Marketers understand the importance of expanding their network and nurturing relationships, and increasing traffic to your webpage. With more than 30 million companies using LinkedIn, this platform serves as a top-rated B2B social media platform.
Rich media is the path to generating leads
Although LinkedIn is a unique platform for business professionals who want to connect, the best practices are not. For example, every social platform loves when users share images, GIFs, and videos. Rich media helps users discover and pay attention to you and helps them understand your niche quickly.
But catchy media isn’t only for posting – use it in your profile as well. For example, add files and links to your experience field or work history. In addition, uploading case studies, previous projects, or videos describing what you do will help you stand out from the crowd. Finally, don’t be afraid to bring attention to your professional accolades. Your LinkedIn profile is an excellent place to brag about yourself.
Not convinced yet? Here’s how rich media helps you drive conversion:
- Are static banners appealing, or are they a thing of the past? Video especially takes flat, static banners and turns ads into interactive and engaging media. Consumers strategically led to an eCommerce site through video are 184% more likely to make a purchase.
- You say you stand apart from your competitors, but how do consumers or potential employees know you can walk the walk? Uploading a project or presentation to your profile will allow people to see what you do and how you do it–you’ll give an immediate impression.
Organic or paid?
In either case, your content strategy should drive everything that you do. Do not mistake LinkedIn as a professional networking site for dry, boring content. As always, it is best to be yourself and provide value. Start with organic engagement, and ease your way into paid advertising.
What is organic engagement?
When a consumer engages with your content or buys into your product without prompting, that is organic. Posts, stories, articles, and even SlideShares are ways to grab attention without paying a dime.
Using these free features offers consumers numerous ways to participate in your content, and it caters to more than one style. If someone prefers listening to reading, they can watch your 20-second stories. Simple slides that resemble PowerPoint? Users can participate in those as well.
Don’t be shy in your offerings menu. Organic content is the perfect place to take pride in your work.
When and how should you pay for engagement?
Success in your organic reach can influence your paid sponsored content strategy–they work in unison. Content that is worth investing in speaks to the intended audience. You’ll get a pulse on what consumers resonate with by paying attention to organic advertising and what’s performing well. Take your wins and elevate them by creating sponsored content.
Here are a few options:
- Sponsored messaging – advertise to LinkedIn members through their inboxes. 89% of consumers favor businesses staying in touch via messaging.
- Text ads – Want to reach a broad audience on a budget? Text ads appear on the top and right-hand side of a user’s LinkedIn feed.
- Dynamic ads – Personalization is key. Dynamic ads utilize names, profile pictures, and even their employer to catch their attention. The ads on the right-hand side of their feed will employ all of these.
Algorithm and SEO
You rolled up your sleeves and created a rich, engaging LinkedIn profile–but can people find it? In the world’s largest database of business professionals, you want to be found quickly, not in the rare instance somebody ends up on page 25 of a Google search.
You can expand your reach by following a few SEO best practices and focusing on keywords.
- Name field – Is your last name Thomas? Not as far as LinkedIn is concerned. Now, it’s Thomas, Content Specialist. LinkedIn first finds keywords in your name field. Choose one or two keywords you want to be seen by, and add them here. Just keep it short since the last name fields are limited to 40 characters.
- You’ve got skills – You can add up to 50 skills in your profile, all of which can be endorsed by other users. Take your skills and arrange them, putting keywords towards the top of the list. With each endorsement, you climb the rankings.
- Taglines – Your tagline or elevator pitch is housed right under your banner (which should be occupied with a unique photo). Here, you want to convey precisely what you do and the problem you solve quickly. For example, “Content Specialist” remains vague. How many of those are out there? Try “Content Specialist – Telling your Story Through Content Marketing.”
Gaining leads with Red Mallard
People want to be marketed to and quickly find solutions to their problems. Make it easy for consumers to find you by using LinkedIn as another weapon in your arsenal. With a few best practices, you will generate more leads and increase your conversion rate.
Red Mallard is here to help you with your content strategy, and we’re just a short call or email away. Contact us today to start the conversation.
