Maximizing your conference impact with LinkedIn: A step-by-step guide [with post templates]

Conferences are expensive. They demand significant financial resources for registration fees, travel, accommodations, and booth setups. Additionally, the time spent away from daily responsibilities can compound the cost. Sometimes, despite these investments, the return on investment (ROI) doesn’t justify the effort. But what if there was a way to tip the scales in your favor and make every dollar and minute count?

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to use the world’s foremost professional networking site—LinkedIn—to ensure your conference investment pays off in both tangible and intangible ways. Let’s dive in.

1. Optimize your LinkedIn profile before the event

Your LinkedIn profile serves as your digital handshake—it’s often the first impression people have of you. Beyond the basics, like a professional headshot and concise tagline, consider showcasing recommendations from colleagues or clients. Regular activity, such as sharing relevant content or engaging with posts, also demonstrates your expertise and approachability. Here’s how to ensure it’s as impactful and professional as possible:

Upload a clear headshot

Your LinkedIn headshot is the first thing people will look at, so make sure to use a recent, high-quality, well-lit photo where your face occupies 50% of the frame. The goal is to make it easy for people to recognize you in person during the conference.

Use an impactful banner

On your LinkedIn profile, you have the option to upload a banner above your headshot. Think of this as free advertising space—anyone who clicks on your profile will see it, so use it wisely.

Create a visually appealing banner in Canva that reflects your company’s color scheme and include a headline that clearly explains what you do for customers in 8-10 concise words.

Write a concise tagline

On LinkedIn, you have only a fraction of a second to grab someone’s attention, so you should make it count. And apart from your name and headshot, the only information people see on their feed is your tagline, so it should immediately convey what you do.

Use this formula to craft a good tagline: [5 words about how you help customers] | [Role] @ [Company].

Add a website link

Most LinkedIn users are unaware of this feature, but it can be a game-changer for driving engagement. For instance, adding a meeting scheduler link allows prospects to book time with you effortlessly, reducing the friction of back-and-forth emails. Similarly, linking to your company’s landing page can direct visitors to relevant resources or case studies, making it easier for them to explore your offerings.

Here’s how to add it:

• Navigate to your profile.
• Click the edit “pencil” button.
• Scroll down to “Website” and add a link to your meeting scheduler or your website.

2. Two weeks before the conference

The goal at this stage is to explain your reasons for attending the conference, relate its relevance to your audience’s pain points, and invite meaningful connections to your calendar link.

Here’s a template of what you can post during the week:

Monday: Share your rationale

• Write a post about why you’re attending the conference and how it has benefited you in the past.
• Relate the conference’s value to specific pain points that your prospects are thinking about (eg. if your customers are struggling with low yields, you could describe how you’ve encountered lots of talks with strategies to solve that problem).
• End the post with a clear call to connect, including a link to your calendar for scheduling meetings.

Thursday: Start providing value

• Review the conference agenda and identify sessions your audience would find valuable.
• Share your top 5 anticipated talks, making sure to include 1-2 that directly address pain points your company solves.
• If applicable, focus on just one niche you serve.
• Highlight your company’s presentation or involvement in the event, if that’s an option.

3. One week before the conference

As the conference approaches, ramp up your activity by providing even more valuable insights to your network.

Monday: Highlight more talks

• If your company serves multiple niches, highlight your top 5 anticipated talks for another audience segment.
• Follow the same format as the previous week’s post. Clearly explain why these talks matter and how they relate to common pain points.

(Note: If you don’t serve a second niche, come up with an additional five presentations that would be of interest to your target audience).

Thursday: Spotlight posters

• Poster sessions are often overlooked, but they’re packed with valuable insights.
• Share your top 5 poster abstracts for each niche you serve, and connect these findings to your audience’s goals or challenges. For example, if you specialize in improving bioprocess yields, highlight a poster abstract that addresses cutting-edge strategies in this area and explain how it aligns with your audience’s challenges, such as reducing production bottlenecks. This kind of detailed insight helps your audience immediately see the relevance and value of your curated list.
• If you’re presenting a poster, include it in your post and invite people to visit.
• End your post with a call to action: "Book a time to meet with me to discuss [common customer pain point]"

4. Conference week strategy

The big week is finally here. This is your opportunity to shine on LinkedIn and maximize the impact of your attendance.

Note: I’m assuming the main conference days are Tuesday - Thursday. Feel free to adjust the template below as needed.

Monday: Create a swipe file

• Use Canva to compile your previous posts into a single PDF titled “My Top Sessions and Posters to Check Out at [Conference Name].”
• Share this resource on LinkedIn as a helpful guide for your network.

Tuesday: Booth showcase

• Share a photo or video of you and your team at the conference booth.
• Write a concise explanation of your value proposition in 8-10 words.
• Highlight your main conference asset, such as a brochure, poster, or live demo, and include a clear call-to-action.

Wednesday: Asset highlight

• If you’re presenting a poster, arrive early and take a photo or video to showcase it.
• Alternatively, record a short video from the exhibit hall entrance, guiding attendees to your booth (that way people can find you).

Thursday: Conference insights

• Share your initial impressions and key takeaways from the conference so far. This can include trends, notable presentations, or groundbreaking ideas you encountered at the conference (if you have a scoop, share it!).
• Video posts work best, but a photo of you at the booth with written insights can also be effective.

5. Post-conference week

The conference may be over, but your LinkedIn strategy shouldn’t stop. This is the perfect time to solidify connections and keep the momentum going.

Monday: Thank your connections

• Post a thank-you note acknowledging the people you met and the insights you gained.
• Mention specific connections or presentations that stood out, tagging relevant individuals or companies.
• Include a subtle call-to-action inviting others to reach out if they missed you at the event.

Wednesday: Write a recap of the conference

• Highlight the key sessions, speakers, or insights that stood out, and explain how these takeaways could influence your work or industry.
• Include visuals like photos, slides, or videos to make the post more engaging.
• End your recap with an invitation for others to share their experiences or thoughts: 'What were your key takeaways from [conference name]? Let me know in the comments!'

Friday: Showcase your post-conference wins

• Share any outcomes or follow-ups resulting from the conference, such as new collaborations, partnerships, or leads.
• Highlight how these results align with the conference’s value.
• Include a teaser for your next event or content piece to keep your audience engaged.

Turn conferences into an inbound lead funnel

Attending conferences shouldn't be just another box to tick on your to-do list. With the right preparation, conferences can become opportunities to build relationships, share expertise and establish yourself as a valuable resource in your industry.

By using LinkedIn before, during and after the conference, you can significantly increase your ROI. Think of it as a lead funnel tied to your personal branding. The more you share content in your niche, the more value you provide and the more people will think of you when they go to a conference. After a while, you'll start to see people recognising you at conferences, and believe me, it's a much better feeling than having to chase leads yourself.