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Should you use exclamation points in LinkedIn posts?

I inadvertently set off a firestorm on LinkedIn when, on a whim, I posted this:

The minute I see an exclamation point in a post on LinkedIn, I immediately want to disbelieve the person sharing it and the content of what’s being shared.

Is that just me, or do any of you feel the same way?

Almost 6,000 impressions and 72 comments later, it was clear I’d hit a nerve. Why was this such a big deal to people?

The case against exclamation points

In serious writing, my perspective is that exclamation points tend to distract from the meaning. Writers often use them thinking they will help persuade, when in fact, the opposite it true: they generate a visceral resistance.

Many commenters on my post agreed that LinkedIn was a place where exclamation points might provoke a negative reaction:

Nope. I feel the same way.

My very first creative director used to assemble all of us copywriters at the start of each year and ceremonially issue each of us our annual allotment of five exclamation points. If any of us were so prodigal as to use all five before year’s end and needed more, we had to buy them from him at $5 apiece. The effect on us was as you might expect.

I also feel that it’s the words that must invoke an exclamation in the mind of the reader.

Having to use even 1, or as is more common (shudder) 3 exclamations only means our words aren’t doing their job. No?

Truth. More importantly, I don’t believe myself when I type one.

Josh, you’re correct. Exclamation points don’t mean much, if anything at all. Writers, as you know, are expected to make their points with the language.

I was taught as a journalist that exclamation points have no place in business writing. The strength of your writing should transmit your enthusiasm. It shouldn’t need punctuation to work.

Serve me up a subject line with an exclam…I’m buying from your competition.

I work in graduate education, and have read thousands of online posts. Frequently, those who use exclamation points are the ones writing the least thoughtful posts. 3 of them in one post should result in expulsion, if it were up to me.

I feel the same way. I can hear my college writing prof saying, ‘choose your words more effectively.’

One exclamation point, used reasonably – not an issue. Multiple exclamation points – you are trying too hard. Emojis – hard pass.

Save them for when they matter. … But they are always overused and incorrectly used — and that does take away from the message.

Exclamation marks require trust. If I don’t have a history with you, I assume you’re exaggerating your point.

Don’t they reflect the compulsion to be – and be seen and heard to be – ‘excited’ by just about everything? All that excitement seems exhausting , but them I’m also old – and British too.

Exclamation points are for messages like wishing someone a happy birthday. I intensely dislike them in other contexts, especially in PR or marketing.

There is only one sentence in the English language where an exclamation point is warranted: “You cut my arm off.”

But many disagreed

Many of my professional friends, especially those in Gen X or younger, saw it differently:

I am affronted!! 🙂

Really?!

I disagree! An exclamation point used meaningfully exudes passion.

Nope! Im a believer!

But I love exclamation points!

What! Why!

Sometimes, and yet they can convey enthusiasm, or exaggeration, don’t you think? How do you feel about emoji’s in a post? 🤪

Language evolves. The exclamation mark means something different than it did 20 years ago. So, no: I don’t automatically get skeptical when I see one.

I’m not crazy about exclamation points, but they exist to be used, and there’s no accounting for taste. Plus, a LI post isn’t a piece of formal writing (I’m glad for that).

That feels like a generational reaction, specifically Gen X. As an Xennial it’s easy for me to see that perspective. I get it.

But i also got very comfortable with exclamation marks because all of my incoming peers were Millennials. Not to mention uncapitalized “i”. 😉

Respectfully, I disagree. The elimination of punctuation reduces the ability to be expressive and clear. Punctuation provides direction, structure and clarity. A classmate described it best: ‘the exclamation point can be described as domination of thought.’

A difference of context

A key question looms here: is LinkedIn a formal space for business, or a social space like Facebook or Instagram? That was a provocative question that many commenters raised (and often, threw emojis into the mix as well):

I don’t think there’s much of a place for exclamation points in business writing – but then again, some don’t view LI as a business platform any longer, so 🤷‍♀️

It’s a real challenge having one foot in J-school and the other on the social media train where conventions don’t exist.

That’s true on the news side but over on features and in op-eds, we got to go wild! 😉

The way I learned to write in any format in J school didn’t really fit business writing norms, though.

 Is a LI post business writing though? There are a gazillion types of writing and I’d be horrified if people judged my LI writing as anything other than my LI writing. 😬!

As I read these threads I remember my training. Business writing was different than journalistic writing. I had a hard time differentiating the two. Then I started business writing as a career and incorporated many journalistic methods to business writing and it was a perfect blend. However, just as I learned you should never begin a sentence with the word “There…” or end a sentence with a preposition, I learned specific rules about using an exclamation point. However, I frequently find I use an exclamation point often when writing some pieces. I’ll need to rethink all this.

I don’t mind in comments and casual posts. I delete almost every “!” when editing reports. There’s just no need to get that worked up about business topics 🙂

Depends on the context. Energy and excitement? I’m here for it. Trying to convince me? Less so.

While I dislike exclamation points in a professional context, LinkedIn straddles the line between professional communication and the populism of social media. So exclamation points get a pass here, at least for me.

The same topic was discussed in a writing course I took. 😁
I think it is deeply related to purpose. People who want to tweet have a thin purpose, and whether or not they use symbols depends on their mood. 🤣
However, those who write with a clear purpose should reduce the number of symbols. This is because expressing what is behind the symbols in writing is what makes them valuable. 🤔

This strikes me as a bit judgmental? Context is everything: social posts aren’t formal writing, it’s fine occasionally to express levity, enthusiasm and emphasis. I agree insofar as it can affect audience reception and impact of a report or book, for example, but we can chill a little over social media.

Seems awfully pedantic.
(Oops, that sentence has no subject.)
Yes, I was taught that serious writing should be formal.
However, we aren’t writing literary prose on LinkedIn.
Essentially, we are writing advertising copy.

I agree, but also, it’s part of the game now.🔥💪🚀🤦

Who are you trying to impress?

I find it interesting how many people are basically saying, “Exclamation points — and for that matter, emojis — are a fun part of informal communication. Don’t take my exclamation points away!”

I treat LinkedIn as a platform for business communication. While there is plenty of informality that’s appropriate in business contexts, both exclamation points and emojis communicate that you think it’s fine to lay out your feelings in those spaces. My concern is that, as the comments above indicate, there is at large segment of the business audience that would find that objectionable.

I enjoyed the second-to-last quoted comment above the most, which likens LinkedIn to advertising. Yes, so much of what we wrote on LinkedIn is copy we use to advertise ourselves and our point of view. But good advertising copywriters know that repeated exclamation points in advertising are counterproductive. We tune them out; we think, “See, this is just an ad, so I will not be persuaded.”

I’m not going to take away your exclamation points (or your emojis). But if writing on platforms like Facebook and Threads is for fun, writing on LinkedIn is, generally, communicating something purposeful to business contacts. If you want to communicate that you’re enthusiastic and feel something deeply, feel free. But if you’re trying to communicate with a serious purpose, you might find that the exclamation points tell people more about you than whatever you’re trying to get across.

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2 Comments

  1. I asked my father why some words are considered profane. He responded that profanity is a substitute for thoughtful communication, that we use it when we can’t (or won’t) find better ways to express ourselves. I wonder if it’s the same with exclamation marks and emoji. A client once commented that we use emoji when we don’t have the right words. I use emoji when I want to express emotion, but am not willing to take the time to write more thoughtfully. Same with an exclamation mark (but, never more than one). Of course, language is always evolving, so that which we find distasteful today may become commonly used and acceptable tomorrow.

  2. I am on the side of using exclamation points very rarely. And on the rare occasions that I do use them myself, I usually put them inside of parentheses to make it clear that it’s being used to bring attention to something: (!)