LinkedIn recently surpassed an incredible milestone – over 1 billion members across more than 200 countries. What started as a place to post your resume has transformed into a goldmine for marketers of all sizes.
Many small businesses see social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram as impenetrable for SMEs. And while that’s not always the case, there is some truth to that feeling. Think about it – Facebook and Instagram are crowded with big brands throwing money around. LinkedIn is still a place where the little guy can shine.
It’s big enough to matter but not so big that you’ll get drowned out.
This guide will explore everything you need to know to get your LinkedIn marketing strategy up and running. We’ll look at how to create and optimize a LinkedIn business page, use featured posts, and leverage LinkedIn’s networking potential to connect with customers.
Create Your LinkedIn Business Page
The first thing you need to know is how to create a LinkedIn business page — the home base where people will get to know your brand. Let’s make sure it looks good and is as effective as possible.
Create a Company Page
Setting up your page is pretty straightforward. LinkedIn gives you three options for your page type: Company, Showcase page, or Educational institution. For most small businesses, you’ll want to pick “Company.”
Next, you’ll need to fill in your details. This includes your business name, company website, industry, and logo. Don’t forget about your banner image, which is valuable real estate to make a solid first impression.
Optimize Your Page
When people hear optimization, their minds often go to SEO. Don’t worry; it’s not as complicated as getting on the first page of Google. Small business LinkedIn SEO simply means making your page easy for people to find.
The most crucial step is keywords. These are words or phrases people might use when looking for a business like yours. For example, if you’re a roofer, some keywords might be “metal roofing services” or “roof repair.”
Sprinkle these keywords throughout your page. Add them to your headlines, page topics, and hashtags. This helps LinkedIn understand what your business is about and that means more people will find you.
Include a CTA
The CTA is the culmination of your Business Page and will tell people what action you want them to take next. In most cases, you’ll want it to link back to your website. LinkedIn offers a list of pre-defined options, like, “Learn More” and “Visit Portfolio.” Pick the one that makes the most sense for your business.
Create a LinkedIn Marketing Strategy
With your page accurate and ready to attract attention, it’s time to map out an effective marketing strategy. Without one, you’ll be running around like a chicken with its head cut off, doing many small actions that don’t amount to anything.
Set Goals
First things first – what do you want to achieve? Maybe you want to get more people to know about your brand, find new customers, or get more visitors to your website. Your goals don’t have to be all about money. You might want to make your company look more professional online or find great new employees.
Whatever your goals are, write them down. They’ll guide everything else you do.
Decide on Content
Next, plan the content you’ll share. LinkedIn supports text, images, videos, and documents. Test different formats to see what best engages your audience.
Remember, don’t only talk about yourself all the time. A good rule is the 80/20 rule: 80% helpful info, 20% promotion. Also, think about how you want to sound. Will you be formal or casual? What kind of words will you use?
- For a plumbing business, you might post: “Drip, drip, drip… Is that leaky faucet driving you crazy? Check out our latest blog post for 5 easy fixes you can try at home!” That is more casual and might resonate better with that specific audience.
- For a law firm, you could say something more professional and serious like: “Understanding your rights as a tenant can be tricky. Join our free webinar next Tuesday to learn the basics of rental law in [Your State].”
Ask for Professional Help
If all this sounds like a lot, you can always hire help. For assistance in developing a rock-solid paid advertising and analytics strategy, our team at Townsquare Interactive has the expertise. We also offer tools like a cloud-based CRM to manage leads and contacts and automated email and SMS marketing solutions to connect with your audience.
Make Use of Featured Posts
You might initially be tempted to focus solely on creating organic content – images, videos, and other assets that are free or low-cost to produce. The strategy then becomes to continually post new content until it starts to gain some traction.
But here’s a pro tip: while you’re working on your daily content, try to create at least three incredible posts that really stand out from the crowd. These are your showstoppers, your conversation starters, your “wow” moments.
Let’s say you’re an HVAC company. Your usual posts might be quick daily tips like “How to fix a dripping A/C unit” or “How often should you maintain your HVAC system.” Those are great, but for your featured post, you’d want to go bigger and deeper. Think along the lines of an ebook on “The relationship between Efficiency and Money: How you can save big by upgrading your HVAC unit.”
You have the option to highlight up to three of these exceptional posts as Featured front and center on your page.
Network, Network, Network!
At its core, LinkedIn is still a social network. The key word here is social. It’s not just about promoting your business. It’s about connecting with people.
- Connect with Other Pages: Yes, even your competitors. See what they’re up to, engage with their content, and maybe even team up someday. For example, if you run a restaurant, you might connect with local food suppliers or event planners. You never know where a new opportunity might come from.
- Engage with Your Connections: Here’s a big mistake many businesses make: they just post and run. They treat social media like a billboard, but that’s not how it works. Take time to like other people’s posts, leave thoughtful comments, and share interesting content. Doing so gives visibility into their updates, opens the door for potential collaborations, and more.
- Join LinkedIn Groups: Join groups related to your industry interests. If you’re a roofer, you might join groups about home improvement, construction, or local business networking. In these groups, you can share your knowledge, learn from others, and make new connections.
Encourage Employees to Connect
Finally, if you have employees under your wing, get them involved! Ask them to connect with your company page and like and share your posts. It will increase your reach, make your company look more credible, and can lead to new business opportunities.
Consider that each of your employees has their own network. By getting them involved, you’re multiplying your opportunities.
Get in Touch With Townsquare Interactive Today
Partnering with Townsquare Interactive is the first step toward LinkedIn marketing success. Our experts can help build and maintain a strong presence that generates value for your business over the long haul.
Don’t let your competitors get ahead. Contact us to get started.