LinkedIn is a social media platform for business. It was launched in 2003, with a focus on career-development for its users. However, since then, things have changed. What LinkedIn now offers is an excellent platform for B2B content marketing.
However, to use it effectively requires that you first have a content strategy. If you do not, you risk treating LinkedIn too randomly, casually dipping in and out, without making any kind of impact, or, more importantly, the sort of connections that will mean more business for you.
What is Content Strategy?
A content strategy means working out how to use content to engage with others. Your content must have value for this to be effective, and you should be measuring the value of its effectiveness.
What is your strategy for?
To meet these objectives with your content strategy requires you use certain tactics.
This is where LinkedIn can play a key role, as a social media channel to help you reach your objectives through the tactical use of content.
The Value of LinkedIn for Content
LinkedIn is not the biggest social media network, but it is full of business leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs. It is where you find decision-makers, people who are otherwise hard to reach.
How can you build relationships with these people? By engaging with them.
This is how to use your content on LinkedIn.
There are over 500 million LinkedIn users worldwide. On the one hand, that’s a lot of opportunity; on the other it presents a challenge. Where do you start?
The good news is that LinkedIn enables you to develop a targeted reach. Its members have profiles, CV details. You can set your parameters and filters. And you can connect with selected individuals.
Then you can strengthen these connections, and broaden your base, using carefully constructed content.
Remember, LinkedIn is a platform especially for business people and professionals, therefore your content should be useful to them. Unlike on other social media platforms, business and work-related issues are the main reasons why they’re here. This should give you an in-built advantage with your content and how you shape and distribute it.
Visibility and Attraction
Being active means people are more likely to find you. This is a guiding principle behind using content online. Fundamentally, creating content should give you greater visibility and attract people to your brand.
LinkedIn is a gift in this respect, because the more active you are on it, the more likely it is that prospects will find you.
Content will help them to do this, but first you must get it right.
The Tone of Your Content
B2B customers are people too. LinkedIn members are individuals, with emotional responses to content. Just because LinkedIn is a social media platform for business doesn’t mean you should neglect the social aspect.
Posting content that reads like a dull, corporate report will not engage your target audience. Content that makes them feel something, that stimulates their thoughts, will.
What are their pains and problems? What slant can you take on business issues that will appeal directly to their emotions, that will make them think you understand their needs?
Use your content to share the experiences that will be relevant to your target audience, inform and inspire them with your insight.
LinkedIn Users Trust Content
More people trust a brand’s social media content than its advertising, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer report of 2017. Business Insider has reported that more users trust LinkedIn than either Facebook or Twitter.
People trust the information and advice given to them on LinkedIn. Trust is a powerful element when it comes to building business and winning new customers.
LinkedIn offers the opportunity to help build your reputation and build relationships on this kind of trust.
Content and Conversions
LinkedIn is neither a magic bullet nor a fast route to business success. It is, however, a hugely valuable platform from which to launch targeted content which can, in time, lead to sales conversions.
This goes back to your content strategy. Treat content creation for LinkedIn as a long-term investment.
Be persistent, and patient, and then you will start to see significant returns.
To discuss how we can develop and turn your content into opportunities, please contact M3 Media Publishing.
For an additional read, please visit:
Read More