Gone are the days when LinkedIn was merely a virtual hangout for job seekers and a handful of enthusiastic colleagues.
Today, it has emerged as one of the most trusted social networks, taking the crown in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and holding the second spot in 2023, establishing itself as the go-to platform for B2B and B2C marketers.
Boasting well over a billion users and growing at a rate of 2 new members per second, LinkedIn has evolved into the most extensive professional community globally. In simple terms, it’s the ultimate space where both you and your content can thrive.
However, mastering the realm of LinkedIn content marketing is no small feat. LinkedIn is a game-changer in digital marketing, but many businesses need help navigating its intricacies.
The challenge lies in understanding how to wield this powerful platform effectively. LinkedIn content marketing goes beyond merely posting updates and hoping for the best; it demands strategy, insight, and a profound understanding of your audience’s needs.
LinkedIn’s Dominance in the Digital Marketing Landscape
According to Foundation Inc., a staggering 94% of B2B marketers regard LinkedIn as their go-to platform for content distribution. This high adoption rate is justified, given that LinkedIn primarily caters to professionals and executives actively engaging in industry-related discussions and seeking valuable content.
Among Fortune 500 companies, LinkedIn stands out as the most utilized social media channel. Furthermore, this robust platform contributes to approximately four-fifths (80%) of all B2B leads generated from social platforms, underscoring its enormous potential reach. This data reinforces the indispensability of LinkedIn in any comprehensive content marketing strategy.
How can you ensure that you’re not just present on LinkedIn but bringing your A-game?
Here are eight expert tips to elevate your LinkedIn content, enhance audience engagement, and optimize your return on investment (ROI).
8 Tips for Mastering Your LinkedIn Content Marketing Strategy
Tip One: Being Intentional on LinkedIn
LinkedIn has evolved from being an afterthought to a pivotal element in your strategic content marketing plan. Take a cue from LinkedIn’s success story — their meteoric rise in recent years wasn’t by chance but by intentional effort.
In 2018, LinkedIn strategically overhauled its feed ranking function and user experience, yielding substantial gains. These purposeful changes increased visibility for posts from smaller content creators and maintained reach for the prominent players. LinkedIn solidified its position as a powerhouse with a remarkable 50% year-over-year engagement rate growth. Now that your posts are more likely to be seen, it’s time to step up your LinkedIn presence.
Posting with intention, and the understanding that your content will be seen can lead to substantial gains. Intention allows you to really hone your message as each post will have a purpose.
Tip Two: Start with the Basics
When getting into LinkedIn content marketing, starting with the basics is important.
Begin by revisiting your company pages — are you maximizing each field to its full potential? Ensure that your heading contains industry-specific keywords optimized for search engines.
Craft a company description that narrates a compelling story about your organization, complete with a hook and an actionable click-through.
Given that LinkedIn thrives as a person-to-person network, pay attention to the importance of freshening up your personal profile. Encourage your employees and team members to do the same. Revise critical elements such as your headline, summary, skills, and endorsements.
Additionally, make a point to share recent updates that reflect the current endeavors and achievements of your organization.
Understanding LinkedIn’s algorithm is pivotal in making your content marketing efforts effective on this platform. Much like popular networks such as Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn’s algorithm favors posts with higher engagement levels, like numerous likes and comments. These engagement metrics signal relevance and value to users.
The algorithm significantly emphasizes personal connections and relevancy, influencing which posts appear in each user’s feed.
Crafting engaging, highly targeted LinkedIn posts tailored to specific audiences can substantially increase visibility, resulting in more significant interactions such as shares and comments.
Ultimately, this approach enhances brand awareness on this exclusive networking site.
Tip Three: Create Custom Content and Use Native Publishing Tools
Aiming for an impactful LinkedIn content marketing strategy is about more than just recycling content from other platforms. Instead, leverage LinkedIn’s native video and built-in article publishing features. LinkedIn’s algorithms favor native content.
To truly tap into the authentic and high-quality audience engagement that LinkedIn offers, consider venturing into native long-form content. It’s a powerful avenue to explore.
In articles, include external links to your website to avoid facing algorithmic penalties, a luxury not afforded in regular posts. Additionally, when you and your team share the article on personal profiles, the algorithms tend to be more favorable, recognizing it as an internal link.
Remember, a successful presence on LinkedIn transcends frequent posting. The key lies in consistently delivering high-quality material.
Quality always trumps quantity when it comes to building meaningful online relationships. The goal should focus on providing insightful information through various content forms like articles, infographics, videos, etc. This approach adds genuine value to readers’ lives, steering away from relentless product or service promotion.
Such a strategy fosters authentic connections and positions your content as a valuable resource in the eyes of your LinkedIn audience.
Tip Four: Take Advantage of LinkedIn’s Post-Ranking Function and Trust Building
LinkedIn recommends frequent and consistent posting, recommending 1-2 daily posts and 3-4 shares daily.
Despite advice circulating on optimal posting times (like 10 am on Tuesdays or 3 pm on Wednesdays), the truth is that the ideal posting time depends on your audience. Begin by posting during peak traffic times, but be ready to experiment to find what works best for your connections and your specific target audience.
LinkedIn values relevance over the recency of posts. Conversations gaining traction in your community will rise to the top of your feed.
If the people, pages, hashtags, or groups you follow engage with something, it will likely appear in your feed. This principle is valuable for your content creation strategy.
As Pete Davies, Senior Director of Product Management at LinkedIn, notes, “The more valuable the conversation, the higher in your feed the post will be.”
While content that’s engaging for your network might perform less well on someone else’s page, reaching your target audience matters. Consistent, quality content that speaks directly to your niche wins every time.
The Trust Factor on LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s appeal to professionals and executives rests on its credibility, with 91% of high-ranking executives considering it their top source for professionally relevant content. This trust factor is impressive and integral to shaping an effective LinkedIn content marketing strategy.
To effectively capitalize on user trust, it is crucial to understand what attracts users to the platform. The process begins with delivering value; every shared or sponsored content piece should benefit readers, whether it is knowledge gain, problem-solving insights, or thought-provoking ideas—valuable commodities on LinkedIn.
In addition to sharing original research findings and expert opinions to establish authority, consider presenting success stories from customers benefiting from your products/services.
Real-life examples resonate well, providing tangible proof of how businesses solve problems in practice and humanizing brands, making them more relatable.
Leveraging Professional Networks for Enhanced Credibility
An often-overlooked aspect of a LinkedIn strategy is leveraging existing networks within the platform, such as connections made during previous jobs or partnerships formed through collaborations between different organizations (B2B).
When leveraged effectively, these relationships significantly boost a company’s reputation.
Endorsements from respected peers carry substantial weight among potential clients, contributing to overall business growth through increased sales lead conversions.
Additionally, companies can benefit greatly from having strong connections within specific communities. This allows them to gain exclusive information firsthand, staying ahead of competitive trends and market shifts.
Tip Five: Build Your Network
Building a strong community is essential to effective LinkedIn content marketing. To connect with the right community, become an active participant yourself.
LinkedIn ranks content based on your interests and the interests of your connections, and there are several ways to get involved in your network.
Find Your Target Audience
Utilize advanced search tools to connect with individuals in your industry or related fields.
Join groups to narrow down your target audience and discover people who resonate with the content you’re posting.
Use Hashtags Strategically
Employ hashtags strategically to find and participate in relevant ongoing conversations. You can search and follow hashtags on LinkedIn.
Include up to five hashtags in your posts to connect your content to broader conversations. Ensure that your hashtags are well-researched and tested for relevance.
Leverage Your Team’s Connections
Tap into your team’s networks using features like the new employee notification or custom content format on your LinkedIn page.
Employee engagement builds authentic brand visibility beyond your organization.
Content your team shares tends to garner more genuine engagement, as people trust content from individuals more than companies.
Start Real Conversations
Don’t just post and leave.
Actively engage with those who interact with your content. Reciprocal engagement sets the stage for honest conversations, increasing the value of your content for both LinkedIn’s algorithms and real human readers.
Engaging With Your Audience and Initiating Engagement
In any successful LinkedIn content strategy, active audience engagement is paramount.
Respond promptly to comments, likes, and private messages, fostering stronger relationships and driving customer loyalty over time.
Be proactive by being the first to comment on your posts strategically placing external links in comments rather than the post itself.
This approach outsmarts algorithms and kickstarts meaningful conversations, enhancing your content’s overall engagement and impact.
Make Use of Features Like Pulse and Groups
Beyond having an impressive profile, leveraging features like Pulse and Groups is essential. These offerings significantly enhance content distribution efforts while establishing thought leadership within your industry.
One thing to note is that authenticity matters. Genuine interactions consistently outperform automated responses.
Tip Seven: Mix it Up
Congratulations! You’ve found your audience, initiated conversations, and consistently delivered high-quality content tailored for them.
But, as any savvy content marketer will tell you, effective content marketing is 20% creation and a whopping 80% promotion.
Create Eye-Catching Content
Despite LinkedIn’s rapid user base growth, people spend significantly less time on the platform than other social networks.
With an average visit duration of around 6.55 minutes and an estimated 17 minutes per month versus Facebook’s 1,400 minutes, your content must capture attention swiftly.
Text-Only Posts Are Still in Style
While posts with images and videos generally yield high engagement, incorporating text-only posts can make you stand out in the sea of visuals on LinkedIn feeds.
Surprisingly adequate, text-based posts with short, clear sentences and compelling storytelling techniques can create an impact.
Utilize lists, ask questions, or seek feedback for genuine text-only conversation starters.
These often outshine self-promotional or sales-oriented videos, although video content still boasts exponential engagement rates, so ensure it remains part of your diverse content mix.
The Importance of Diverse Content
To maintain a dynamic presence on LinkedIn, embrace various content types.
Alongside eye-catching visuals, consider sharing informative articles, industry insights, and even thought-provoking text posts.
Diversifying your content keeps your audience engaged, caters to different preferences, and maximizes your chances of resonating with various segments of your target audience.
Remember, a mix of content captures attention and ensures your messaging remains fresh and adaptable to the evolving preferences of your LinkedIn audience.
BONUS Tip Eight: Make Use of Paid Ads
As you assess last quarter’s analytics and contemplate ways to enhance your LinkedIn presence, the question of buying followers or connections might cross your mind. However, if you’ve followed our journey through these tips, you’re likely aware of our stance: a firm “No.”
Investing time or money in purchasing LinkedIn connections rarely yields worthwhile results. Remember, the algorithm focuses on authentic conversations between people that ‘know’ each other.
So, where should your budget be directed on LinkedIn? Promoted posts and custom ads emerge as far more valuable investments.
Take Advantage of the Campaign Manager Updates
LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager streamlines the ad experience. With an increased focus on audience targeting and objective-based pricing, you can now concentrate efforts, pay for desired outcomes, and precisely measure achievements.
The Matched Audience option enables retargeting existing connections or uploading customer lists, while the LinkedIn Audience Network extends your reach to new audiences on partnered sites beyond the LinkedIn platform.
Target, Target, Target
While excellent guides are available for navigating LinkedIn ads, the essence remains in identifying your target audience and delivering genuine value.
Meaningful traction in your ads will only occur when you thoroughly understand who you’re addressing and why your message is essential to them.
Measuring Success
LinkedIn advises measuring Returns on Investment (ROI) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) over an extended period for reliable results.
This aligns with LinkedIn’s emphasis on building authentic connections and consistently delivering real value to your target market.
Harnessing the Power of Ads Effectively
LinkedIn’s suite of paid advertising options provides businesses with additional channels to reach broader audiences beyond organic reach.
Whether boosting post engagements through sponsored posts or targeting specific demographics, LinkedIn’s advertising tools offer strategic approaches to enhance your brand’s visibility and engagement.
Additional Insights
Consider exploring diverse ad formats, including carousel ads or sponsored InMail, to experiment with what resonates best with your audience.
Regularly analyze your ad performance, adjusting targeting criteria and content based on the evolving preferences of your LinkedIn audience.
The dynamic nature of the platform requires adaptability to ensure continued success in your paid advertising endeavors.
LinkedIn Content Marketing FAQs
What does LinkedIn content marketing entail?
LinkedIn content marketing revolves around crafting and disseminating valuable material on the platform. The goal is to captivate, engage, and convert your professional audience into valuable customers.
How can I effectively promote my content on LinkedIn?
Optimizing your profile, harnessing features like Pulse and Groups, actively engaging with audiences through comments or shares, strategically using ads, and consistently analyzing performance metrics are key strategies to promote your LinkedIn content effectively.
Is LinkedIn marketing genuinely effective?
LinkedIn is an exceptionally effective platform for brand visibility, lead generation, and customer acquisition. Its extensive reach among professionals worldwide and a high trust factor in B2B circles contribute to its effectiveness.
What type of content performs best on LinkedIn?
While videos tend to excel on LinkedIn, high-engagement posts that resonate with a professional audience, such as industry insights or thought leadership articles, also achieve significant success on the platform. The key is crafting content that aligns with the preferences and expectations of your target audience.
Elevate Your Brand with LinkedIn Content Marketing
LinkedIn content marketing emerges as a formidable force in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Its expansive reach, coupled with a high trust factor among professionals, positions it as an ideal platform for robust brand promotion.
The platform’s algorithm, favoring content with high engagement, underscores the importance of crafting material that resonates with your audience.
If you’re poised to revolutionize your brand through LinkedIn content marketing, consider partnering with okwrite. Our expertise extends to crafting engaging content tailored to your target audience. At okwrite, we are experts in leveraging social media, including LinkedIn, to your advantage.
To make a lasting impact, optimize your pages and profiles, tap into personal and team networks, and tailor your content and promotions to your specific target audience.
Contact us to get started.
