As a social media site, LinkedIn has cemented its place as the "go-to" for businesses. Maintaining a presence on LinkedIn not only enhances a company's online presence but also allows them to interact with other businesses and professionals. However, just having a page on LinkedIn isn't enough to utilize the full power of the platform.
To leverage all that LinkedIn has to offer, businesses must define goals for their online presence and implement strategies that align with those intentions. To aid companies in figuring out how to best use LinkedIn, 13 contributors to Forbes Agency Council weigh in on the most valuable LinkedIn strategies that companies all over the social media network aren't using to their full potential.
1. Create And Post Meaningful Content
LinkedIn is a very powerful tool but to get the most out of it, it needs to be done right. The best strategy is to create and post meaningful content. Are you saying something valuable? Is the content thoughtful and targeted? Will the reader come away with something they can use? Then sponsor your post to your audience. If you're consistent, this approach works well. - Leeza Hoyt, The Hoyt Organization, Inc.
2. Publish Long-Form Content
We’ve all seen those “viral” posts that follow the same recipe. It’s easy to dismiss them as repetitive or disingenuous, but they tell us that long-form content has its place and that people crave personal stories. Content that performs on LinkedIn comes from an individual profile rather than a company page and opens up a dialogue. Influencer marketing on LinkedIn starts with the experts in your company. - Aurelie Sauthier, Agence Made in
3. Showcase Your Industry Knowledge
Give away free advice. Post. Share your opinion. Be part of the LinkedIn ecosystem. The more you showcase your industry knowledge, the better you are on any platform. This positions you above the competition since authority is all about relevant content and credibility. Start feeding the machine. Speaking from experience, doing so consistently can add another source of six-figure leads. - Damon Burton, SEO National
4. Provide Value To The Community
LinkedIn, like other social networks, relies on users adding value to the community. To stand out, be the voice that engages, entertains and educates -- not just on your own page but in groups, in others posts and questions. Be the person that you would hope to find when you enter a community. - Robert Warner, InvisiblePPC
5. Optimize Your Company Page
Remember to optimize your company page. Just like any other social site, you have competition and need to distinguish your company from the rest in order to get more eyes on your profile. Take the time to incorporate keywords into your profile and your posts so your page gradually climbs to the top of the search results and helps position your company as a leader in the industry. - Hannah Trivette, NUVEW Web Solutions
6. Connect And Interact With Other Users
People forget that LinkedIn (or any social platform) is networking -- you want to meet and have a two-sided conversation. I see a lot of leaders post obviously scripted content and then never respond to the interactions or comment on other people's posts. Overlooking the fact that people want to connect with you will render anything you're doing on social useless. You're there to connect. - Christine Wetzler, Pietryla PR
7. Leverage Video Content
We have found that video is the key to optimizing our presence and getting the highest visibility on LinkedIn. The algorithm favors video content that is regular and consistent, as well as topical. Find a way to produce more video on your subject matter expertise that is useful, and you will find it trending in the right categories, increasing your visibility. - Matt Frary, SmarterChaos.com
8. Run Paid Campaigns
Just like every other mature social media platform, LinkedIn has become a pay-to-play arena. If you want to make meaningful (and profitable) connections with your target audience on LinkedIn, run a paid campaign with a highly-targeted audience. Trying to win an RFP? Pay LinkedIn to show your curated content to the decision-makers you want to favor your brand. - Mary Ann O'Brien, OBI Creative
9. Use Tailored Messaging Campaigns
We advocate the use of LinkedIn for reaching and connecting with new prospects. We take a well-planned marketing approach to this effort and have had very good results with tailored messaging campaigns that allow us to connect with high-value prospects, discuss mutual challenges and find ways we can support each other to achieve business growth. - Paula Chiocchi, Outward Media, Inc.
10. Encourage Personal Brands
The most valuable LinkedIn strategy many businesses overlook is empowering their employees to build a strong personal brand. People buy from people, and that human connection is only made when people, not businesses, show their character and trustworthiness. Indirectly, employee engagement is company engagement. Companies should encourage and even coach to help build strong employee brands. - A. Lee Judge, Content Monsta
11. Showcase Your Culture And Provide Company Updates
Too many businesses make the mistake of pigeonholing LinkedIn as an HR platform, when it's so much more. Smart businesses use LinkedIn to showcase their culture, highlight thought leadership and celebrate wins. If you're not making biweekly updates on your LinkedIn platform, you're being lackluster. Go beyond using LinkedIn for recruitment and think of it as the marketing platform it is. - Danica Kombol, Everywhere Agency
12. Sync Your Data
Settings has a function on how LinkedIn uses your data, which allows you to synchronize your contact list via email addresses. While there is a lot of advice on how to get the word out on LinkedIn, this is the fastest way to grow your network on the platform and back to your own contact database. I've grown just shy of 10,000 contacts this way and found it invaluable for generating new business. - Michael Simonetti, Andmine.com
13. Show Support For People
One of the very first things we do when we gain a new prospect is to go and connect with them on LinkedIn. We do this so that we can show interest in their business and their life. Most people only get a few likes on their posts. Even fewer get comments on their posts. We go and like or comment on our prospective clients' and our active clients' posts. We want to show them that we truly care. - Greg Trimble, Lemonade Stand
