LINKEDIN GREATLY IMPROVES BUSINESS PAGES
If you are under the misconception that LinkedIn is just for job hunters, your business is losing out on a significant opportunity. LinkedIn has put serious time and effort into creating LinkedIn Pages, a feature specifically for businesses.
LinkedIn has historically been the awkward cousin of social media. Not as popular as Facebook. Not as trendy as Instagram. Not as polarizing as Twitter. That has allowed LinkedIn to remain strictly business, and B2B users are thankful.
LinkedIn Pages (formerly LinkedIn Company Pages) are profiles that allow a business entity to post and engage individual users (not too differently than Facebook). Individual LinkedIn account holders can follow and interact with the business. LinkedIn Pages also can connect current and former employees allowing for easier networking and discovery.
Recently, LinkedIn has added features that allow the business profiles to offer more than just contact information. They added tools to showcase different services or products and enhanced abilities to directly engage followers. Bottom line, LinkedIn kicked it up a few notches.
Despite all the updates, many businesses—especially those who are B2B—have been slow to adopt.
Making the most out of your LinkedIn Page comes down to the three C’s. Content, Cooperation, and Collaboration.
CONTENT
Social media will forever be a content medium. Using your business’ LinkedIn Page allows you to post a wide variety of content. Images, links, and native video (new) are providing followers and employees (hint, hint) the ability to engage and share. LinkedIn features a more reach-friendly algorithm so that your business posts stand a far better chance of reaching a greater percentage of followers than other social platforms.
Your business can also utilize powerful promotional tools, reaching out to highly targeted communities. Imagine targeting by geography, industry, or even job description to get your company’s post in front of key decision makers. The right content reaching the right people.
COOPERATION
Do not fool yourself. Your business is not the only one in your industry attempting to leverage LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a vast community of experts and influencers no matter how specialized your industry may be. A critical first step is recognizing the experts already there. The best way to accomplish this is to connect and engage.
Using your LinkedIn Page, you can share useful content, links, and video from other critical experts or influencers. Show that you recognize fellow subject matter experts, and by offering a few additional perspectives, you can demonstrate your own expertise.
With LinkedIn’s 2018 adoption of hashtags, important topics can be followed. From broad topics like #marketing to specific niches like #combustibledust, your LinkedIn page can connect to conversations already happening. Take the time to observe conversations. Who are the thought leaders? Who are the competitors? Who are the prospects? Your business page can succeed by connecting with hashtag conversations.
Cooperate with fellow industry experts by sharing useful content. Leverage that further by using hashtags to extend your cooperative attitude to new connections and prospects. There is one other significant LinkedIn resource most businesses overlook. Your teammates.
COLLABORATION
LinkedIn will always remain about people. Individual people can have vast networks many times larger than the company that employs them. A well-respected employee may be connected to countless influencers within an industry. This makes your employees the most valuable asset of a business page.
When employees are properly connected, content can be commented, shared, and catapulted to a vast community. By collaborating with your team, the follower reach on your business page is magnified by several team members simply “clicking like” on the post.
LinkedIn says businesses will soon have the ability to respond to and re-share any posts on LinkedIn where a company’s Page is mentioned, like customer testimonials and product reviews. Even before that feature comes online, collaborate with your business’ greatest resource—your team.
HOW TO GET STARTED?
LinkedIn has done a great job in giving a step-by-step “playbook” to setting up a LinkedIn Page. In addition to following the instructions, make sure you have the right graphics and content ready. Your profile description, services/products, and visual identity will play a significant role in your page’s success.
Signalfire’s creative marketing Guides & Outfitters can help. Our extensive experience in managing B2B marketing efforts on LinkedIn can benefit your business. Whether just getting your LinkedIn Page setup, growing your community, or even training your employees to take part, Signalfire can assist with the planning and execution of a successful LinkedIn strategy. Connect with us to get started.