A LinkedIn Marketing Strategy To Elevate Your Business Success

Is building a LinkedIn marketing strategy worth it?

You are not alone in your contemplation. Most of us wonder whether social media platforms are worth our effort and time, especially if we work in B2B.

LinkedIn marketing gives you an edge that other social media platforms don't: It is the most trusted social network in the United States, with a whopping 722 million members. Hence, it works well for both B2C and B2B businesses, unlike, for instance, Instagram, which skews towards B2C.

A few quick stats that will help with your social media planning:

• 76% of LinkedIn users are outside the US

• 59.9% are between 25 and 34 years of age (the largest group), with 16.9% over the age of 55 (the smallest group)

• Users are 20 times more likely to share a video post

• The best times to publish LinkedIn posts are Wednesdays between 8am and 10am and noon, Thursdays at 9am and 1pm to 2pm, and Fridays at 9am

Let's say you have created an impeccable professional LinkedIn profile. Is that enough for a social media marketing strategy?

No. You need to actively use your LinkedIn business account for attracting more prospects and leads for your business.

We'll take you through the right questions to ask that will help you in creating an effective LinkedIn marketing strategy.

What does LinkedIn offer as a platform?

You need to dig deeper and explore the platform before you begin your LinkedIn marketing strategy. There are 3 highlighted ways to start with:

• Advanced search

• Boolean search

• Checking the connections of your contact list

If you have a relevant contact list in your profile, that's your cue to start your work. You will find different opportunities by searching through your 1^st level connections on the platform. This will bring you potential leads in the 2^nd level connections.

You should begin the search at your own network using the advanced search option, or simply scroll through the contact list and handpick your next potential customers.

In most cases, your 1^st level connection will lead to a probable prospect, and this prospect will lead you to more convertible connections.

It is a never-ending chain and expands the chances of better business opportunities. Having common connections, in most cases, give an add-on advantage of gaining a 'warm introduction' chance with the prospect. If you know your 1^st connection very well, you can ask for an introduction.

How should you personalize messages?

You can expand your network by:

• Sending direct personalized connection requests

• Sending connection requests to people you have recently met

• Joining LinkedIn groups that have your target audience

• Connecting with social influencers with larger networks

Once you are done screening your potential prospects, you should send them a connection request. But do not forget to add a personalized touch to the request if you want to be successful.

To do this, you must examine their profile so that you can learn more about them and then frame an appropriate connection request.

Another option is to send a direct request to people you have recently met offline. You should ideally send them a connection request after the first meeting, and can send a personalized message as a simple reminder of your meet, or even something better, like something about your conversation.

Most businesses create a LinkedIn profile and start joining industry groups. This LinkedIn marketing strategy isn't necessarily efficient, because such groups are full of competitors.

Expanding your network by connecting to groups with your potential audience provides better chances of growth.

If you think this might be too time consuming, there are trusted social media marketing services you can turn to.

Is expanding your network enough?

Having an ever-growing LinkedIn network is one thing. Converting them into sales is another.

The huge network won't bring you new leads until you consistently engage with your LinkedIn connections.

Some useful tricks to engage with your connections are:

• Initiating relevant inbox conversations

• Comment on the connections' status and articles

• Share their content on your wall if it is relevant to your business

Try to avoid sales and promotional messages at the outset and focus on building your rapport before pitching anything.

What is the next step?

You don't need stats to believe that people are inclined to do business with people they like, know and trust.

You can only establish such a relationship by genuinely showing interest in your connections. Your social media marketing company will be able to guide you through this.

Some tips for establishing a relationship with your network are:

• Showcasing interest by learning's priorities in business

• Paying attention to the content material your connections post, share and engage whenever relevant

• Engage with people who like, share and comment on your posts

It is also important to respond to the comments and queries raised by your connections within a reasonable amount of time. A good timeframe is within 24 hours, and 48 should be the latest.

What else?

Starting your own LinkedIn group is one of the most efficient ways of networking.

When you create a group that focuses on educating and sharing information, you gain recognition in your service-specific target crowd and may be seen as a leader in your industry or niche.

Staying up to date with social media trends will also give you a leg up.

Nonetheless, you should not sound too "salesy" in such groups until you gain trust and build a relationship with your audience.

Conclusion

LinkedIn is a great platform for B2B marketing. However, you should have sufficient knowledge of it before starting your marketing. Otherwise, it will become another social media page with no returns – a liability.

If you're short on time or resources, hiring LinkedIn marketing services is your best option. BluEnt is a trusted content marketing agency with almost two decades of experience.

Need a tailor-made LinkedIn marketing strategy for your business? Contact us now!

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