Whenever we think of LinkedIn, we visualize a platform where we can add our resumes and post jobs. However, there is more to it. Times have changed, and LinkedIn has now become a lead-generating juggernaut.
Let’s first view some mind-boggling statistics before diving into LinkedIn marketing and the strategies you can use to improve your business visibility.
– As of 2022, LinkedIn has above 810 million members. Now, at a glance, this number may seem small when compared with Instagram and Facebook. But let’s not forget that it is a professional platform where you can reach out to people personally and share your message.
– With more than 77% of users located outside the US, you can have a global reach. Multinationals can benefit from the platform by sending out their messages and reaching out to diverse segments.
– Whether you are hiring employees, outsourcing work, generating leads, or just advertising, LinkedIn is perfect. The platform is extremely attractive because almost 60% of the users are between the ages of 25 & 34.
– Through LinkedIn marketing, 33% of businesses have seen an increase in overall purchase intent. Marketers can create engaging brand posts and share them on the feeds. Users were able to reach 14.6% of the world’s population through ads.
– The network has around 58 million companies. Jump on the bandwagon! This is indeed a powerful platform to reach consumers, B2B prospects, and the talent pool.
Source: Hootsuite
What Is LinkedIn Marketing?
The statistics are undeniably very appealing, making any marketer jump right in. So, what exactly is LinkedIn marketing?
In brief terms, it is the process of using LinkedIn to:
– Make connections
– Generate leads
– Increase brand awareness
– Foster business relationships & partnerships
– Share content, and
– Drive traffic to your website & other social media platforms
Since the network is for professionals from its core, you can direct all your business-related activities to it to generate buzz and keep that revenue curve steep.
5 LinkedIn Marketing Strategies That Will Grow Your Business
Let’s discuss the strategies that can help you gain more leads and increase engagement.
1) Find Your Target Segment
The targeting on LinkedIn is unparalleled when it comes to advertising. If you own a small business that supposedly sells real estate software, then you know that the target segment is the agents. So, you can conduct a LinkedIn search and reach out to people and real estate companies to pitch how you have got the perfect solution for them.
2) Grow Your Email Database
Whether you are selling a product, a service, or growing your network, having the email addresses of your LinkedIn connections will always come in handy. You can collect the emails by simply messaging the people, thanking them for being connected, and then asking for their email. In some cases, you can offer a free service or something that will benefit them.
3) The Sponsored Updates
Just like Facebook, Instagram & Google Ads, you can push your post onto the LinkedIn feed of your target audience by using sponsored updates. One added benefit is that you can really customize and narrow down the demographics and other key attributes such as company name, job titles, job functions, etc.
It’s always beneficial if you engage in marketing without making the users feel that they are exposed to your marketing message. So, to be subtle, you can engage people by providing the firm’s content, for example, white pages, free guides, or anything valuable.
One way to use this tactic and really make it a stone that kills two goals is to provide a trial, a snapshot, or a sneak peek of what you are providing. It will entice your target segment to “want more” of it. Now that’s a win-win situation!
4) The People Behind The Brand
The foundation of customer loyalty and the basis on which a lurker can turn in a customer is “trust” and “authority”. LinkedIn is the best way to do that. Get all of your employees to create a profile and ensure that their accounts are disseminating similar information and brand value.
When people can see the team behind a business, it increases the human aspect of a brand. Your employees can tell their stories and share about their job and how well they are doing it. Result? Tons of credibility and increased relationship building!
5) Stay Active
There is a multitude of groups that you can join. Plus, you can check which ones have the users that fall into your target segment and get into those. The benefits of doing this are two-pronged. The first one is that you will be able to post, engage and send connection requests to relevant people.
Secondly, you can “listen” in. Yes, social media listening has enormous advantages. See what they are talking about, and maybe that can be the theme of your new marketing campaign. In addition, you get to keep an eye on your competitors and hear if your potential customers have anything to say about them.
The key takeaway is that you can utilize a platform that exposes you to your target audience and give you a real chance to build connections that you can turn into relationships.
So, be an active participant and make sure that you give out the right details so that the customers can understand your brand. You can even use the StoryBrand Framework to build a profile that instantly engages your audience.
Ready To Grow Your Online Reach?
Be Eminent specializes in online marketing, SEO, and all of the different digital marketing nuts and bolts that will help you capture the online space. Contact us today to get started!