With more than 46 million decision-makers, LinkedIn provides a huge opportunity for your company to demonstrate its expertise, build credibility, and increase brand awareness. Not only is it the most trusted social network but it’s effective, low-cost, and accessible. With only 1% of users creating original content (not simply liking and sharing others’ posts), B2Bs on LinkedIn have an opportunity to differentiate themselves from competitors. Here are some best practices for B2Bs to maximize your social media impact.
Create content that is relevant and not overly promotional
Crafting content that is valuable to your target audience is one of the most important aspects of B2Bs on LinkedIn. It requires an understanding of what your target audience is interested in and then responding to its needs. Focus on what benefits the audience, not what benefits you. Insightful, helpful, and even disruptive B2B content doesn’t promote your product’s features. It’s not a sales pitch. Instead, it frames your product within a story that delivers value to your audience and prospects. Because even the most valuable information will be ignored if it’s not delivered in an engaging way.
B2Bs on LinkedIn need to craft original content
As we mentioned, only a tiny fraction of the people on LinkedIn create original content meaning if you become a “one percenter”, then there’s less content to compete with!
For example, text-focused posts are great, but in general, the inclusion of visuals like photos, infographics, and short videos is highly recommended. According to LinkedIn, videos are the most effective way to capture audiences’ attention. Additionally, that audience is 20x more likely to share videos than any other type of post!
Don’t miss the opportunity to boost your online presence
Shaking things up certainly doesn’t just pertain to your posts — it applies to your LinkedIn profile as well. When someone visits your profile, they usually look at three things: your headline, your job experience, and your summary. If it currently says something like: “IT director at Wahoo Tech,” try changing it to something like “IT Director who solves complicated IT problems before they happen.” That sounds way better, right? That’s because it explains your value proposition. Likewise, turn your summary into a story. Good stories evoke an emotional response, and passion is at the very heart of original content. You don’t have to get too personal to let people know what you care about.
Engage, Engage, Engage
Speaking of building a rapport with your audience, be sure to engage with those who comment on your posts. Sure, sharing relevant content will continue to drive brand awareness and grow your prospective customers. But one-sided engagement can be damaging to your brand over time. Engaging with LinkedIn posts enables you to build your reputation with your prospects before they become customers.
Plus, the algorithm loves a two-way conversation! The more engagement on your post, the more LinkedIn pushes it out to other users.
Don’t forget to click the “see more” button first! LinkedIn’s algorithm factors in if viewers are actually “reading” the posts and rewards the posts that are being fully opened. Then, once you’ve read it, be sure to pay it forward in the form of likes, comments, and shares.
For B2Bs on LinkedIn consistency is key
Consistent messaging is the very foundation of a good B2B LinkedIn marketing campaign. If you want to build a continuous presence with your audience, it’s important to maintain a regular posting schedule. In fact, according to LinkedIn, people and pages that post updates at least weekly receive 2x more engagement than people and pages that don’t.
If you want to enhance your social media presence and harness your full potential, contact Rankin PR. Elevate your social media strategy and achieve remarkable results.