With over half a billion users, LinkedIn isn’t just a platform for trying to find a new job. LinkedIn is one of the most powerful social networking sites on the Internet. Since launching in 2003, it has become an essential way to build relationships with like-minded professionals, stay on top of industry trends, and discover potential new customers.
That’s why LinkedIn should be a crucial part of your digital marketing strategy. Not only is marketing your business on LinkedIn inexpensive, but you have the potential to generate leads, establish professional partnerships, and build brand awareness in ways that simply can’t be done on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
So, if you’ve thought about joining LinkedIn for your business, now’s the time! Here are 3 easy ways to make LinkedIn more effective for your business.
COMPLETE A COMPANY PROFILE
This one might seem obvious, but a lot of small businesses shy away from creating a company page thinking they aren’t big enough.
Not only do company pages rank highly on search results (making it easier for users to find you), but LinkedIn provides data for company profiles that you simply don’t receive with a personal one, like demographics about your followers, metrics on each update you post, engagement rates, etc. This can help you better understand your customers. So having a simple company page with basic information about your business can be extremely useful!
Just like with Search Engine Optimization, make sure to include plenty of strong keywords in your company profile to boost discovery and make it easier for users to find your page. Users can search for companies by name and by keyword so this step is key.
Finally, make sure your company tone and image on LinkedIn is consistent with all your other social media pages.
TARGET SPECIFIC AUDIENCES AND CONNECTIONS
Finding highly targeted customers and professional audiences on LinkedIn is way more effective than any other social media platform.
As Tim Peters, Director of Marketing at IntelliResponse puts it, “The targeting on LinkedIn is unparalleled in the realm of digital advertising. Small businesses can zero in on the exact industry, company size, and job role [of the people] that they know typically would buy their product or service.”
Instead of making cold calls to find new leads, you can message a prospect, discuss your shared connections, show interest in their company, and offer your services to help. According to LinkedIn, this is called “social selling” and leaders in this type of selling have 45 percent more sales opportunities per quarter.
Building your connections is easy. You can import your contact book and send connection requests from there. You can also connect with people you’ve met in person at networking events, and check out the “People Also Viewed” section for similar profiles.
Whatever method for connecting you choose, make sure to send a personalized message before or after the request to increase your chances. Something like, “Hello! Loved the discussion we had about XYZ at last month’s conference…” or “Thanks for the add— great to connect!”
SHARE RELEVANT, QUALITY CONTENT
Posting high-quality content is not only a great way to boost your online presence and engage with your connections, but it also establishes your profile as an expert and leader in your field.
Just like with personal branding, the content you post on LinkedIn should actually be helpful to your users; it should help them solve a problem. You should ideally be posting original content, but you can also share interesting articles from external sources. Just make sure the sources are reputable and established. Looking for some content ideas? Check them out here.
Whichever content strategy you create, update your page constantly, and end each update with a call to action. This refers to encouraging your followers to share their thoughts by commenting on and sharing your post. This will not only keep your followers’ interest but have strong online engagement.
With these 3 essential tips, you’ll be able to build important relationships, position yourself as a leader, and generate leads. The key takeaway here is that communication is key and content should never be an afterthought. Contact The Gate today for all your social media marketing needs!
