LinkedIn answers allow members to post questions and have other members provide answers. It is a way to tap into the knowledge and expertise of your network. Answers can help build your reputation as an expert in your field. They also allow you to help others by sharing your knowledge.
How do LinkedIn answers work?
Any LinkedIn member can post a question to their network. When you ask a question, you can choose whether you want it to be visible to only your 1st-degree connections, 2nd-degree and beyond, or public. Public questions will be visible to all LinkedIn members.
Other members can then provide answers to your question. You can upvote answers you find helpful, and the answer with the most upvotes will display at the top. As the asker, you can also choose to mark an answer as the “best” answer. This will pin it to the top.
Benefits of answering questions
Answering questions on LinkedIn has several benefits:
- Demonstrate your expertise – Answering questions related to your industry or job function shows you know your stuff.
- Help others – Share your knowledge and lend a hand to those looking for guidance.
- Gain exposure – Answers can help get your name and knowledge in front of a wider audience.
- Build relationships – Answering someone’s question starts a connection that could lead to networking opportunities.
Tips for writing good answers
Here are some tips for crafting quality answers on LinkedIn:
- Be clear and concise – Get to the point quickly and avoid rambling.
- Add value – Provide insightful information the asker will benefit from.
- Be thoughtful – Take time to understand the full context of the question.
- Use examples – Illustrate your guidance with real-world examples or case studies.
- Check for errors – Double check spelling, grammar, and accuracy before posting.
How LinkedIn answers are different from other Q&A platforms
LinkedIn answers have some unique characteristics compared to other Q&A platforms like Quora or Yahoo Answers:
LinkedIn Answers | Other Q&A Platforms |
---|---|
Answers come from your professional network | Answers can come from anyone |
Questions and answers are visible to your network by default | Q&A is public and anonymous by default |
Reputations are built through insightful answers | Focus is on getting any answer quickly |
This means LinkedIn answers tend to be more thoughtful and come from a place of professional expertise compared to other platforms. The identity and reputation of both askers and responders is tied to their LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn answer types
There are a few main types of questions that get asked and answered on LinkedIn:
Industry/job-specific questions
These tap into the specialized knowledge of your network. For example:
- “What’s the best social media strategy for an emerging fashion brand?”
- “How can a new graduate stand out in a competitive engineering job market?”
- “What tech stack is ideal for a streaming media startup?”
Career advice questions
People often look to their network for guidance on career moves and situations. For example:
- “Should I take this promotion if it means longer hours and a worse commute?”
- “How can I transition careers from retail into corporate training and development?”
- “Is it worth getting an MBA if I want to be a product manager?”
Business/management questions
Experienced professionals can provide business best practices and management advice. For example:
- “What are effective strategies for reducing turnover at a fast-growing startup?”
- “How should I structure commission pay for a new sales team I’m building?”
- “What are some tips for leading multiple remote teams across different timezones?”
Personal branding questions
LinkedIn members often ask for input on presenting themselves professionally online. For example:
- “How can I showcase my expertise on LinkedIn to generate leads?”
- “What types of content should I share to build my personal brand?”
- “Is it better to have a professional headshot or more casual photo as my profile image?”
Best practices for asking questions
To solicit helpful answers, keep these tips in mind when posting questions:
- Provide context – Give background on your industry, experience level, location, etc. to frame the question.
- Ask specific questions – Avoid vague or overly broad questions.
- Check for existing answers – Don’t duplicate questions that already have answers.
- Engage with responders – Thank those who answer and ask follow-ups if needed.
- Close the loop – Come back and share what solution you went with.
Finding questions to answer
Looking to share your expertise but not sure where to start? Here are some ways to discover questions to answer:
- Check your feed – Monitor your LinkedIn feed for questions from your connections.
- Join groups – Active industry and niche groups often have lots of discussions.
- Search by topic – Search for keywords related to your expertise.
- Offer help to connections – Proactively reach out to offer advice.
- Browse ProFinder requests – Answer freelance/consulting requests in your field.
Rules and etiquette for answers
LinkedIn aims to maintain a professional and respectful environment. Keep these rules in mind for answering:
- No promotional content – Don’t post answers mainly to promote yourself or your business.
- No disclosing confidential info – Don’t share anything proprietary, trade secrets, etc.
- Be thoughtful – Avoid simplistic yes/no answers unless they fully address the question.
- Cite sources – If quoting research or facts, include links/references when possible.
- No inappropriate content – Follow LinkedIn’s professional community policies.
Conclusion
LinkedIn answers provide a way to share your professional expertise while helping others in your network. By answering thoughtful questions that provide value, you can build your reputation, give back to your community, and expand your professional relationships. Just be sure to follow LinkedIn’s guidelines to keep the conversation productive.