While Facebook, Instagram and Twitter grab all the headlines, one hard-working platform sometimes gets lost in the social media landscape: LinkedIn. But overlooking the power of LinkedIn to reach your targeted audience would be a mistake.
LinkedIn is not just for job seekers. If you use this social networking platform the right way, it becomes an active marketing channel to grow your network and business.
LinkedIn offers several compelling marketing advantages, including the ability to:
LinkedIn publishing and advertising opportunities support brand awareness, website visits, engagement, views, lead generation, site conversions, and, yes, job application submissions from qualified candidates.
B2B viewers on LinkedIn tend to respond well to useful content that helps solve their problems rather than reading advertisements to sell your products or services. If the buyers feel engaged with your helpful content, they will often seek you out to learn more.
LinkedIn advertising offers a variety of ad types and formats. The platform’s promotional opportunities include:
The global recruiting company Hays is a great example of a company that leverages the power of LinkedIn to reach a wider audience. What makes Hays stand out is that it publishes relevant content that is delivered straight to its audience.
For example, it publishes a company-branded digital magazine, called the Hays Journal, which people can page through on LinkedIn.
Hays also showcases original research, features enticing snippets to promote larger content offerings and highlights initiatives such as #WorldMentalHealthDay.
Takeaway tips from Hays on using LinkedIn B2B marketing tactics include:
Hays is a great example of a company using the power of LinkedIn to help reach its target audience.
Enlist your team members in sharing your social posts with their own social networks. This is a powerful but often underutilized way to reach a wider audience. By making it easy for your employees to share your content on their LinkedIn feeds, you gain the opportunity to expand your reach and engagement.
Also, they can connect more authentically with their connections. People in their LinkedIn network will trust a message coming from them more than one coming from the company itself.
Share frequent “quick-hit” content that is short, “snackable” and easy to digest. For example, upload short videos that humanize your company and brand, such as tips from your real employees. Also, leverage your company leaders to make your followers feel like they’re getting a sneak peek into your brand.
Experiment with different types of videos. Don’t be afraid to inject personality into your posts. People enjoy seeing the human side of B2B brands.
Use your LinkedIn feed to inform a targeted audience about your upcoming events and drive registration to virtual events, such as webinars, conferences and training sessions where experts from your company are scheduled to speak.
Instead of thinking only about promotional opportunities to showcase your products or services, publish content that is useful and relevant to your target audience.
For example, an event planning company could publish articles on how to plan successful events or how to choose the best event planning technologies.
Test out thematic serial content with your audience.
LinkedIn doesn’t have to be all about business. It can also be a place to share fun news.
For example, you could share a company win in a fun way such as through the universally recognized language of emojis. Include your team members in the celebratory posts, because, after all, businesses are all about the people who work there.
If your company regularly participates in community or national events, you can share the highlights over LinkedIn.
Especially in today’s world, people connect to the emotional aspects of community engagement, diversity and inclusion. They like stories about humanity helping humanity.
Whether you appear on existing podcasts as a subject matter expert or launch your own podcast, LinkedIn is a great place to let the world know.
For example, you can publish sound snippet excerpts of the best parts of your podcasts, excerpt the best pull quotes, create memes or compile a sizzle reel of the most compelling highlights.
Like other social platforms, LinkedIn lets you pin a post to the top of your page to increase the potential for views.
Pinned post strategies can range from your company’s most compelling message to your most-viewed post.
You don’t need to have just one page on LinkedIn like you do on most social media platforms. You can create multiple, unique Showcase Pages, with each one representing a different line of business, service area or product line.
By creating distinct platforms for different aspects of your business, you can tailor messages specifically to each unique target audience.
Publish a consistent flow of eye-catching visuals. This can both make your page come to life and capture the attention of scrolling LinkedIn members. But avoid stock photos. Create your own unique, authentic and interesting images to accompany your posts.
Aim for consistency through color, tone or style, so your images are easy to recognize in a crowd. Be sure the imagery matches your messaging, too. You’ll get bonus points for drawing clever visual-word connections.
LinkedIn is a social media platform that enables you to not only build business relationships and look for new hires but also conduct effective marketing. Today businesses are using LinkedIn to establish thought leadership, conduct industry research, maintain their reputations, execute account-based marketing and generate leads.
Don’t forget to include this powerful platform in your company’s marketing strategy by leveraging some of these LinkedIn B2B marketing tactics.
