I soldiered on.
“They will not make them cry today, but if they don’t listen, perhaps ten years later.”
I doubt he got it.
“So you are not a celeb, do not look good, have not got a certificate or been promoted recently, and nobody cries on reading your posts. But you write some pretty important and sophisticated stuff.”
“You hit it, man.”
“How many Likes do your posts get?”
“1 or 2, and if it’s a lucky day, 3”
Silence the third time. I could almost hear his incredulity.
“I know, pal,” I said, “you must be wondering why such profound posts by an acknowledged expert are not getting thousands of Likes.”
Silence the fourth time, a silence that I thought was pregnant with questions than with empathy. He seemed to be searching for words. And finally appeared to have discovered them.
“Not really. I’m wondering who those 2 or 3 people are.”