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With the rise of social media platforms, marketing strategies have experienced a shift from one-way communication to interacting with an audience. You have most likely heard of LinkedIn, coined the “safe for work Facebook,” being used every day by professionals looking to expand their network. LinkedIn is 2018’s second most used Business to Business marketing tool, with features that include job postings and recruiting talent. However, when it comes to marketing your company’s services or products, often the focus shifts to Business to Consumer interactions. LinkedIn is 2018’s top rated platform for generating leads for businesses and has the third most Business to Consumer interactions next to Facebook and Instagram. With over 530 million LinkedIn users, 61 million of whom are senior level influencers, LinkedIn might be the perfect platform for your business’s marketing strategy. BURKE’s got your back– below we have listed our top five need-to-know tips for using LinkedIn to expand marketing for your business!

1. Creating Content: Rule of Thirds
Sometimes creating content for social media seems intimidating, especially when it represents a company as a whole. Fear not, the “Rule of Thirds” outlines what specific content businesses should post on social media. This rule splits content into three sections that are each equally important to include in your social presence. Your LinkedIn profile should first and foremost serve your viewers. Page content can be divided into three types of posts: profit generating and promotion, industry related content, and personal interaction. The first 1/3 of social content is for generating profit by advertising your services – this is the reason why LinkedIn was rated the top platform for generating leads for businesses. You might be surprised that less than half of a page’s content is devoted for these purposes; however, the balance of advertising and engaging content retains users by not “spamming” their news feed. Another 1/3 of social content should share ideas and related information to your industry. This is quality content meant to expand on your company values and share the industry spotlight, which doubles as exposure by connecting your own content to the rest of the industry. The remaining 1/3 of your page’s content should consist of engaging with followers. Personal connections with your audience reinforces the fact that your company cares about your customers and most importantly, you listen to their needs and feedback.

2. Employee vs Audience Engagement
One of the best ways to reach new audience members is by encouraging your own employees to interact with your company’s LinkedIn Business page. On average, employees have 10 times more connections on LinkedIn than a company page has followers. Encourage employees to add their job title to their LinkedIn profile, and tremendously expand your audience reach in doing so.

3. Ads and Analytics
You can also enrich your marketing scheme by using LinkedIn ads to your advantage. LinkedIn’s self-service advertising options include sponsored content which can increase your reach to draw in a wider audience. Additional options include text ads with pay-per-click options that appear on homepages, profiles, and group interest pages. This platform also feature a Sponsored InMail option, similar to email marketing, which targets LinkedIn members with personalized ads in their account inbox. Sponsored InMail is one of LinkedIn’s most effective features, targeting user inboxes only when their accounts are active. This tactic was used by Utah State University’s MBA program campaign to attract qualified candidates and achieved a 71% conversion rate for information requests!

One of the most helpful features of using LinkedIn for your marketing strategy is their detailed analytics report available for your company page use! Use this data to see what content is creating engagement with users, what demographic your company is reaching, and to track your page’s traffic and activity. This report can provide helpful insight for selecting optimal times to post content.

4. Showcase Pages
Showcase pages are a LinkedIn feature that allows you to create subdomains of your company page; a spotlight on one aspect might attract a more specific audience. For example, if you’re running a marketing campaign for a local counter service bakery that also makes custom cakes, you might create a showcase page for your business’s custom cakes. This allows LinkedIn members to follow one specified feature of your company. Your business can shine a spotlight on multiple areas including your company’s specialties and initiatives with up to 10 Showcase pages included as a feature for LinkedIn business pages!

5. Interest Group Features
Getting your company page active in LinkedIn interest group pages is an easy way to bring new eyes to your page. With LinkedIn groups you can find communities and professionals that align with your company’s interests and specialties, as well as reach outside of your immediate circle to draw attention to your page. Being active and engaging in group pages can be an excellent tactic for recruiting new followers. There are group pages for a variety of topics and industries so there’s sure to be one your company can tap into – or create your own!

For any business it is important to remember that communication is key. Social networks have made it easier than ever before to reach new audiences, so make use of each platform. Armed with these expert tips, you’re ready to revamp your company’s LinkedIn strategy, build out your brand, and generate new connections!