3 Ways to Use LinkedIn for Business
LinkedIn is the social networking site truly designed for networking and LinkedIn for business is no exception. While you’re likely already using the platform personally, you may wonder if it’s worth your time to use it to promote your business. The answer is YES. Unlike other platforms, engagement on LinkedIn (shares, likes, and comments) has increased by at least 50% year over year, and continues to rise. There’s no better time to join the party!
Here are 3 ways to use LinkedIn for business in your digital marketing strategy:
1. Increase Brand Visibility on LinkedIn for Business
LinkedIn directly impacts your SEO (search engine optimization). Try this out: Search a company on Google that already has a LinkedIn business page. You will most likely find it on the first page, especially if the postings on the LinkedIn page have strong, frequent content. Rank better in search engines by using keywords in your LinkedIn profile, just like when publishing a blog post or adding a new page to your website. Strategic areas on your profile to include keywords are your location, professional headline, LinkedIn URL, summary, experience section, and your projects section.
2. Turn LinkedIn Connections into Leads
Build relationships on LinkedIn by posting about twice a week (once a day at a maximum), and regularly engage with your connections by liking and commenting on their posts. The best way to generate leads on LinkedIn is to start a conversation that isn’t focused on what you are selling, but instead around a mutual interest. The more authentically involved you are with your connections, the more likely you are to be top of mind when looking for services you provide.
3. Run LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn has the world’s largest online community of professionals, with over 575 million users and 260 million monthly active users. This platform is unique because these users are a genuinely active, vocal, helpful, and knowledgeable community of professionals— the type of people most likely to buy from you. To get an even more targeted demographic, take advantage of paid ads. The main types of advertising options on this platform are Sponsored Content, Sponsored InMail, and Text Ads.
- Sponsored Content: Essentially promoted posts. This type of ad is best when you want to increase engagement or drive traffic to a specific webpage or blog post.
- Sponsored InMail: This ad sends messages directly to the user’s message inbox and lets you reach out to your target audience, even if the users aren’t following your company page. It’s a great way to send personalized messages to promote specials, generate leads, and boost conversions.
- Text Ads: These ads are on the side of a user’s home page and run as a PPC (Pay-Per-Click) format. They are cheap and easy to create and have a lot of flexibility. They are a budget-friendly strategy for boosting brand awareness, driving traffic to a specific URL, and running measurable campaigns when paired with conversion tracking.