LinkedIn has evolved into a powerful platform for businesses, offering unique advantages that can significantly contribute to your company’s growth and success.
What is Linkedin?
LinkedIn is a powerful professional networking platform that has become an integral part of the digital business landscape. It serves as a virtual hub for connecting with colleagues, industry peers, and potential employers or employees. LinkedIn offers a plethora of features, including the ability to create a detailed professional profile, share industry insights, and join relevant groups and discussions. For businesses, it provides a platform for brand promotion, recruitment, and B2B networking. In summary, LinkedIn is a dynamic online platform designed to foster meaningful professional connections and opportunities, making it an essential tool for individuals and organizations alike in today’s digital age.
Why your business should be on LinkedIn
Being on LinkedIn is not just about having an online profile; it’s about tapping into a rich ecosystem of professionals, opportunities, and resources.
Professional networking
Connect with industry professionals. LinkedIn is a hub for professionals across various industries. Establishing a presence allows your company to connect with other businesses, industry leaders, and potential partners.
Brand visibility and credibility
Showcase your expertise. LinkedIn provides an opportunity to showcase your company’s expertise, achievements, and thought leadership through your profile, posts, and articles.
Build trust. A well-maintained LinkedIn presence contributes to building trust and credibility among your audience, clients, and industry peers.
Lead generation
Targeted ads. LinkedIn provides robust advertising options, allowing you to target specific demographics, industries, and job titles. This makes it an effective platform for B2B lead generation.
Engage with prospects. Regularly sharing valuable content and engaging with your audience can generate leads and drive potential clients to your products or services.
Industry insights and trends
Stay up to date. LinkedIn is a valuable resource for staying updated on industry trends, news, and insights. Following relevant pages and participating in industry groups keeps your company informed and adaptable.
Thought leadership. Sharing your perspectives on industry trends positions your company as a thought leader, contributing to its reputation and authority.
Content distribution and marketing
Content amplification. LinkedIn allows you to amplify your content marketing, whether it’s blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics. This helps increase your content’s reach and engagement.
Targeted audience. LinkedIn’s professional user base ensures that your content reaches a relevant and targeted audience, enhancing its impact.
Networking and relationship-building
Forge business connections. LinkedIn provides a platform to connect with potential clients, partners, and suppliers. Building and nurturing relationships on LinkedIn can translate into real-world business opportunities.
Participate in groups. Engaging in industry-related groups allows your company to connect with like-minded professionals, share insights, and learn from others in your field.
Customer engagement and feedback
Direct communication. LinkedIn facilitates direct communication with your audience. Responding to comments, messages, and participating in discussions shows that your company values and appreciates its audience.
Gather feedback. Use LinkedIn to gather feedback on your products or services, and address concerns or questions directly.
Stand out in your industry. Having a strong presence on LinkedIn sets you apart from competitors. It demonstrates that your company is forward-thinking and actively engaged in the professional community.
How to create a LinkedIn company page
- Sign up for a LinkedIn account
If you already have a personal LinkedIn account, log in. If not, go to the LinkedIn homepage (www.linkedin.com) and click on “Join now.”
- Complete Personal Profile
(Skip if you already have a personal LinkedIn account)
Fill in the required fields, including your name, email address, and password. Click “Join now.”
- Add your company
After logging in, click on the “+ Work” icon in the top right corner of the LinkedIn homepage, and select “Create a company page” from the drop-down menu.
- Choose company size
Select the size of your company. Options include “Small business,” “Medium to large business,” or “Showcase page.” Choose the most appropriate option for your company’s structure.
- Fill in your company details
Enter your company’s official name and choose the LinkedIn public URL for your company page. This URL is how users will find your business on LinkedIn.
- Add a logo and cover image
Upload your company logo (recommended size: 300 x 300 pixels) and a cover image (recommended size: 1536 x 768 pixels). These visual elements help create a professional and appealing profile.
- Write a company description
Craft a concise and compelling company description. Highlight your company’s mission, values, and key offerings. Use relevant keywords to improve discoverability.
- Add specialties
Specify the specialties or services your company offers. This helps LinkedIn users understand your company’s expertise.
- Review and agree to LinkedIn’s terms
Review LinkedIn’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Once you’ve read and understood them, check the box to agree to the terms.
- Verify your email address
LinkedIn will prompt you to verify your email address. Check your email inbox for a verification message and follow the instructions to verify your email.
3 strategic ways to leverage LinkedIn for your business
Your business account is ready to go. Now what?
- Optimizing your company profile
Complete and compelling profiles. Ensure your company profile is complete with a compelling tagline, comprehensive description, and high-quality visuals.
Keyword optimization. Use relevant keywords in your company description and throughout your profile to enhance discoverability.
Showcasing your team. Highlight key team members to add a personal touch and humanize your brand.
- Content is king
Thought leadership. Position your company as a thought leader by sharing insightful content related to your industry. This could include articles, whitepapers, and industry trends.
Visual content. Incorporate visually appealing elements like infographics, videos, and images to make your posts stand out in the LinkedIn feed.
Consistent posting. Develop a content calendar and maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep your audience engaged.
- Building a robust network
Connect strategically. Focus on connecting with individuals who align with your industry, potential clients, and those who can contribute to your professional network.
Engage in groups. Join and participate in relevant LinkedIn groups to broaden your network and engage in industry discussions.
Personalized connection requests. When sending connection requests, add a personalized message to explain your intention and establish a genuine connection.
3 top companies rockin’ it on LinkedIn
- Microsoft
Thought leadership. Microsoft consistently shares thought-provoking content, positioning itself as an industry leader. It’s interesting to look at some text-only posts that are interactive magnets, people tend to react more when they can digest the content in just seconds.
Employee advocacy. The company encourages employees to share company updates, fostering a sense of community and authenticity.
- HubSpot
Educational content. HubSpot excels at providing valuable, educational content that resonates with its target audience. They are always sharing guides, reports and informative carousels to educate their followers while presenting the brand as a marketing authority.
Community building. HubSpot fosters a sense of community by actively participating in relevant groups and forums. They interact with the community by answering to comments, which is a great strategy to keep building momentum around your post.
- Adobe
Visual storytelling. Adobe leverages its strengths in visual content creation by sharing visually stunning and creative posts. After all, it’s a design company.
Employee spotlights. The company highlights its employees, showcasing the diverse talents that contribute to its success and sharing their journey at Adobe. They use the platform to contribute to their DE&I strategy.
Tip: Even if your company is just you, you can create content that speaks to the audience about the human behind the products/services they buy.
By optimizing your company profile, crafting compelling content, and implementing a strategic marketing plan, you can unlock the full potential of LinkedIn for your business.
A combination of thought leadership, community engagement, and a commitment to providing value to your audience is key to grow in the LinkedIn realm. Now you know how to do it!
