Build your brand & network by linking in to LinkedIn

With over 500 million professionals on LinkedIn, it’s no wonder that this social media giant has become the #1 platform for building brand awareness and generating more qualified leads for your company. While there are many other social media platforms with masses of different marketing tactics, we’re going to discuss the specifics of what makes LinkedIn such a powerful platform for the growth of your brand, and how you can get the most out of it.

The power of professional connections

One of the key differences with LinkedIn compared to many other social media platforms is that you’re dealing primarily with other business decision makers. Frequently we find our Facebook and Instagram accounts full of our friends, family members and favorite pets (shout out to @mybestfriendhank!). But it’s a different story on LinkedIn as you’re typically surrounded by other business professionals who are there with the intention to network and do business, rather than scrolling to find the latest social happenings.

Tips to build your brand on LinkedIn

When it comes to marketing your business on LinkedIn and building your brand, there are several opportunities to create a rich network of connections, and even attract potential customers. Here are a few of the top tips to make the most of your time on LinkedIn:

1. Complete your personal profile: To set up a Company Page (we’ll discuss this more in the following tip), you will need to start by creating and completing your personal profile page. There’s an entire series of prompts to help you complete your profile by adding in all of the relevant professional and educational information that can help you connect with the right people and organizations. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your own skills, experience, and expertise. Likewise, you will start to receive endorsements from your connections who can vouch for your skills. This creates a more trustworthy profile, instead of just making claims of what you’re great at.

2. Create and optimize your Company Page: According to Hootsuite, a completed Company Page often receives twice as many visitors compared to an incomplete page. Not only do you have the opportunity to showcase your company, but you can also optimize this page, just like you would your company website. LinkedIn is a search engine of its own after all. Make sure to include relevant keywords for your brand in the “About us” section, create links to your Company Page, and publish relevant content consistently. Maintaining an up-to-date Company Page will speak volumes to your brand.

3. Join targeted groups: There are plenty of opportunities to join groups on LinkedIn where you can discuss specialized topics to both learn and share your expertise. Just like other social media platforms, these online forums offer a great opportunity to expand your reach online and come into contact with potential new customers or connections.

4. Make and receive recommendations: A huge part of the networking process and a reason for LinkedIn having such a great brand building opportunity is the recommendation feature on personal profiles. This allows you to grow your business and brand more organically, without relying solely on advertisements. Your credibility will skyrocket by having other professionals leave a public recommendation on your profile. Likewise, be sure that you’re returning the favor by recommending the people behind the brands that you’ve worked with. Not only does this help the other company but it also boosts your own profile.

5. Consider advertising with LinkedIn: Similar to other social media and search engine ads, LinkedIn ads can be a great supplement to your marketing efforts. Like many digital advertising platforms, LinkedIn allows you to create targeted ads based on your own set budget and parameters. LinkedIn offers various advertising opportunities including:

Sponsored Content: Display ads that show up on the main feed with an eye-catching visual, very similar to Facebook ads.

Sponsored InMail: An ad that shows up as a private message in LinkedIn Messenger

Text Ads: Ads that appear at the top and right side of many LinkedIn pages, more like Google Ads

Ready to turn your inspiration into action? As always, we can help! If you’re in need of custom graphics to support your brand on LinkedIn (as well as other social media platforms), or a helping hand setting up your digital marketing and advertising campaigns, be sure to give us a call at 508-652-0012.