LinkedIn has some 610m users in more than 200 countries and territories (20m-plus in the UK). More than 260m LinkedIn users log into the site every month, with 40% of those being active daily users.
LinkedIn describes itself as the “largest global community of business professionals” who “come to LinkedIn [to] consume professional content”. They have “a very different mindset and intent from [those using] other social media platforms”.
According to LinkedIn, 80% of its users “drive business decisions” and its audience has twice the buying power of the average web audience. LinkedIn says 90m of its users are “senior level influencers”, with a further 63m “decision-makers” and 10m “C-level execs”.
LinkedIn is rated the top social network for lead generation, with “94% of B2B marketers using it to distribute content”. It’s hardly surprising that so many UK businesses are using LinkedIn to raise awareness of their brand, generate new leads and win new customers. However, if you get it wrong, it can have the opposite effect. So, what are the golden rules of using LinkedIn?
1 Use LinkedIn to its full potential
Searching LinkedIn can reveal much valuable information. You can quickly identify target companies and key people. Contacting them may or may not prove successful, but using LinkedIn only in this way offers limited value. In any case, usually it’s harder to get to speak to people who’ve never heard of you.
A wiser, longer-term strategy is to build your LinkedIn network and provide your connections with valuable, relevant content, whether links to industry or business news, insightful features, blogs, engaging facts and figures, or links to your own content, published on your website or LinkedIn. This approach can raise your profile and even result in leads contacting you.
Don’t take a “scattergun approach” to building your network. Find the right people at the right companies – think quality rather than quantity. Send polite connection requests and a brief thank you message to those who accept.
2 Get your posts and content right
Using LinkedIn simply to broadcast your sales messages or beg for business isn’t recommended. And people see right through any “modest bragging” (ie making a seemingly humble statement to publicise your achievements), although it is OK to occasionally draw attention to your successes.
LinkedIn has evolved from a jobs/careers platform into a content platform. More than 130,000 articles are created on LinkedIn every week, so, your content has to be up to scratch. Give your connections engaging, valuable information, knowledge with which they can start conversations. Think carefully before commenting, sharing or liking other people’s posts, because it will influence perceptions of your business. Be selective.
As LinkedIn puts it – “Share content that matters”. It recommends sharing behind-the-scenes stories, while always including an image and asking questions as a way to “start conversations”. The site also has a feature called Content Suggestions, which enables users to “discover trending topics and articles to share with target audiences”. Furthermore, you can sponsor your best posts to guarantee that they reach a much larger audience.
3 Be a LinkedIn regular
If you’re using LinkedIn just a few times a month, your chances of success are very limited. “Companies that post weekly see a 2 x lift in engagement with their content,” according to LinkedIn. Better to set aside 10-15 minutes two or three times a week for your LinkedIn activity, commenting on, liking and sharing posts, starting and joining conversations, congratulating your connections on their successes and anniversaries, etc. In tandem with posting your own content, this will ensure that you consistently appear on the site.
Vary the times of your daily LinkedIn sessions, to increase the chances that more of your connections will see your posts. Research suggests that the best days to post are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, early in the morning, at lunchtime or in the early evening. The more active you are, the more visibility you’ll have – but that doesn’t mean spewing out an endless stream of posts. Balance is crucial.
4 Have a winning profile
Whether for your company or yourself, getting your LinkedIn profile right is essential, because you must make a good first impression. You have about 2,000 characters to describe your company, its relevance and what makes it special. Be concise, but don’t leave out key facts. Update your profile regularly, adding to need-to-know information, with key search terms included, so those searching on LinkedIn will find you.
Including a good image on you profile page is believed to attract up to six times more visitors to your page. LinkedIn has published excellent best-practice advice on how to create a good profile page and even has awards for company profile pages, which offers lessons to others.
5 Always be totally professional
LinkedIn is not the same as other social media channels. It’s a professional platform. Showing some personality is good, but always remain professional. Don’t swear in posts nor directly criticise others. Avoid football and politics. If you wouldn’t say something in a face-to-face professional meeting, don’t say it on LinkedIn. Avoid arguments and consider all LinkedIn communication to be public (it can easily be screen-shot and shared).
Don’t be too pushy or bombard connections with sales information as soon as they connect. People hate that. Get to know the person first; build the relationship; find out about their needs, be genuinely interested in them and then explain how you can help. Jumping in too soon with a hefty sales pitch is not advised.
6 Join the right groups
A good way of ensuring that you’re having the right conversation with the right people is to join the right groups on LinkedIn. There are various groups for UK SMEs. Normally, group managers review requests to join and possibly ask for additional information to make sure that you meet their membership criteria. Membership approval is solely up to the group. Once you become a member, you can make, like and comment on group posts, thereby raising your profile. LinkedIn provides advice on finding and joining groups.
7 Consider getting a LinkedIn Premium Business membership
A free LinkedIn account may be sufficient, but paying a monthly subscription (£49.99) for a Premium Business package can open up many more features, including being able to message many more users, even if you’re not connected. According to LinkedIn: “InMail is 2.6 times more effective than email or cold calls.”
Moreover: “Premium Business [offers] valuable insights [and] complete access to competitor data, industry news and analytics.” Free one-month trials are available. Alternatively, LinkedIn offers a Sales Navigator package, which offers advanced lead and company search. Users can “target the right buyers, understand key insights and engage with personalised outreach”. You can watch a free demo.
And finally…
It’s unrealistic to expect sales straight away from your LinkedIn activity, as with many things in business, you must take a longer-term view. LinkedIn probably won’t provide all the answers when it comes to generating leads and attracting and retaining customers, but if you invest enough time and effort, it could be an important part of your sales and marketing strategy.
• This blog was commissioned by TVC Group/Economist Group and published by Aldermore.
