September 24, 2015: We live in a world where social media plays a huge role in shaping the lives of individuals and the fates of businesses. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are as popular as ever, and their popularity continues to grow. Each day, billions of people use these services to communicate with friends, family, co-workers, and the rest of the world.
While many businesses will likely benefit from setting up presences on Facebook, Twitter, et al, a LinkedIn presence should be considered mandatory. Launched in 2003 as a “job-seeking” network matching job applicants, hiring firms, and recruiters, LinkedIn has lately positioned itself as a business-friendlier alternative to its larger social media network rivals.
How can you use LinkedIn to promote your business? Here are four steps you must take:
Optimize Your Profile
Your profile is key on LinkedIn. It’s where other professionals — including prospects and customers — will see what you — and the firm you represent — are all about. Think carefully about what goes here, how you’ve categorized yourself and/or your business, and about the keywords you’ve associated with your presence.
People use search on LinkedIn to find each other, using the same kind of keyword-centric search techniques used on Google and the other search engines. Make sure your page can be found in these searches.
Build Your Network
Gather your contacts from whatever disparate databases they might reside in (e-mail lists, CRM databases, personal contacts gathered from trade shows, webinar attendances, etc.) Upload them to LinkedIn. Specifically target those individuals who you believe will be most likely to respond to you.
On LinkedIn, you have the option of sending others on the network a formal “request” in order to connect with them and see who you both know in common. You can also “endorse” them or write them a recommendation for others to see — a deeper, more discursive way of expressing a “Like” than is offered by Facebook or Twitter.
Naturally, you want to develop connections with your prospects and others in your business niche. But keep in mind that you don’t want to be overly aggressive. If you get too pushy, you run the risk of driving people away. Be careful and smart about who you message. One low-aggression way of forming relationships is through participation in LinkedIn Groups (either by joining a relevant industry group or forming your own). Being active in such Groups can position you as a thought leader with something to say. If you need help getting up to speed with LinkedIn Groups, Didit also has an eBook, Using LinkedIn Groups to Attract B2B leads, that can be of assistance here.
Set up a Company Page
On LinkedIn, users have the ability to create pages that represent their businesses. If you’re a marketer looking to draw attention to your firm, this could be exactly what you need. Don’t forget to place a link to your company page on your personal profile. This will help to increase awareness.
Survey competitors and see how they’ve attacked the problem of building a compelling page. Borrow their best practices and add unique touches to show how you’re different. Avoid stock images and try to show your firm’s personality and originality. Don’t forget: the more vibrant your images are, the more likely it is that prospects will be intrigued by your page, remain on it, and connect with you as a result.
Make Frequent Updates
LinkedIn is an “action-oriented” social network, so it’s good to make frequent updates. For instance, any news, tips, projects that you may have completed, or new products you’re selling can demonstrate activity. Don’t slack! The moment you do is the moment visitors will begin to question your seriousness, and that’s something you want to avoid at all costs.
Use LinkedIn’s Publisher Platform (otherwise known as “Pulse”) to post long-form articles. Use SlideShare (now owned by LinkedIn) to publish PowerPoint-style online presentations. Use a mix of tactical, thought-leadership, and Q&A-style posts to draw interest from the community you’ve built in your own business niche.
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