Navigating the Thin Line Between Personal and Professional LinkedIn Posts for a Stronger Brand Presence

The current trend of personal posts on LinkedIn, particularly among professional service providers like attorneys, is causing a potential imbalance in maintaining a strong professional brand, according to an article by the Law Firm Editorial Service. While establishing a personal connection with the audience is crucial for building trust, an excess of personal content can be detrimental to one’s professional image.

The push towards personalization in professional social media stems from the belief that revealing personal aspects helps clients and referral sources get to know, like, and trust the individual before engaging in their services. However, there is a fine line between sharing relatable content and oversharing personal struggles or vulnerabilities. Excessive personal posts can distract the audience from recognizing the knowledge and expertise that make a professional worth hiring.

The “know-like-trust” framework is highlighted as a critical factor in social media strategy. Personal posts may contribute to the “know” and “like” factors, but they might not necessarily build the essential “trust” factor needed for professional services. If professionals predominantly share personal experiences, failures, and aspects of their personal lives, they risk losing focus on showcasing their skills and competence in handling clients’ issues and challenges.

The solution proposed is to maintain a balance by ensuring that professional posts significantly outweigh personal ones, ideally in a ratio of 3 to 1 or 4 to 1. This means about 75% or 80% of content should be professional thought leadership content that reinforces the individual’s expertise and ability to address clients’ needs. The remaining 20% or 25% can be allocated for personal content to humanize the professional and make them more relatable.

There may be instances where social media posts straddle the line between personal and professional, such as attending work-related events or connecting personal experiences to professional insights. However, the overarching message is moderation — similar to the advice for maintaining a healthy diet. While personal social media posts play a role in professional marketing efforts, they should not outnumber professional posts. Striking the right balance ensures that clients and referral sources perceive the professional as both competent and likable.