LinkedIn can do far more than connect you with your next employee.
With the right tactics, LinkedIn can help grow your brand, find new clients and introduce valuable industry contacts. For B2B businesses, LinkedIn is without a doubt the most important social network for your team.
Below is your guide to marketing your business on LinkedIn.
1. Optimize your LinkedIn Company Page
Even if you operate a small business, you should have a LinkedIn Company Page set up. Then, optimize your Company Page to get your profile seen.
- Keep your basic info (company type, size, industry, website and location information) up to date.
- Stay true to your brand. Upload your logo and a header image that mirrors your company's homepage. and social profiles. Everything should be unified!
- Pen a keyword-driven page description that speaks to who you are as a brand. Include as many keywords as you can while writing copy that embodies your brand's voice.
- Upload a video to showcase your company's humanity. No matter how moving your page description is, LinkedIn users want to connect with the faces behind your brand.
- Add Showcase pages to highlight specific products and services. To add a page, go to your Company Page, click edit, and select "Create a Showcase Page."
2. Make the most of your content
Publish consistent company updates at least twice a week. Six of 10 LinkedIn users read industry insights, making it the most desired content on the network. Publish industry insights to pique the interest of your users. Also, drive traffic to your company blog by sharing content on LinkedIn.
Share each update with a different target audience. The more you target your content to your audience, the more likely it is they'll read, engage and share.
Before publishing your next company update, select "share with a targeted audience." You can then specify who should see it based on company size, industry, function, seniority and geography.
Finally, encourage your employees to share these to reach a wider audience.
3. Join groups to find prospects
Once you have a clear, defined persona of your target customer, join groups your target customers are in. Find groups by searching the keywords that drive the most traffic to your site.
But, before joining, check out who's in the group. Click the gear icon in the upper right hand corner and select "group statistics" from the about section. Only join the groups filled with your target customers. From there, connect with members of interest, contribute to the group and participate in groups for one hour each week.
4. Start a group and establish your business as an industry leader
As you're growing your network, elevate your brand's status.
In industry groups, ask what topics they wish were getting discussed more. Pinpoint one that aligns with your company's mission and offerings. Then, start a LinkedIn group to fill that gap. You can invite leads and contacts from your network and other LinkedIn groups.
As a group leader, you can email your members up to once a week. Now that's a great way to make personal connections with members and continually stay top of mind. Plus, you'll be highlighting your expertise and establishing yourself as an industry leader.
