When most people think about LinkedIn content, they think about posts. Posts are important. They help you stay visible, participate in conversations and engage with your network. They’re also quick to create, which is one of the reasons so many professionals focus almost all of their attention on them.
That’s one of the reasons long-form content can be so valuable. When someone wants to learn more about you, they’re often looking for evidence of how you think, what you know and the topics you care about most. Articles and newsletters give them a place to find that information.
They also continue working for you long after you hit publish. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sent someone an article because it answered a question they had or helped explain a topic we were discussing. A good article can become a resource you share with clients, prospects, referral sources and members of your network again and again.
Why LinkedIn Articles and Newsletters Matter
When someone visits your LinkedIn profile, they’re usually trying to answer a few basic questions:
- Who are you?
- What do you do?
- What experience do you have?
- What topics do you know well?
- Who do we know in common?
- Are you someone worth hiring, referring, partnering with or following?
Your LinkedIn profile answers some of those questions. It tells people where you’ve worked, what roles you’ve held and what skills you’ve developed. Your posts help people see what you’re talking about and how you’re engaging with your network. Articles and newsletters help people understand what you actually know.
Think about someone who visits your profile for the first time. They can learn a lot from your headline, About section and experience, but those sections only tell part of the story. Articles and newsletters give you space to answer questions, share observations, explain trends and discuss the topics you spend your time helping clients, colleagues and others navigate.
That’s often where someone moves beyond learning what you do and starts understanding how you think. They get a better sense of your perspective, your experience and the kinds of challenges you’re helping people solve.
What’s the Difference Between a LinkedIn Article and a LinkedIn Newsletter?
Many people use the terms interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same thing. A LinkedIn article is a piece of long-form content that lives on your profile. You can write about a topic, share insights, answer a question or provide practical advice. Articles are searchable, easy to share and remain part of your content library over time.
Why Professionals Should Create LinkedIn Newsletters
Should You Create a LinkedIn Article or a Newsletter?
This is one of the questions I get asked most often, especially by professionals who are interested in creating more long-form content but aren’t sure where to start. If you’re new to long-form content, I generally recommend starting with a few standalone LinkedIn articles before launching a newsletter.
LinkedIn articles give you the opportunity to experiment. You can write about different topics, test different formats and see what resonates with your audience. They also help you build confidence as a writer and begin creating a library of content around your expertise.
For example, you might write an article answering a common client question, sharing lessons you’ve learned throughout your career, discussing an industry trend or explaining a topic that people frequently misunderstand. After you’ve written several articles, you’ll often start to notice patterns. Certain topics generate more engagement. Some subjects spark conversations. Others lead to direct messages, referrals or speaking opportunities. Those patterns can help you decide whether there’s a larger theme worth turning into a newsletter.
After you’ve written a few articles, take a step back and look at the subjects you’ve covered. You’ll often find that several of them connect to a broader theme. A series of articles answering common client questions, sharing lessons learned, discussing industry trends or offering practical advice can easily become the foundation for a newsletter.
The hardest part is usually getting the first article published. After that, you’ll have a much easier time identifying additional topics because you’ll start seeing patterns in the questions, conversations and feedback you receive. The more attention you pay to those patterns, the easier it becomes to develop content that is relevant, useful and closely connected to your expertise.rted. Most successful newsletters begin with a handful of useful articles and grow from there.
Why LinkedIn Articles and Newsletters Matter More Than Ever
A few years ago, if someone wanted to learn more about you, they might visit your LinkedIn profile, look at your company bio or run a Google search. Today, they’re doing those things and a lot more.
People are asking ChatGPT about companies they’re considering hiring. They’re using AI tools to research potential clients, referral sources, job candidates, speakers and service providers. They’re looking for information before they ever pick up the phone or send an email. That’s one of the reasons I think articles and newsletters are worth the effort.
Every time you write about a topic, you’re adding another piece to the picture people see when they’re researching you online. One article may not make much of a difference. Ten articles about the same subject start telling a very different story.
If you want to become known for a particular topic, writing about it consistently helps connect your name with that subject. It gives people something to read, something to share and something to reference when they’re deciding whether to reach out, make an introduction or recommend you to someone else.
Articles tend to have a much longer shelf life than posts. People regularly find articles months after they’ve been published through LinkedIn searches, Google searches, referrals and other content. A single article can answer questions, start conversations and introduce people to your expertise long after the day you hit publish. That’s why I view articles and newsletters as more than content. They’re resources. They’re a way to share what you know, help other people and build visibility around the topics that matter most to you professionally.
LinkedIn Articles and Newsletters Can Become Reusable Assets
One of the biggest advantages of long-form content is that it continues creating value long after publication. Unlike a post that may disappear from attention within days, an article or newsletter can remain useful for months or even years.
An article can answer common questions from prospective clients. It can support a business development conversation. It can become a resource you share after a networking meeting. It can help someone understand a topic before they ever speak with you.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sent someone an article because it addressed a question they asked or explained a concept we were discussing. Instead of writing the same response over and over again, I can share a resource that is thoughtful, consistent and immediately useful.
The recipient receives value, the conversation moves forward more efficiently and the content continues serving a purpose long after it was originally published.
How to Come Up With Topics for a LinkedIn Article or Newsletter
If you’re struggling to decide what to write about, start with the conversations you’re already having. Some of the best article and newsletter topics come directly from your day-to-day work. Make a list of:
- Questions clients ask repeatedly
- Questions prospects ask before hiring you
- Common misconceptions about your industry
- Mistakes people make that you see all the time
- Trends people keep asking about
- Advice you find yourself giving over and over again
- Lessons you’ve learned through experience
- Frequently asked questions from networking conversations
- Topics you could comfortably discuss for 20 minutes without preparation
Once you have your list, look for patterns. You’ll often find the same themes appearing again and again. Those themes can become the foundation of your content strategy.
For example, a recruiter might write about interviewing, hiring trends, candidate experience, compensation and career development. A lawyer might write about common client questions, industry developments and practical legal issues. A consultant might focus on leadership, growth, operations or change management. A good rule of thumb is simple: if you’re talking about something frequently, it’s probably worth writing about.
Start With the Questions You’re Already Answering
One of the easiest ways to come up with article ideas is to pay attention to the conversations you’re already having. Think about the questions clients ask repeatedly. Consider the topics that come up in meetings, networking conversations and emails. What issues are people trying to understand? What trends are they asking about? What advice do you find yourself sharing most often?
Those questions often make excellent article topics because they’re connected to your experience and based on real-world situations. If the same subject keeps coming up in conversations, there’s a good chance other people would find the information useful as well.
When people tell me they aren’t sure what to write about, I often suggest looking through recent emails, meeting notes and client conversations. The answers you’ve already provided can frequently become articles, newsletters, LinkedIn posts or other content. Many professionals are sitting on dozens of content ideas without realizing it because they don’t think of their everyday conversations as content.
The strongest articles are usually specific and practical. They answer a question, explain a topic, clarify a misconception or provide guidance on an issue that people are trying to navigate. A focused article that addresses one question well is often more useful than a lengthy article that tries to cover everything.
As you think about potential topics, pay attention to the questions people ask you most often. Those recurring conversations are usually one of the best indicators of what your audience wants to learn about. If you’re answering the same question in meetings, emails, networking conversations or direct messages, it’s probably worth turning into a post, article or newsletter. You don’t need to write the definitive guide on a subject or cover every possible angle. Start with one question and answer it well. Some of the most valuable content comes from sharing practical insights and solutions to the challenges people are already bringing to you.
Getting More Value From Every LinkedIn Article
One of the things I like most about articles and newsletters is that they can be used in so many different ways. A single article can become:
- Multiple LinkedIn posts
- Content for your website
- A presentation topic
- A webinar discussion
- A podcast conversation
- A video post
- A resource for clients and prospects
- A follow-up after networking meetings
I think many people underestimate how much content can come from one good idea. A question from a client can become an article. That article can become several LinkedIn posts. Those posts can spark conversations, generate additional questions and create opportunities for future content.
Articles can also help people find you.
When someone searches Google, asks ChatGPT a question, uses Perplexity to research a topic or looks for information on LinkedIn, they’re looking for content. If you’ve written about a subject, there’s a greater chance they’ll come across your work.
That’s one of the reasons I think it’s important to be intentional about the topics you write about and the language you use. If you’d like to become known for a particular subject, make sure those words actually appear in your headlines, subheads and content. People can’t find content about a topic if the topic isn’t mentioned.
People are researching professionals differently than they were a few years ago. Before they schedule a meeting, make a referral, hire someone or reach out, many of them are gathering information from multiple sources. Articles and newsletters give them something to find, read and share.
The more content you create around a topic, the more opportunities you create for people, search engines and AI platforms to connect your name with it. That’s one of the reasons articles and newsletters can be such a valuable part of a LinkedIn strategy., repurposed and revisited in different ways over time.
What You Should Do Next
f you’ve been thinking about writing a LinkedIn article or starting a newsletter, don’t wait until you have the perfect topic, title or content strategy. Start by paying attention to the conversations you’re already having.
What questions do clients ask repeatedly? What topics come up in meetings? What misconceptions do people have about your industry? What advice do you find yourself giving over and over again? What trends are generating the most discussion?
Write those questions down and look for patterns. You’ll often find that a handful of topics appear repeatedly. Those recurring themes are often the subjects people already associate with you or the areas where you have the most to contribute.
Choose one question and turn it into an article. Share what you’ve learned through your experience. Answer the question the way you would answer it for a client, colleague, prospect or member of your network. Focus on being helpful and providing information that someone else would find useful.
Remember that every article serves multiple purposes. It helps educate your audience. It gives you content that can be repurposed into future posts, presentations and other resources. It creates additional opportunities for people to find you through LinkedIn, Google and AI-powered search tools. Most importantly, it helps strengthen the connection between your name and the topics for which you’d like to become known.
If there’s a topic you’d like to be known for, start talking about it more often. Write about it. Speak about it. Answer questions about it. Look for opportunities to contribute your perspective. Building a reputation around a topic happens one conversation at a time, and every piece of content helps people better understand who you are, what you do and what you know. The more consistently you contribute, the easier it becomes for people to think of you when that topic comes up.
Stay in Touch! Connect with me on LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Instagram, sign up for my email list and follow my blog. Obtain a copy of my LinkedIn Secrets guide. Sign up for my personal branding summer school course.