LinkedIn is a boring, dull social media network that no one uses.
…Right?
Nope.
It’s the opposite.
If you’re using LinkedIn correctly, it’s a powerful way to network, connect, gain exposure and SELL.
With more than 30 million companies using the platform and 690 million monthly users — it has untapped potential for brands to find new customers and rack in those sweet dollars, dollar bills.
Here are seven tips to level up your LinkedIn marketing strategy for your brand!
Why Do You Need a LinkedIn Marketing Strategy?
Before we jump into marketing tips for LinkedIn, why should you care about the platform at all?
What exactly can it offer your brand?
Here are some hot fire statistics for why you should build a solid strategy for LinkedIn:
• LinkedIn is more effective at generating leads than Facebook and Twitter by 277%.
• 43% of marketers have sourced at least one lead via LinkedIn.
• 62% of B2B marketers say LinkedIn successfully generates leads
• An ad on LinkedIn can reach 12% of the world’s population
• Users say that LinkedIn is 3x more trustworthy for delivering worthwhile content compared to other platforms
• Cost per lead on LinkedIn is 28% lower than on Google AdWords
These are just some of the exciting reasons why you should improve your LinkedIn efforts and optimise your strategy.
Tips to Boost Your LinkedIn Marketing Strategy
1. Create a LinkedIn Page
Before we dive deep into the nitty-gritty of LinkedIn marketing, you need somewhere to put all your content.
Your first step towards a strategy that attracts leads is to create a LinkedIn page (link to other article) for your brand.
How to create a LinkedIn Page:
1. Go to the LinkedIn Pages section and click on “Create Your Page“.
2. Choose a category for your brand
3. Fill in your company details and create a unique URL.
4. Upload your logo and tagline.
5. Click “Create Page“
2. Publish Valuable Content
Are you sleeping on LinkedIn’s publishing features? From going live, posting videos or creating blog posts — each option gives you an opportunity to provide value to your ideal audience.
If you want to be seen as a thought leader in your industry, hop on the LinkedIn bandwagon and join the 88% of top-performing B2B marketers who put their audience’s informational needs first.
Map out a content calendar and use LinkedIn to create, share and publish content that will educate, inspire or entertain your ideal customer.
It will get your audience’s attention and go a long way in building a relationship with your brand.
3. Share video content
Beat the LinkedIn algorithm and get more eyeballs on your content by adding video to your content mix. Videos get 5x more engagement than any other content type on LinkedIn. Plus, native LinkedIn video automatically plays in the feed and is prioritised by the algorithm.
But what should you make videos about? It’s really up to you and your brand’s personality!
You can keep it super casual and post short video clips (think Instagram stories), but keeping it valuable and actionable.
• Discovered a new tool you love? Tell people about it?
• Decked out the office with some new snag? Share it!
• Want to hype up anticipation for your next launch? Give everyone a sneak peek of what’s going on behind the scenes.
But if video content makes you weak at the knees, keep your feed actionable by using images. Posts with custom collages that include 3-4 images receive more engagement than those without.
4. Use the matched audiences feature
Good news, everyone! LinkedIn ads no longer suck.
Over the last couple of years, the platform has put in a lot of effort to play in the big leagues/
While it’s targeting isn’t as detailed as some of the other platforms, the Matched Audiences feature will take your LinkedIn Marketing efforts to the next level.
This feature targets people who have visited your website as well as your email contacts and existing followers. Since these people are already AWARE of your brand, the chances of converting them into your next paying customer is a lot higher than a cold lead.
5. Optimise your posts for maximum reach and engagement
No budget for LinkedIn ads? No problem! You can boost your reach and engagement by working with the algorithm to increase your reach.
Posts are ranked by the following criteria:
• Personal connections
• Interest relevance.
• Engagement probability
To make sure your content is sending all these good vibes to the algorithm, you want to follow these LinkedIn best practices:
• Write attention-grabbing headlines
• Tag people and pages mentioned
• Use questions to prompt responses
• Include a call-to-action to encourage engagement
• Reply to comments as soon as possible
• Create LinkedIn polls
• Include two to three relevant hashtags to boost reach
• Grab attention with a high-quality image or video
• Post at the best time for your page
• Share timely and relevant content
6. Leverage LinkedIn analytics to your advantage
With a LinkedIn page, you have access to juicy analytics that will help you plan your content calendar.
From your dashboard, you can see:
• How people found your page
• Your most engaged sections
• Total page views
• Visitor demographics
• Individual post engagement
• Compare how you’re doing against competitors
7. Use LinkedIn Live
Much like how Instagram Live is a powerful way to sell online, LinkedIn Live’s can go a long way in boosting your brand awareness and sales.
According to LinkedIn, live videos see 24x more engagement than pre-recorded videos
So what should you use LinkedIn Live’s for?
• Fireside chats.
• Interviews.
• Webinars.
• Q & As.
• Virtual Events.
If you’re stumped for a topic, check out LinkedIn’s monthly blog series on trending content
But before you go live — make sure you promote it! Spread the word on your other social media platforms and newsletter to make sure people know when to tune in.
When it’s time for action, don’t forget to engage with your viewers. Ask questions, respond to comments and do your best to create an environment that feels like a two-way conversation.
Grow your brand with LinkedIn marketing
With a LinkedIn marketing strategy in place, it’s a powerful way for you to grow your brand’s awareness, engagement and sales.
Hop onto LinkedIn and get a feel for what people in your niche are saying. Start answering your audience’s biggest problems. Create a content calendar that’s going to establish you as a leader.
When you’re done, don’t forget to review your analytics. Don’t feel shy about tweaking your LinkedIn strategy until it’s a well-oiled machine bringing in leads and helping you close sales.
