A Beginner’s Guide To LinkedIn Marketing

Posted by: Em Rohrer 2 years ago

According to LinkedIn, they have more than 900 million members in more than 200 countries around the world. That means it is one of the top social media networks in the world! Have you spent any time on LinkedIn?

Many professionals think of LinkedIn as a tool for recruitment, finding their next hire, or looking for their next job. While that is certainly an effective use of the platform, we’ve seen a shift over the past few years in the way businesses and professionals use LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Marketing

LinkedIn works similarly to other social media platforms to help people make connections, share content, and drive traffic to your website. Unlike other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it’s solely for businesses and professional interactions.

That means LinkedIn is uniquely positioned to be ideal for marketing products and services directly to businesses and professional leaders. According to Hubspot, LinkedIn is the most effective social media platform for generating potential leads.

How To Get Started

If you don’t already have a business page on LinkedIn, that’s the perfect place to start. The platform makes it easy to get started, and this rundown from HootSuite can walk you through the steps to set up your business page successfully.

Remember, a LinkedIn Page is different than a LinkedIn Profile. A LinkedIn Page is what you want to set up for your business, while a LinkedIn Profile is typically for individuals (you may already have one!)

LinkedIn Best Practices For Sharing Content

Once your business page is up and running on the platform, make sure you connect with relevant companies and organizations. When you complete your business page, LinkedIn will automatically suggest who you can connect with. Profiles will be suggested based on your location, industry, past jobs, qualifications, and more.

It can feel overwhelming, so a great place to start is by connecting with professionals you already know, as well as your local Chamber of Commerce. Look for people you have a relationship with and businesses you connect with regularly!

Be Consistent

Stick to a content schedule! If you’re already creating content and regularly sharing it on other social platforms, work LinkedIn into the strategy. Keep in mind that your audience here is likely different than it is on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Tailor your posts to speak to a professional audience and consistently share information your potential customers will find relevant.

Mix It Up
Don’t fall into the rut of only posting one type of content. If all you’re doing is promoting your business’s services or products, you can come off as sales-y and your connections will start to tune you out.

Use the social media “Rule of Thirds” and spend a third of your social media posts on promoting products and services, another third on sharing or interacting with others, and the final third on sharing tips and industry news that would be interesting to your audience.

Connect Using LinkedIn Groups

These are similar to Facebook Groups and can be a great way to connect with other professionals in a smaller setting. Be sure when you interact and answer questions to come across as genuine. Don’t “sell” hard in these interactions, they’re more about forging genuine professional relationships.

A great way to start is by answering questions that are relevant to your professional expertise. It helps establish you and your business as helpful and knowledgeable on the platform.

Use Hashtags

When you’re scheduling regular posts on LinkedIn, don’t skip the hashtags! They not only add emphasis to your content, they serve a very real purpose on the platform.

For example, if you work in content marketing (like us), start by searching #contentmarketing to see how many people are following the hashtag, how often it is used, etc.

You can use this strategy to target specific audiences who you think will find your content relevant. Start with 3-5 relevant hashtags and see how they work for you.

Get Started With LinkedIn Marketing

It doesn’t matter the size of your business or organization, having a consistent presence on LinkedIn will benefit you. If you aren’t sure how to get started or want someone to handle your LinkedIn social media strategy, we can help!

At 1Eighty Digital we stay as informed as possible about the latest digital marketing trends and technology so we can best integrate them for our clients, including LinkedIn marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to stop worrying about your business’s digital marketing, click below to start a conversation with us today!

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About: Em Rohrer

Em Rohrer earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and English at Grace College in 2005. As a published author and content marketing specialist, she worked in non-profit and corporate business environments before bringing her 15+ years of digital marketing expertise to 1Eighty Digital.