Did you know that four out of five LinkedIn users influence or make purchasing decisions themselves? That content published on LinkedIn generates six times more engagement than job updates? That 64 percent of LinkedIn members expect content updates to be both informative and insightful?
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for professionals to strengthen existing connections and build new ones. It has also changed into a publishing platform, making it an important weapon in a b2b communicator’s marketing arsenal. Follow these ten tips, shared by LinkedIn’s own Will Hambly at #INBOUND13, to get the most out of LinkedIn’s content marketing opportunities:
1. Make your updates short and snappy.
Users engage with content that is short, attention-grabbing and witty.
2. Updates with links drive twice the engagement.
Use LinkedIn to drive traffic to your website, blog and social media marketing channels.
3. Include a call-to-action that aligns with both the text and image of the update.
In a world where content overload is all too common, tell people what you want them to do with the information they consume. Be sure this content—text, images, videos—matches your content strategy.
4. Ask thoughtful questions—but ask them sparingly.
Questions are great for collecting audience feedback. Too many questions make it seem like answering is a chore.
5. Incorporate images with your updates (LinkedIn updates with images have a 98% higher engagement rate than plain text updates).
Pinterest and Instagram are testaments to the power of visual content.
6. Include links to YouTube videos for a 75 percent higher share rate than updates without video (Bonus: YouTube videos play directly within one’s LinkedIn stream, which means people don’t leave your update to watch a video).
YouTube is the number two search engine. Make a concerted effort to find the best ways to leverage video when marketing your business or nonprofit.
7. Provide snackable and shareable content (read: clear and succinct content that people want to tell their colleagues and friends about).
Small bites are well-suited to mobile consumers and easily digested when scrolling through a news feed.
8. Create an editorial calendar for LinkedIn content…but still respond to events.
Does ‘measure twice, cut once’ sound familiar? The best content marketing programs are carefully planned and masterfully executed. Be sure that tie-ins are relevant to the strategy and goals of your marketing program.
9. Engage LinkedIn members through comments to keep the conversation going.
Comments are opportunities to collect feedback from your target audiences. Responding to comments is an opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with prospects and clients.
10. Put tracking on every link you push out.
Tracking is key to knowing what in your marketing arsenal works. If you share the same content on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, how will you know where the traffic comes from without tracking links?
LinkedIn is a powerful marketing tool for professionals and their businesses. When building your next content marketing plan, carefully consider how LinkedIn can best support your campaign and generate tangible ROI.
