New Zealand LinkedIn Playbook
A guide to optimising your LinkedIn profile and improving your personal brand.
CBRE New Zealand
Source: LinkedIn - https://news.linkedin.com/about-us#Statistics
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Key Insights
53.3%
New Zealand population are on LinkedIn 1% Members worldwide are actively creating on LinkedIn
4/5 Members have an influence on business decisions
75%
B2B buyers use social media to assist in purchasing decisions.
277%
LinkedIn is 277% more effective at generating leads than Facebook and X (Twitter)
50%
LinkedIn members report that they are more likely to interact with a company they engage with on LinkedIn.
Source: Meltwater – Digital 2024: New Zealand Report, HubSpot 2023
45%
Sales professionals with a strong social selling index on LinkedIn have 45% more sales opportunities than those that don’t.
5.6x Growth
Pages that manage to post weekly see a significant boost in their followers
2x
Posts that are accompanied by an image typically get 2x more comments than those that don’t.
50%
Increase in the users on premium subscriptions.
Source: Hootsuite 2024 Report: https://blog.hootsuite.com/linkedin-statistics-business/#LinkedIn_business_statistics Hubspot 2024 https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/social-selling-stats
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Why Should You be Active on LinkedIn?
• The ability to have your message reach the right audience.
Reinforce your personal brand
Explain what you do and why you do it
Showcase the problems you solve
• Connect, stay informed and engage with your peers, clients and prospects.
• Motivate your audience to take action
Nurture the relationships you have built throughout your career
Attract top talent Create opportunities
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Profile Photo
Your professional headshot is best for your LinkedIn profile.
Should you require the on-brand edited version of your headshot, please contact the Marketing team.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Background Image
CBRE provides all staff with the option to use professional CBRE branded cover photos that are sized perfectly for LinkedIn.
You can find these on the Brand Experience Centre
If you are choosing to create your own background avoid having too much text and keep it weighted to the right (as your profile photo takes up significant space on the left).
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Headline
This brief description appears next to the user's name in search results. It should entice readers to click the profile to learn more about the user's experience and background
1. Be clear and concise - Clearly state your current position and the industry you are in. Avoid using jargon or buzzwords.
2. Highlight your value proposition – What makes you unique? What value can you bring to a potential client or connection? Make sure this is reflected in your headline.
3. Use relevant keywords – Think about the keywords that a potential client or connection might use to find someone like you. Incorporating these into your headline can make you more discoverable.
4. Showcase your expertise – If you have a particular area of expertise or a special skill, don’t be afraid to highlight this in your headline.
5. Keep it professional – While it is important to let your personality shine through, remember that LinkedIn is a professional platform – keep it professional and appropriate for your industry.
EXAMPLES
– Managing Director of Capital Markets, Industrial & Logistics at CBRE New Zealand | Specialising in industrial property investments and land transactions | Over $2.4 Billion in sales since 2013
– Associate Director, Commercial Valuation & Advisory Services at CBRE New Zealand | Registered valuer specialising in commercial, industrial, and retail real estate | Expert in childcare facilities and insurance valuations
– Registered Valuer, Commercial and Residential Valuation & Advisory Services at CBRE New Zealand | Providing reliable property valuations in Canterbury to help clients make informed real estate decisions
– Senior Negotiator, Industrial & Logistics at CBRE New Zealand | Specialising in industrial property sales across Wellington
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
About Section
The About section is an essential part of your LinkedIn profile. It’s your chance to introduce yourself, stand out from the crowd, create a personal connection, demonstrate your communication skills, and showcase your expertise. So, take the time to craft a well-written about section that accurately reflects who you are and what you bring to the table.
1. Objective Understanding: Clearly state your professional objective or what you’re seeking on LinkedIn. This could be networking opportunities, job opportunities, collaborations, etc.
2. Personal Branding: Highlight your unique skills, experiences, and value proposition. This is your chance to showcase what sets you apart from others in your field.
3. Relevant Keywords: Incorporate keywords that are relevant to your industry and role. This can help you appear in search results when others are looking for professionals like you.
4. Engagement Call-to-Action: Encourage visitors to engage with your profile. This could be an invitation to connect, follow, comment on your posts, or visit your profile on the CBRE website.
5. Make It Relevant: Tailor your ‘About’ section to fit your desired LinkedIn audience, this will help distinguish you from others with more generic profile summaries
EXAMPLE
As the Managing Director of Capital Markets, Industrial & Logistics at CBRE New Zealand, I specialise in industrial investments and land transactions. With a proven track record of over $2.4 billion in sales since 2013, I bring a wealth of experience from the Auckland, national, and international property markets.
My journey in the property market has been diverse and enriching. I’ve had the privilege of running a private property consultancy and investment company, serving a broad spectrum of clients including investors, occupiers, and industrial and commercial developers.
In my role as COO of Trans-Tasman Properties, I was instrumental in overseeing acquisitions and disposals totalling more than $2 billion, including the landmark Airpark Industrial Estate Project adjacent to Auckland Airport.
At CBRE, my specialisation in sales has led to transactions valued at over $2.4 billion since 2013. I’m proud to have concluded 4 of the 5 $100 million plus industrial sales of the last seven years.
Today, I lead the CBRE Capital Markets Industrial Team, bringing my extensive experience in industrial investment and industrial land transactions to the fore. I also have a keen interest in zoned and future urban development sites.
I invite you to connect with me for any opportunities related to industrial investments, land transactions, and property market insights.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Featuring Posts
The Featured section sits at the top of your profile on LinkedIn. It allows you to strategically “pin” to the top content that showcases your work expertise, accomplishments, and significant professional milestones. Consider it as a carefully selected gallery of your professional journey, where you can express your thought leadership, successful projects, and any career highlights.
– Showcase Your Deals: Highlight key deals you’ve closed or been a part of. This could be in the form of a post, an article, or a link to a news article.
– Client Testimonials: If you have received any testimonials from clients, consider featuring them. This could be a quote from a client about your negotiation skills or how you helped them achieve their real estate goals.
– Market Insights: If you’ve written or been a part of any articles or posts providing insights into the real estate market, feature them. This could include trends in the commercial real estate market, tips for negotiating leases, or predictions for the future of real estate.
– Presentations or Webinars: If you’ve given any presentations or webinars, consider featuring them. This could be a presentation to students, a webinar on the state of the commercial real estate market, or a panel discussion you participated in.
− Awards and Recognition: If you’ve received any awards or recognition, such as CBRE awards, or awards from the industry, make sure to feature them.
− Professional Certifications: If you have any professional certifications relevant to your role, such as a Property Institute of New Zealand: Young Property Professional of the Year, or a Senior Member of the New Zealand Property Institute (SPINZ), consider featuring them.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Experience Section
− This is not your CV: Your “experience” section is a dynamic, interactive platform for storytelling and engagement, not just a static list of job titles and responsibilities. It allows for the addition of links, images etc and regular updates, offering a comprehensive overview of your professional journey and future potential. It’s about starting conversations and building relationships, not just showcasing experience.
− Add Links, Images and Video: LinkedIn allows you to add media such as images, videos, links, and presentations to your experiences. If you have any relevant media that showcases your work, this is a great place to include it.
The Experience section provides a snapshot of your professional journey, highlighting your roles, responsibilities, and achievements.
− Ensure each experience is linked to the subsequent organisation’s page: For CBRE, ensure you have ‘CBRE Asia Pacific’ as your employer.
− The description is the most important part: This is where you can differentiate your LinkedIn profile from a CV. Instead of just listing your duties and responsibilities, tell a story. What were the main projects you worked on? What were your key achievements? How did you contribute to the company’s goals? Remember to focus on the impact of your work.
− Keywords: Keywords are a powerful tool to increase the visibility of your LinkedIn profile. By incorporating relevant keywords that are frequently searched for, your profile becomes more easily discoverable by potential clients.
− Quantify Your Achievements: Where possible, use numbers to highlight your achievements. For example, “Increased sales by 20%” or “Managed a team of ten”.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Education Section
– Link to your tertiary provider's official LinkedIn page.
The ‘Education’ section is about more than just listing qualifications. It’s about showcasing your academic journey, your interests, and the skills you gained during your studies. It’s a chance to tell your story and show what makes you unique.
Extra information you may wish to fill out under the education section include: Title of your study/course/degree, field of study and years.
There is the option to also add a description where you can provide more details; highlight key projects, academic achievements, or extracurricular activities that are relevant to your professional goals.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Recommendations
Sections
– An often-overlooked section but if done well, this can be extremely powerful in differentiating you from others.
– Think of this section as being like a business’s Google reviews. You are more likely to do business with the one that has the most positive reviews that are recent.
LinkedIn provides you with an easy option to send LinkedIn recommendation requests to your network. It is recommended that you personalise each of these requests and provide them with key points or an outline of what recommendation you would like from them.
– The key to success with this section is to keep it updated and relevant.
– Three to four high-quality recommendations on your page is a good goal to aim for.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Remaining Sections
– Ensure the rest of the sections on your profile are filled in as best as you can with a focus on having anything referring to an organisation, linked to their official LinkedIn page.
The more relevant information you include on your profile page, the more powerful it will be.
– Populate the interests section, join groups, and follow individuals and companies that closely align with who you are/your interests/your profession.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Making Leads Easy
The custom button is an option to provide a direct link to your product or service offering. For an agent, this could be a custom button titled ‘Find your perfect space’ and the link goes to the CBRE listings page on the CBRE website filtered to feature all the properties associated with you. (you can find the link to this on your CBRE profile webpage).
Adding a ‘custom button’ on your page can contribute to lead generation.
For research this could be a link to the research and insights page on the CBRE website and for valuations you could link to the asset type valuation page you are associated with ( i.e –Commercial & Industrial Valuations or Residential Valuations)
Custom URL
Personalising your LinkedIn Public URL’s is one of the most important things to do. It makes your profile easier to find and is more user-friendly for sharing. Think of it as your unique LinkedIn address that sets you apart.
1. On your profile page, click the pencil ‘Edit’ tool next to the ‘Public profile & URL’ on the right pane.
2. Under ‘Edit your custom URL’ on the right pane, click the ‘Edit’ icon next to your public profile URL. Note: Use ‘-’ instead of spaces.
3. Edit the last part of your URL to include your full name. If it is taken, then include ‘NZ’ or something to differentiate you from other people with your name.
e.g. www.linkedin.com/in/first-last-nz
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
How to grow your network on LinkedIn?
Professional Peers Alumni
Ex-Colleagues
The best way to quickly grow your LinkedIn network and increase your visibility is by connecting with your existing colleagues, clients, partners and stakeholders. This group will be your biggest fans, see ‘value’ in your insights and knowledge, they are more likely to champion your activity and services and are more likely to share your posts with their network.
Current Clients
Current Colleagues
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Connect with new people you meet
How to use the Linkedin QR code like a business card.
1. Open the LinkedIn app on your mobile device.
2. Tap the QR code in the Search bar at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
The LinkedIn QR code makes it easy to meet someone offline and stay in touch with them on LinkedIn. This feature provides a simple and efficient way to find LinkedIn members, and then connect with them by quickly scanning a QR code.
3. Your LinkedIn profile QR code is now visible
4. Have the person scan your QR code to request a connection.
Alternatively, you can scan their QR code via the app under the Scan tab.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Connecting with others
The objective of connecting with people via LinkedIn that you haven’t met elsewhere is not to instantly gain a lead, it is to build relationships and consistently demonstrate your expertise.
Request to Connect
PERSONALISE, PERSONALISE, PERSONALISE!
When sending a request to connect – it is more effective and professional to include a personalised note to accompany it. This increases the likelihood of the recipient accepting.
Follow Up
Once the connection request is accepted, follow it up a with a personalised, genuine message that would provide value to the recipient e.g. the latest Office Occupier Sentiment survey, thought leadership articles or something that may be of value to them.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Useful tips
The following tips will help you quickly establish a strong presence on LinkedIn.
1. Follow and regularly engage with the CBRE Asia Pacific company page posts (easy content for you to comment on, like, & share).
2. Comment on posts BEFORE you hit the emojis on posts – the LinkedIn algorithm rewards you.
3. If you are reacting to a post using the emojis, look past the generic ‘thumbs up’.
4. Give your network support – endorse their skills, provide them with profile recommendations.
5. Pin any of your high performing personal posts on your profile page.
6. Don’t just share CBRE branded posts, demonstrate a multi-dimensional view by sharing quality industry content too.
7. Welcome new hires, and thank those who are leaving.
8. Follow your key stakeholders, clients & partners pages – engaging with their content and adding commentary is critical.
9. Post frequently and consistently we recommend at least one high-quality post per week, posted at the same time on the same day of the week.
10. Stay active, comment and engage with others’ posts daily.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Posting Best Practice
Regular postings provides visibility and reach to a broad audience, allowing you to showcase your expertise and insights
1. Be approachable – Genuine and authentic whilst ensuring professionalism.
2. Minimal use of emojis – LinkedIn will not ‘push’ posts with a lot of emojis.
3. Find your voice – Comment and add valuable insights.
4. Engage with content that resonates
5. Share stories/case studies, welcome new hires, learning & development achievements etc.
6. Images/videos/PDF flick-through carousels are powerful (6x more views than just text).
7. Tag people/organisations/key stakeholders in posts – Note that 80% of people/organisations tagged need to react to the post they are tagged in to avoid your post being flagged as spam – so select whom you tag wisely.
8. Use hashtags – Using hashtags makes it easier for you or for other people to find your post or similar ones if they are all using the same hashtag. Three to four hashtags maximum is effective.
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Content themes you could use for posts
Sales/Leasing Deals/ Project promotion or case studies
What is relevant about it to your audience?
An award win
Write like you talk, read the copy out loud. Would you actually say it? No? Rewrite it until you would.
Sharing an insight or research
Corporate culture, ESG, and DE&I days of significance
Why is this award win important?
Why is this research, opinion or insight, relevant to your audience.
Reflect on what has made this event significant to you?
Events
Reflect on key insights, key conversations that you gained from an event
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK TIME
The best days and times for posting
This is a high-level suggestion on the best days and times to post. Your audience may have a different preference, so trial and error is required to find the best days and times that suit your network
NEW ZEALAND LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Investing your time in LinkedIn
1. Expand your network, connect with professionals, partners, stakeholders, clients & prospects
x 20 each week.
2. Engage, like, share & comment on company page posts, network and industry thought-leader posts
To get the most out of LinkedIn we suggest allocating 20 minutes 3-4 times a week to your LinkedIn activity. This should provide enough time will be enough time to connect, engage, and share with your network and prospective clients.
3 x week
3. Craft a post with smart commentary - industry insights, event or brand article
2 x week
Note: The key to success on LinkedIn is all about rhythm and consistency – achieve this by putting time in your weekly calendar to do these tasks.
CBRE Policy
Think before you post. If you post it, you own it. If you are unsure about whether to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, take a minute, reach out to Marketing or get feedback from your manager.
Remember that postings anywhere on the web, including on Social Media platforms, are permanent, and can be retrieved even after they are deleted. If you are unsure whether something might tarnish CBRE’s reputation, or your own, do not push the “send” or “post” button and seek input from others. The decision about what to publish is your own, as is the responsibility.
KEEP IN MIND
All CBRE policies apply to your personal accounts on social media, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), etc.
There is absolutely no benefit to demeaning, criticising, intimidating or speculating negatively about any individual, group or organisation. To do so violates our company’s values and Standards of Business Conduct, diminishes the CBRE brand, and reflects poorly on the person involved.
Inappropriate conduct and harassment are treated the same whether committed online or in person. No matter the platform or medium, such activities will not be tolerated. We strongly encourage you to “think before you post.”
Electronic Communications & Acceptable Use - Social Media Policy
Electronic Marketing – Policy AGENTS
Ensure your posts (picture, video etc.) that are promoting a property campaign include:
CBRE (Agency) Limited, Licensed Real Estate Agent (REAA 2008)
CBRE NZ LINKEDIN PLAYBOOK
Thank you
tim.kemp@cbre.com