What is LinkedIn Marketing?
LinkedIn is a social networking website that serves as a hub for people to connect with employees, colleagues, clients, potential customers and strategic partners.
LinkedIn Marketing is widely used by people across the globe to seek job employment and is, therefore, home to several recruiters.
The space is also a hub for marketers who want to connect with other businesses, build a network and capture relevant leads.
It is an extremely impactful marketing tool with a great presence among more than 450 million professionals.
LinkedIn Marketing is about connecting people and adding value to their lives. The popularity of its content is increasing at a rapid pace.
LinkedIn Marketing is being used for several purposes catering to increase brand awareness, finding leads and creating connections that would aid business requirements.
Content Marketing through LinkedIn has gained massive popularity among the business oriented.
You can add useful information to your profile to help construct a positive brand image.
Right from Tim Cook to Jack Welsh, many significant personalities can be found on LinkedIn.
Posting articles using blogs also proves to be beneficial. LinkedIn groups can be created for establishing networks and also advertising.
LinkedIn is especially used for B2B networking and gaining website traffic. You have the option to follow industry leaders and gain all the information that they impart.
Garner ideas, discuss implementation techniques and strategize like never before by getting suggestions from reputed professionals and top-notch business idols.
Why is LinkedIn Marketing important for Startups?
LinkedIn is regarded as the most important tool by many marketers.
Before delving deep into why that is the case, let us look at some highly impressive statistics:
- LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world with more than 450mn members spread over 200 countries.
- New users are joining LinkedIn at a rate of 2 users per second.
- There exist more than 39mn students as well as fresh graduates on LinkedIn. They comprise of the website’s fastest growing demographic.
- Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are present on LinkedIn. The corporate talent solutions offered by LinkedIn are currently being utilized by a total of 94 out of top 100 Fortune companies.
- Unique publishers, in excess of 1.5mn are using LinkedIn as a preferred social media platform to send content.
Source: Slideshare.net
Now coming to why LinkedIn is the favorite of most marketers when it comes to social media marketing. The answer lies in 3 main points:
Media
Every marketer knows the importance of media in increasing brand awareness and ensuring proper positioning of a brand in the minds of the target market.
Even if you have the best product or service to offer to a customer, your efforts will go in vain if you are not able to market your offering effectively.
Hiring a PR agency is expensive.
Other processes are time-consuming. LinkedIn is the best possible solution here, with more than 94.2% journalists using the website.
Partnerships
The growth of a business is stimulated by fostering partnerships.
Partners refer clients to one another and leverage each other’s capabilities to help the business grow.
However, finding the right partner for your business could be a herculean task. This is where LinkedIn comes to your rescue. It helps you find the right partner so that your business prospers.
Clients
LinkedIn, if used appropriately, can prove to be an excellent tool for finding clients. In the world of marketing, what makes a difference is the way you present your offering to the customer.
The very purpose of marketing is to induce need recognition in the customer, such that he becomes willing to buy your product.
Marketing conveys your message to the customers and that, in turn, goes a long way in influencing the consumer decision-making process.
Marketing through LinkedIn can, therefore, be of great significance, with business-oriented users following your posts.
How to do LinkedIn Marketing?
Make a note of the below mentioned to successfully market on LinkedIn:
Status Updates
Let the world know what is new with your company using status updates.
Be regular with them and make sure they include relevant content.
Source: Kissmetrics.com
Posts
You can publish posts on your profile using LinkedIn. Let yourself be a thought leader and share views and meaningful opinions.
Source: LinkedIn.com
Presentations
LinkedIn also permits you to post PowerPoint presentations or videos, thus enhancing the attentions span of your followers.
Short explainer videos and whiteboard animations are also an effective way to present your idea.
Endorsements
You can request endorsements from connections on LinkedIn. Recommendations have the power to significantly enhance your profile.
Publications
Your publications can be highlighted using active links on LinkedIn so that people can view as well as purchase them.
Groups
Use LinkedIn groups to stay informed about whatever is happening in the surroundings. You have the option of creating your own group or being of other groups on LinkedIn.
Company pages
These are the one-stop data points for all the things you wish to know about a company.
Use this information wisely before you form associations with other companies.
Branding
When you sign up on LinkedIn, it creates a web address that appears like a random collection of letters.
You can customize this web address and link it with your own name. For example, Bobdestefano.
Recognized expert
You can become a recognized expert by regularly putting up valuable posts and actively taking part in group discussions.
Sales
If you are into Sales, you can target your prospective client using LinkedIn.
If you have an active profile on LinkedIn, there are high chances that you may find a common connection with your prospect.
It is a good way for ecommerce ventures to connect with fellow store owners and also build their sales prospects.
You could utilize the same constructively to know more about your potential customer.
