Why You're Not Making the Most of Your LinkedIn Business Page

Social media networking has become one of any business’ most powerful tools for generating leads and conversions. Its power wholly depends on your ability to use it effectively. You may already have a page or handle set up, but mere existence is unlikely to generate much in the way of customer attention or sales. Consider the items below and implement them into your LinkedIn gameplan to ensure your page doesn’t just exist—it dominates.

Generate Followers

It used to be that followers didn’t mean much on LinkedIn. If people followed your business page or not, there wasn’t much benefit beyond your contact info. That has all changed now that LinkedIn offers Company Updates. Now any of the content you post via your company page is only as visible as the size of your following. Followers are vital. 

Build your following by adding “follow” buttons to your blogs and other social media sites. Make your online presence work for you by encouraging people to connect with your business page. Promote any LinkedIn post across all other social channels your business has to ensure maximum exposure. That way, retweets on Twitter are still going to generate attention back to LinkedIn.

Offer Content Consistently

There isn’t much of a point of having a following if you haven’t got anything to say. Keep a consistent, open line of communication by posting content across all outlets. Less is more, but don’t post so little your followers forget about you. Give them just enough content to stay aware of your brand without overloading their feeds. What's the perfect balance? This depends on your audience. Do your research ahead of time to understand what your buyers expect. 

Stand Out Visually

A plain, underdeveloped page is not going to turn any heads, especially not in a visually centered arena such as the Internet. Spend some time thinking about the images and color scheme of your page. You want to communicate your brand personality in the strongest way possible, so always consider if there is a better way than what you’ve currently chosen. Don't be afraid to be bold. 

Flex Your Creativity

You will be judged by the content you post. Your logo, slogan and company image are nearly insignificant next to how your content speaks about your brand on your behalf. As Jodi Parker writes in her blog for TollFreeForwarding.com, “Content marketing is still one of a brand’s greatest assets.” So, why would you settle for boring, predictable posts that surprise no one and give few reasons to engage? There are several mediums worth of content, and a little personality has been shown to improve customer perception of a brand, rather than inhibit it.

• Videos - Whether on Vine, Instagram or YouTube, companies can use visual storytelling to connect with customers in a way no other medium can. From product announcements to entertaining clips, videos do double duty informing and keeping things interesting.
• Images - People can process images thousands of times faster than text, and, best of all, they don’t require load times or compatible software. They can carry ideas among their colors, composition and characters that create a direct path to the heart of the viewer. If you can make your clients feel something, they will attach that feeling to your business.
• Clever Posts - Sometimes, a short, well-crafted sentence is all you need to get your point across. If you can make people laugh or smile, all the better. Keep it short enough to be read mostly at a glance, since the demands on the average person’s attention make it unlikely they will read for much longer. Give them a link to click-through back to your company website.

Sponsor Your Content

LinkedIn allows you to sponsor any of your posts, which injects your content into the feeds of others who don’t already follow your page. It’s a great way to get more eyes on some of your strongest content while bringing in more followers and expanding your reach.

Engage Your Audience

Long gone are the days of the distant corporate office several levels removed from the customer level. While this may still be true to some extent, it doesn’t feel like it to the consumer thanks to the great lengths companies go to officially connect with customers via social media. People now feel they can speak directly to the company itself and they’re questions will be heard and answered. Your business is no exception, and an engaged audience will be more likely to repeat business and recommend you to a friend.

Utilize Your Page Features

LinkedIn offers a number of additional tools right on your business page you can use to enhance the page’s value. Be sure to incorporate them on your page or risk losing some valuable connections.

• The News Module can be used to share all of your business’ mentions in the news across the web. It can help raise your brand strength by emphasizing how often you appear in online conversation.
• Your Careers page is where people will go to look for job openings and related news. Since one of LinkedIn's main focuses is helping people work together, you can assume most people who come to your page may be interested in working for or with you.
• Showcase pages help promote different products or brands within your company. These act as mini portfolio pages for your company, so don't waste them. 

Remember Your Analytics

Your marketing is only as effective as the impact of your content. If you craft a brilliant piece of copy nobody reads, then you have failed to market properly. LinkedIn’s analytics will let you know the specific effectiveness of your efforts and, more importantly, where they fall short. Adjust your strategy as necessary until you are connecting with your target audience at a level consistent with your marketing goals.

How are you utilizing your LinkedIn business page? Share your tips in the comment section below.

Dave Landry Jr. is a business owner and journalist who enjoys writing on the impact social media has on today’s business world. He hopes you enjoy this article.