How to use LinkedIn correctly for B2B marketing
LinkedInย is a very powerful business tool, yet many professionals still donโt have a profile, or arenโt using it correctly. If you fall into the first category then donโt delay in creating your account, itโs totally free and will give you great visibility. Watch ourย introduction to LinkedIn videoย for a quick overview. In this post weโre going to offer you some tricks and pieces of advice to follow to ensure that you will achieve what you want, be it to find a job, generate new contacts or clients for your company, find employees, or sell your product B2B.
Donโt just sellย โ Although itโs true that a LinkedIn profile is a sales tool and therefore needs to be created well, itโs much more than that, itโs a place where you can interact with potential and current clients, build awareness, create relationships and drive traffic to your website where the real selling will take place.
Post frequently and with a strong messageย โ This is a social media platform so you need to be communicating. Check that the message is in line with your corporate identity and aims, make sure you are posting frequently and that youโre positioning yourself as an expert. If youโre not sure what to post, here are three types of posts we recommend you combine into your posting strategy.
- Engaging News and Pictures โ This can be anything from where youโve been, to something youโve seen which inspired you, a job offer, personal and engaging content which is not solely business related, but which ties into your professional image
- Quotes and Opinions โ Share your opinion of a new product or service, or a tool that you use to good effect, and use quotes to motivate and inspire people. Remember to keep everything relevant to your business sector.
- Share quality content โ If you have found a good article, guide or white paper that your target market would find useful share it, thatโs what social media is all about and maybe they will return the favour with a follow or a share
Create unique contentย โ Itโs important that people can find quality, unique content on your profile, the best way to do this is to write articles and information on your blog and then share via LinkedIn updates and in your groups
You donโt have to be everywhereย โ If you are a B2B company, or an entrepreneur looking for contacts, or want a new job in the near future, then itโs essential to be on LinkedIn and at the very least weโd recommend doing a personal profile on there so you have a presence. However, once you have your profile, you donโt need to do much with it if this isnโt where your people hang out, perhaps itโs better for you to post regularly on Instagram or onย Facebook. Just make sure youโre making a strategic decision based on reaching your target market, rather than choosing the social media channel you personally like the best.
Watch out what you share with your competitorsย โ All your competitors will be on LinkedIn and if they are smart they will follow you to see what youโre up to, so make sure youโre not sharing sensitive information or something which could give them a competitive advantage
Get a great pictureย โ Itโs very important that you have a professional, high quality and up-to-date photo that represents you as you wish to be seen in the business world. Think if a suit is more suitable, or your branded polo shirt, as this is how you dress for your job, it doesnโt matter as long as it is suitable and projects the right image for you. If youโre just leaving University, never put your graduation image there, experts say that profiles with these images are immediately eliminated from the selection, as you appear young and inexperienced.
Take care about the title and description that you use in your profileย โ This is the time to get creative and produce a well written few lines which encapsulates who you are, what defines you, what your career objectives are and the essential information potential employers or clients need to know. Make sure that your profile features your target keywords so it ranks in the search.
If you are a business create a company pageย โ You can share posts and information on this page, just as you would on Facebook and then can share those posts onto your profile or into groups you are a member of
Join relevant groups for your industry and for your location โย Groups are a great way to join a community and start connecting with fellow professionals, they are also great places to share content, ask questions and give opinions, positioning yourself as an expert
Finally, if youโre looking for jobs, remember to hide your activity, just leaving your profile public – Often, people are alerted every time you make a change and reach out to connect and you donโt want that, itโs annoying to your contacts and it can give the game away if youโre looking to make a change!
So now you know the basics, go out there and make a profile, or get active on LinkedIn and see what it can bring you. Thereโs no magic formula, and thereโs many more things that you can do if LinkedIn is very important to you, but by following the advice above at least you will have a solid start and a good image on LinkedIn and you are opening the doors for many professional opportunities.
We can support you with all aspects of yourย online marketing, including setting up and managing all professional social media profiles, creating quality content on a regular basis which is suitable for each channel. Please let us know if we can help you have a strong online presence, or check out ourย Shaw Marketing Services LinkedInย account.