LinkedIn is without a doubt one of the most powerful social media tools we have in terms of growing a client base – it’s 277% more efficient in generating leads than Facebook or Twitter. It can be daunting to use, as 260 million people regularly browse the website, standing out amongst the crowd seems impossible. But by following a few simple steps, you can optimize your company’s LinkedIn page to start gaining leads faster. And as an added bonus, a high-quality LinkedIn page will help your business even when you’re not pursuing prospects. When a prospective client searches your name as they consider your services, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have one of the results be a visually appealing, regularly updated profile that paints you in a positive light, right? So, how can you go about creating that?
Define your Goals
First things first, you need to understand your target audience. Build a client persona – what does your ideal prospect look like? Income, age, occupation, knowledge, etc. When you take all of these all into account, it becomes much easier to produce content geared toward gaining and maintaining clients. You could be producing incredibly high-quality and informative content, but if it reads at too high of a level for your average prospect, is it really benefiting you? Define your business goals before beginning.
SEO
For your LinkedIn profile to stand out, prospects actually need to see it. To accomplish this, you can improve your search engine optimization, or SEO, in a few ways. First, embed the link to your LinkedIn page wherever it’s helpful, including your company website, social media accounts, emails, or any other promotional material. This will drive people to the page, as well as cause it to rate higher on search engine results. Second, make sure to insert your top keywords and phrases into your profile section. Third, you should update your page regularly with engaging content. Speaking of engaging content…
How to Post
You should aim to post some form of original content between two and four times every week. This includes any articles, videos, or infographics produced by your company. Not all content you post has to be original, however – For every 4 original informational posts, you can repost someone else’s article or video that’s relevant to you, or perhaps post a promotion for an upcoming event. This will keep your connections updated, and advertise the knowledge you can provide to any prospects viewing the page. As you focus on producing quality content (focused at your average prospect) remember to keep a cohesive vision.
Looking Good
Your LinkedIn page should be visually appealing. Each of the articles you upload needs a cover photo, something to catch the eye of the reader. Your header image should be appealing as well, with your face or logo prominently displayed, in high definition. The banner image should be reserved for promotions, advertising upcoming events, deals, or anything you want people to know about in the upcoming weeks/months. Also, – make sure to reply to any comments on you profile or posts. Not only will conversations on your page help with SEO, but it will let the commenter know you’re paying attention to your page.
Reporting & Insights
Last, remember to track the traffic on your LinkedIn page. With available services like Sprout Social, HubSpot, or Hootsuite, you can easily manage important reporting details. This will allow you to understand the demographic breakdown of your page’s visitors, so that you can correctly identify which groups your posts are reaching, and which might need more attention. These services also give you access to trends, insights, and engagement information like impressions, comments, clicks, and shares. Tracking is the important final step in maximizing LinkedIn’s full potential.
When utilized properly, LinkedIn can be a tool to help you reach new clients, strengthen professional relationships, and put your best foot forward when prospects search your company’s name. For more tips on how to improve your marketing today, download our latest whitepaper, Marketing Plan 101: 9 Steps to Get you Started, below.