Scott Sims — March 20, 2017 Follow @bscottsimsAccording to Statistica, 467 million people used LinkedIn in Q3 of 2016. That makes LinkedIn an important platform for small business owners. Of course, simply accessing the site isn’t enough. You need to know how to use it to get the best results. Then, you can develop a solid LinkedIn marketing strategy.
Endorse Your Connections
Next to each skill that you list on your LinkedIn profile is a plus sign. If any of your connections click on the plus sign, that counts as an endorsement, which act as proof that you have the skills and experience that you claim to have.
For instance, if you run a PR firm, one of your skills might be “Press Release Writing.” If you write a press release for one of your connections, that person can click the plus sign and endorse you. That way, others will know that you have successfully performed that task for someone else. Getting endorsements is as easy as endorsing others. When you endorse your connections, they are likely to repay the favor. Over time, you can get hundreds of endorsements.
Request Recommendations
LinkedIn Recommendations are like testimonials that go right on your profile. Rather than wait around for people to leave you recommendations, you can request them after you perform a service. Just visit the person’s LinkedIn profile and click the “More” icon. Choose “Request a Recommendation,” fill out the information, and send the request. Most people are happy to leave recommendations when they’re prompted. The more recommendations you get, the more experienced and reliable you will look.
Use Sponsored Updates
If you have the money in your advertising budget, use Sponsored Updates. Choose to pay per 1000 impressions or per click. Then, select your targeting options. You can even target by industry, job function, company size, job title, and skill. This is an excellent way to reach people in your industry. However, only use this strategy when you have high-quality content to promote. This is a great tool to use when you have content that readers will love.
Deliver Timely Content to Your Audience
You always want to deliver content that your market wants, and LinkedIn makes it easy to do. Start by joining groups that your target audience frequents. Take the time to read their posts to find out what problems they are facing. By doing so, you can offer solutions that will help. This will help you stand out as a valuable resource. You won’t just build your network, but also your reputation.
Post Status Updates for Your Company
Your company has important news from time to time, and LinkedIn is the perfect place to share it. Publish updates to let your connections know about milestones that you have reached or new products or services that you’re offering. If you have 100 or more connections, LinkedIn even lets you target the updates so that the right people see them.
Let Your Employees Post Content
Your employees have insights that you don’t have, meaning they can produce informative content that reaches a lot of people. Let them post the content on your company’s profile, which in turn will allow you to reach more people. As an added bonus, this will make your employees feel as if they are an important part of the company.
Make Sure Your Profile is Visible
You don’t want to limit your reach to people who are searching on LinkedIn. You also want to reach people who use a search engine. You can do just that by creating a profile that contains the right keywords. Place the keywords in your job description, summary, and more to enhance the visibility of your profile. You can up your game by using a LinkedIn premium account. This will make your profile much more visible, thereby making it easier to reach your target market.
Tag Connections
LinkedIn lets you tag connections when you post content. Just put @ before the person’s name, and that individual will be notified of the content. It is important that you use this strategy properly by tagging only highly-relevant content. For instance, if your content solves a problem that a connection has, use this technique.
However, you don’t want to do this on a daily basis. If you tag the same person multiple times a week, he or she will get tired of it. Tag connections when it is necessary so that you can reach your audience and show that you are a problem solver.
Use LinkedIn Analytics
Use the “Marketing” tab on your company’s page to keep track of your analytics. This includes reach, engagement, visitor demographics, and more. These analytics will let you know what is and isn’t working. With that insight, you can shape your campaign around the information.
From networking to finding employees, LinkedIn is a valuable resource. When you use these tips, you will position yourself as an industry leader. Ultimately, that will make it easier for you to meet your marketing goals.
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