Today, LinkedIn is an engaging social media network where users can interact, share views, connect digitally, and boost their professional profiles. On top of that, LinkedIn has more than 774 million members spanning over 200 countries and territories around the globe.
LinkedIn serves as a powerful social media platform for connecting with professionals and businesses, boosting brand identity, and engaging in business-to-business marketing to promote goods and services. It should be part of any comprehensive social media strategy.
LinkedIn marketing can be an effective means of raising your business profile—if you do it right. Overbearing, “sales” approaches are generally not well received. Rather, businesses that leverage their industry expertise to prove themselves as thought leaders in their field tend to achieve success
Keep reading to learn how you can make the most of LinkedIn marketing. This article will cover:
What is LinkedIn marketing?
LinkedIn marketing refers to the process of utilizing LinkedIn to promote an individual or business to attract attention to their profile. Businesses can establish their company pages and subpages (e.g., for specific products) on the platform and use it to:
- Build brand awareness
- Share content to drive traffic to a business website or blog
- Make new business connections or nurture existing business relationships
These techniques can be used to bring greater attention to the business and, ideally, for lead generation. If you want to take advantage of these benefits, the first step is to set up a LinkedIn business profile.
LinkedIn also offers additional functionality you can take advantage of, like LinkedIn Boosting, LinkedIn ads, and Showcase Pages. The following sections provide greater details about these LinkedIn marketing components.
Why you should consider using LinkedIn for marketing
LinkedIn offers a massive opportunity for thought leaders and businesses to grow their networks and raise their profiles. The platform already boasts 774-plus million users and is growing—a trend that’s expected to continue.
However, the sheer volume of users alone isn’t what makes LinkedIn marketing so appealing. Here are some of the unique benefits this professional platform offers.
Thought leadership
LinkedIn is business- and career-focused. This makes it ideally suited for displaying credentials that can bolster a person’s or company’s reputation as a thought leader (e.g., university degrees, professional certifications, company awards).
This lays the basis for reputation-based thought leadership. You’re not just an anonymous persona, but have credentials on display for all to see. You can make the most of this by posting value-added content and comments on the platform.
For example, say you run a logistics company. You might post an FAQ video from your CEO, answering common questions about the field. This will help solidify that “expert” reputation.
Connect to the right target audience
Many businesses already used LinkedIn, making it ideal for B2B connections—something other social networks can’t offer. You can further use LinkedIn to connect with relevant professionals and companies in your niche.
For example, say you’re in the financial services industry. You can ensure you connect with the right demographic by following and connecting with other companies in the field and joining groups for financial services topics.
This allows you to cut through the “noise” and focus on connections that will have the most value to your business. You won’t have to worry about wasting time on irrelevant networking.
Brand awareness
Your brand is what helps set your business apart from other competitors in the field. It encompasses elements like your mission statement, core values, and business goals. It’s what makes you stand out.
You can highlight your brand on LinkedIn to raise awareness and show others how you stand out from the crowd. There are many ways to do this, from sharing unique content about your brand to running LinkedIn ads.
For example, say you manage a virtual assistant firm catering to the U.S. market. Your unique selling proposition is that your virtual assistants are all based in the U.S. and are native English speakers. You might run a LinkedIn ad highlighting these points.
Increase product and service awareness
In addition to raising your brand’s profile, you might also raise awareness about specific services or products your business offers. LinkedIn is especially valuable for this if you specialize in B2B products or services.
For example, say you provide accounting software to small- and medium-sized enterprises. You could use LinkedIn to share information about your products. You can extend your reach by joining groups targeting SMEs and running relevant ads.
How to set up a business LinkedIn page
Ready to tap into the power of LinkedIn for your business? The first step is to set up a LinkedIn business page. Here’s a step-by-step guide.
1. Go to LinkedIn Pages
A business page on LinkedIn is different from an individual user page. It provides company-specific information. Creating a page is free. However, you’ll need a company email and name.
To create your page, here are a few steps. First, go to your LinkedIn page. At the top right, click “Work.” Next, scroll down to “Create a Company Page.” If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, you can set one up for free. You will then be the page’s automatic administrator (you can later designate others in your organization as admins too).
2. Select the relevant category for your business
You will then be asked to select your business category. Options include:
- Small businesses with fewer than 200 employees
- Medium to the large business of 200+ employees
- Educational institution
- Showcase page (use this only if you already have an existing company/business page and this will serve as a subpage for that page)
3. Fill out page details
With this done, you’ll be asked to complete the specific page details for your business/company page. Prepare to provide the following information:
- Business name: Use your business name as it appears on your marketing materials (how it’s known to customers) to ensure easy brand recognition.
- URL: Decide what you want the publicly displayed URL for your LinkedIn business page to be. Logically, it probably makes sense to have it reflect your company name, making it easy to remember.
- Website: Provide a link to your business website (make sure it’s correct). This will appear on your page and can be a great way to drive traffic to your platform and generate leads.
- Company size: Designate the number of employees. This allows people to quickly see how large your company is.
- Company type: This is where you designate the legal entity (e.g., sole proprietorship, corporation, limited liability company, etc.). Make sure to choose the option that reflects your legal status.
Note that you’ll also be asked to select a business industry for your company page. Options include:
- Consulting
- Transportation
- Marketing services
- Advertising
- Textiles
- Health care
- Biotechnology
- Computer games
- Finance
- Banking
- Automotive
- Luxury goods
- Telecommunications
- Computer software
This is just a small sampling of the many options available. You’ll find categories covering everything from aerospace to alternative medicine—so the odds are good you’ll find a label that fits your niche.
4. Add company logo and tagline
With the logistical details settled, you can go on to add your company logo and tagline. It’s important to include these elements, as they’re strong reflections of your brand. They’re what helps make it memorable and recognizable.
For example, consider a strong brand like McDonald’s. The company is renowned not only for its logo (the golden arches) but also for its tagline, “I’m Lovin’ It.” You immediately associate these elements with the brand.
5. Provide more business details
LinkedIn then gives you the chance to add a few more unique business details that can help localize your page and provide potential consumers with greater clarity about what you offer.
Take advantage and add as much detail as you can. Ensure that anybody who visits your company page has a comprehensive, correct snapshot of who you are and what you offer.
Here are some points to include:
- Company description: This is a great place to provide your elevator pitch. Briefly state what your company does and what makes it special.
- Location: Other companies in other locations may share your company’s name or have a similar-sounding name. Designate a location to avoid confusion and help localize your page.
- Hashtag: Adding a hashtag allows you to highlight key terms relevant to your company. If you have a hashtag you already use on other social media platforms, add it here, ensuring cohesive branding across platforms.
- Cover photo: Add a cover photo to make your page more visually appealing. This should reflect your brand. Company pages use everything from team pictures to images of their products for cover photos.
- Buttons: You also have the option to add call-to-action buttons to drive people from your LinkedIn page to your business. CTA options include messages like “Visit website,” “Sign up,” “Learn more,” and “Contact us.” Take advantage of this opportunity to spur the page visitor to action.
Tips for a successful LinkedIn business page and marketing strategy
Don’t just set up a LinkedIn business page and expect it to reap rewards. Manage the page, populate it with content, and use it to actively engage on the social network. These tips tell you how to do just that.
Optimize your LinkedIn profile
Completing all the information when you set up your LinkedIn business page (as described above) is the first step in optimizing it. Make sure to provide sufficient, high-quality detail in all fields.
This ensures people have all the relevant information they need about your business to determine whether they’re interested in its products or services. You can then more easily reach your target audience, attracting relevant traffic to your page. This increases the likelihood of conversions (such as a person visiting your website and then buying a product).
Optimizing your profile can also help create a more professional appearance. For example, when filling out the company information, don’t just say what you do. Instead, highlight what makes your company unique from others in the field. Additionally, when adding images (like your logo or cover photo), make sure they are high quality.
What’s more, think about optimizing your business page for search engine optimization. Identify keywords relevant to your business (e.g., “car rental in New York”). Incorporating them in other areas, like the company description, is another common SEO practice.
Define your target audience
LinkedIn is a unique type of social network that’s ideally suited for targeting professionals and B2B audiences. However, it’s important to narrow down this massive niche to businesses and professionals relevant to you. Otherwise, you’ll have people visiting your page and quickly clicking away again because your business isn’t of interest to them.
Defining your target demographic in advance allows you to tailor your company page accordingly. For example, if you sell accounting software out of New York City, you might target CPAs on the East Coast.
LinkedIn makes targeting easy. Consider all the details you had to fill in to create your profile. Every other LinkedIn member ideally did the same! You can thus target connections and interactions according to location, company size, industry, etc.
Determine who you want to reach. For example, let’s say your company offers local corporate catering services for large companies. You can search for area companies based on size.
Create a content calendar
Don’t just put up a LinkedIn page and leave it dormant. Regularly posting content can help bolster your image as a thought leader on the platform. Creating a content marketing calendar in advance can help.
This will help ensure consistency and allow you to take advantage of key events to leverage for content. For example, if you run a dental clinic, you might post on World Oral Health Day, sharing actionable tips for improving dental health.
Posting around broader events or holidays is also useful in terms of leveraging hashtags to gain traction. It’s also a great way to connect with others. Make sure to comment on other content, not just share your own.
Publish relevant content consistently
Having a content calendar will make it easier to post regularly. You’ll know exactly what to post, when to post it, and what hashtags to use. If you don’t have time to create a calendar, hire a social media management professional to write one for you.
All of your content should meet three points. First, it should be relevant to your industry. Second, it should speak to your brand. Finally, it should provide added value to the people who see it. That said, try to think outside of the box when possible.
Take the above example of a dental clinic. You might also post on other events like National Wear Red Day, which brings attention to heart disease. What’s that got to do with teeth? Gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
By taking this unexpected approach, you provide your readership with valuable knowledge and establish your expertise. Further, you can provide actionable tips on gum care to make your content useful.
Create video- or image-based posts
Your LinkedIn marketing content doesn’t have to be exclusively written. It’s a good idea to include visual content like videos or images to create more engaging and interesting material.
Images could include photos and infographics with useful data, for example. Video examples might include an FAQ, an interview with your company’s CEO, or a how-to tutorial for a product you offer. The format will depend on your industry.
Use clear calls to action
When you set up your LinkedIn presence, you had the option to designate CTA buttons. These direct people visiting your profile to take certain actions, like visiting your website. You should also include CTAs in your content.
Remember to keep your CTAs useful to your audience. People don’t want to feel like they’re being sold to. For example, you might conclude a blog post about a relevant topic for your audience with a CTA to download a whitepaper with more detail.
Use data-backed content for engagement
People love facts and figures. Stats and percentages provide fast, easy-to-digest, and compelling information that people can take in at a glance. In the social media sphere, where people scroll through quickly, this is a good way to capture someone’s attention.
Whenever possible, infuse your content with facts, figures, surveys, study results, and other verifiable data. You can also make such data do double duty by using it to create infographics or images to tease your long-form content.
Try LinkedIn Ads
If you want to take a straightforward approach to promoting your company on LinkedIn, use LinkedIn advertising. Ads are useful because they allow you to actively target and connect with others on the network, as your ads will be shown to relevant parties directly. You don’t have to wait for them to discover your company page. You go to them.
This allows you to reach people beyond your immediate network, giving them the chance to get to know your business and expanding your network as a result. Ideally, this will generate leads and result in conversions.
There are different types of ads, including dynamic ads, sponsored content, message ads, and text ads. To make use of LinkedIn ads, create your campaign manager. Through this portal, you can select a budget, choose marketing goals (e.g., impressions versus clicks), and set a timeline for your campaign.
Try LinkedIn Boosting
If you have a great piece of content you think deserves some extra attention, consider LinkedIn Boosting. This allows you to amplify content and reach more people. When you boost a post, a campaign is created by your campaign manager.
Industry thought leadership, customer spotlights, product launches, and events are all good candidates for a boost. You can use a boost to drive website visits, increase video views, or increase engagement.
Utilize Showcase Pages
Once you have your LinkedIn company page set up, you also have the option to create Showcase Pages. These are targeted pages that are subcategories of your main page. They can be used to highlight specific campaigns, content, or initiatives.
For example, say you have a new product you’re launching. You might create a Showcase Page to share content about it with your LinkedIn network. This is a good way to expand your network, as well, because Showcase Pages will be displayed to people even if they aren’t directly connected to you.
Add new job postings for your company
Your business page can also be used to post positions you’re seeking to fill at your company. Make sure to include your job posting specifically on the LinkedIn Jobs page. While this might seem like it’s more about human resources than digital marketing, it’s a great way to solidify your brand online. This is because your job postings are representative of your company culture.
A job post doesn’t just have to include basics, like the job title and description. It can convey your company’s values through the language used (e.g., a more casual tone) and information included (such as a diversity statement).
You can also go directly to your network, inviting them to engage with your job post and share it with their extended network. This can be a good way to streamline talent scouting and speed up the process.
Use company articles and news to drive engagement
Your business likely has the content it creates beyond LinkedIn, such as thought leader articles from management and press releases. Make sure to leverage this kind of content and share it on LinkedIn, as well.
This allows you to make the most of every piece of content you create. It can also drive engagement on other content platforms. For example, if a news site posts a piece mentioning your company, you can encourage people to check it out.
Reach out to relevant industry leaders and companies
Many business leaders and prominent companies are found on LinkedIn. This provides you with potential access that you’ll be hard-pressed to find in other forums. There are ways to reach out to individuals without it feeling like spam.
If you have a shared connection or are in a shared group with someone, you can use this point of connectivity as a means of introduction via email. Alternatively, if you’re a premium member, you can tap into the open profile network to reach other premium account holders.
When messaging busy leaders, it’s best to have a clear objective and state it upfront. Time is precious! For example, you might invite them to take part in a webinar or write a guest post for your company blog. Make it attractive by providing stats about your reach (for example, the blog’s number of monthly readers).
Use LinkedIn endorsements
LinkedIn endorsements allow people to recommend your services by selecting them from a provided list. An endorsement is basically like a recommendation, but for one specific skill (although people can “endorse” you for multiple skills).
Endorsements can help clarify exactly what types of services your company offers. People can endorse you for various skills, from writing to interior design. You can also endorse others, providing a quick reference to boost their profile.
Know who viewed your profile
Another unique advantage of LinkedIn is that it lets you know who has looked at your profile. Take advantage of it! It provides direct insights into your audience, showing who’s interested in your company.
To access this feature, click the “Me” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage and then click “View Profile.” You can then click “Who Viewed Your Profile” under the dashboard.
Use LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups are virtual groups centered around specific industry topics. You can join groups to grow your contact list, share your knowledge, and raise brand awareness.
Groups are also a great way to learn from others in your field. You can accomplish most of this by sharing useful, information-packed content in groups. You can also create your own LinkedIn group around a topic you’re an expert in.
Share LinkedIn updates on Twitter and Facebook
For any kind of social media, it’s important to cross-pollinate. This allows you to increase connections and engagement across all your platforms. Most people aren’t on all social media, instead choosing to keep a couple of accounts active. Giving others your possible social media options allows them to connect in the forum they’re most comfortable with and use the most frequently.
If you have a LinkedIn update, share it on your other social media channels, like Twitter and Facebook. This helps drive followers from these platforms to your LinkedIn profile.
You can add your Twitter handle to your LinkedIn profile as well, making it easier to share updates across platforms. This also allows you to drive LinkedIn connections to Twitter.
Review your LinkedIn analytics
One of the great things about LinkedIn marketing is that it’s measurable. Familiarize yourself with LinkedIn’s reporting tools and detailed page analytics. Using this data, you can learn about visitors, followers, and engagement.
For example, say you run a LinkedIn ad. You can analyze the performance based on key metrics, like clicks, impressions, and social actions. You can then see which ads are performing well and which ones are flopping—and use this information to structure future ads.
Decide in advance what key performance indicators (KPIs) you want to measure. One of the biggest social media marketing mistakes is not establishing KPIs in advance. Doing so allows for accurate and consistent measurement.
Evolve your content and marketing efforts
Your content and LinkedIn marketing strategy aren’t stagnant. They will change as your business changes and as trends change. Marketing is a fast-moving and constantly evolving field, and keeping up can be difficult, especially if it’s not your niche.
How can you stay on top of the latest updates? First, keep an eye on what others in your industry are doing. You can also subscribe to marketing newsletters or follow marketing pros online. Finally, hiring a freelance marketing consultant can be useful in ensuring you keep up with the latest trends in LinkedIn marketing.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to leverage LinkedIn to boost your business’s brand and expand your network. Don’t forego the opportunities offered by LinkedIn marketing just because you don’t have the time or resources to implement the above tips.
If you lack the knowledge or time to implement LinkedIn marketing, consider outsourcing the job to an expert marketer. Upwork connects you with LinkedIn marketing specialists, social media marketing strategists, content writers, and more.
You can build the entire team you need to create effective LinkedIn marketing that takes your brand to the next level.
