Why LinkedIn?

Maybe you are new to social media and are trying to set up a profile on every platform. Maybe you have been living under the same rock as everybody else and you didn’t realize the importance of LinkedIn until now. No matter your reasoning, we are glad you are curious about this insanely vital piece of the social media marketing puzzle. Read on to find out why Linked In is important AND how to make the most of your experience. 

If you don’t know the magic of LinkedIn yet, start here

Why is this social platform so useful for businesses? Our clients ask us this question a lot. The scoop is that LinkedIn has always been much more than just an online social media platform. It is a professional online hub for members to connect with each other, network and show off their talents.  

Think of how many businesses luncheons or dinners you have attended just to network with a couple of people. This platform magnifies that principal. (We still recommend you take those lunches or dinners and network face-to-face if for nothing else but the delicious meal and human connection.) 

Use LinkedIn to establish your professional online presence  

Whether you are trying to create a great first impression for future business or a recruiter, LinkedIn can help you design a digital portfolio to put your best foot forward. Instead of a traditional resume or website content showing your future employers or customers what you are doing, this platform allows you to showcase samples of projects, presentations, articles and more. And it will reach a ton of folks too!  

Rub elbows with the best of them

Easy and fun networking opportunities are just another reason to make sure you are all set up to use LinkedIn. For businesses, networking online can mean connecting with others in the industry and sharing insights and ideas no matter where you are in the world. Online brainstorm sessions can result in wonderfully creative ideas that help you to develop new content and more. You may even find yourself celebrating mutual successes with competitors.  

Take the chance to also build relationships with those you admire both within your industry and outside your vocation peers. LinkedIn makes it easy to be intentional about who you connect with through categorized groups, discussion boards and more. Establish genuine connections this way and engage in authentic interactions that will help to propel your business forward.  

Build your credibility 

Because it has always been a professional platform, LinkedIn is a great place to build your credibility and establish you as a subject matter expert in your field. To accomplish this, you will need more than just a bunch of random posts. Make sure you are engaging with the community, responding thoughtfully to comments on your page and others and building real connections that will help others to trust your brand’s voice.  

Although it is important to meet your target market where they are, be that Tik Tok, Facebook, Instagram, etc., LinkedIn is a great platform to grow your credibility, speak to others in your industry, gain new knowledge and even get the word out about your brand. Stay tuned for more LinkedIn fun here on our blog as well as social this month! 

 

How to Successfully Grow and Engage Your LinkedIn Followers

We recently reviewed why LinkedIn is going to be an important platform for you in building your brand as a subject matter expert. So, how to increase engagement? Growing your followers is one thing, and keeping them engaged is another. You will need to focus on BOTH in order to be successful. No worries, we have a no-frills guide and some pretty exact recommendations for you! 

Start with the LinkedIn basics

When it comes to social media, what can seem like a crazy “how in the world are they doing this” world is actually quite predictable. In fact, it is known that once you reach a certain number of followers, and for LinkedIn that magic number seems to be 150, you will see exponential growth. Why? Because the more followers who engage with your content the more potential followers SEE what you are posting.  

Here are some basic ways you can start to grow your LinkedIn following today: 

  • Post the LinkedIn “Follow” button to your company’s website 
  • Provide a link to your company’s LinkedIn page in all of your marketing materials 
  • Start posting content daily or create a monthly content calendar that you schedule ahead of time 
  • Reshare any @mentions you receive to promote credibility 
  • Join industry groups and start commenting, discussing and becoming an active community member 
  • Find other companies or people and start following them or engaging with their content 

Then engage the followers you have

Engagement is the key to having a successful LinkedIn page. After all, it is called “social” media because it is where people love to connect, discuss, learn and network. Once you start posting engaging content, your followers will become more active with your brand and your page. Then, you will have what is the most sacred thing of all in the social media sphere: attention.  

We already stated above that posting daily is important. That content must be engaging to keep your followers attention. Here are some ideas: 

Use custom videos and graphics to grab attention 

One of the things we love to offer our clients is creativity. Custom graphics are a huge point in determining whether someone finds your page attractive. If they have seen a graphic a million times somewhere else (and believe us, there are so many copycats out there) they will most likely disengage from your content. Whether you call P&A for graphic design or do your own thing, just make sure you are bringing something unique to the table. 

Use the 3-2-1 model 

This is an easy formula when you are trying to post engaging content for your followers. Every week, try to post 3 pieces of industry-related content, 2 pieces of content that makes your employees and community feel good, and just 1 piece related to your products and services. If you have any mentions or reshares, make sure to give them a shout out. You can also use hashtags and tag other members for even more engagement. 

Spark conversations 

Pose a question to your community. Engage them with a discussion. Host a raffle. Whatever floats your boat, come up with something that will have your followers doing more than clicking “like.” When you take the time to create thoughtful and meaningful dialogue in your online community, you are more likely to get thoughtful responses from your followers. 

LinkedIn is more than just a social media platform. It is a chance to connect deeply with other professionals and people within the community who want to engage with your product or service. Contact us if you need help getting started!