Of all the major social networking platforms, LinkedIn Marketing is easily the most professional due to its focus on B-to-B connections. A business can use the platform to open up their engagement by sharing updates, news, upcoming events and other aspects of their concern. The network could not only be used to connect with fellow industry professionals, but also optimized to attract potential clients. For those keen on using social media marketing on LinkedIn, there are a few tips that could help.
Increasing Visibility
A LinkedIn profile is basically an enhanced, interactive resume. One can thus take advantage of various Web 2.0 capabilities in showcasing their expertise. Status updates are brief statements that could be used to keep connections informed on current on goings. A good way to do this is to regularly post useful and actionable updates containing links to business-related content. The platform also allows easy syndication of blog posts to various profiles. When the content is uploaded onto the firm’s site, their LinkedIn profile is automatically updated with the content title, abstract and link.
Other useful features include polls and recommendations. The former act as market research tools that could help collect actionable data from the platform. Having positive recommendations that emphasize on one’s expertise also greatly enhances a firm’s profile. If one finds it hard to create and post updates, they could make use of various social media management tools to automate the task.
Community Features
Besides the firm’s profile, there are several LinkedIn community features that could be used to communicate and interact with other users. One of the best ways to showcase a business to prospects is to create a group that relates to their area of expertise. Here, a forum could be created to facilitate discussions with clients. This way, one becomes aware of their clients’ opinions, concerns and suggestions.
LinkedIn Answers provides a sub-platform where business knowledge can be shared among like-minded parties. Besides getting various queries answered, one could also use it to showcase their expertise and interests by answering questions. Company Pages provide an effective research tool that offers insight on both competitors and other enterprises that somehow align to the firm’s own interests. To boost the value of a company page, one could post targeted information about the firm’s products and/or services.
Building an Audience
Attracting more followers to a LinkedIn profile takes team effort. The firm’s employees and management’s connections play an integral role here in promoting the page. One should thus encourage both of these parties to actively participate in discussions taking place on the firm’s page. As a manager, one could make this easier by initiating the conversations and asking employees to include a link to the firm’s profile in their email signatures. This helps draw more attention to the firm’s page.