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Hint: It’s not the same as your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat strategy.
What Makes LinkedIn Different from Other Social Networks?
While most social media platforms focus on social networking, LinkedIn specializes in professional networking. It’s less about what you did last weekend, and more about what you learned in your last client meeting. This makes sense, because LinkedIn is primarily a community of working professionals. Of its more than 740 million users, 25% are senior-level influencers, and more than 10 million are classified as c-level executives. While this is great for those looking to network with other professionals, it also means reposting your Facebook or Instagram content is likely to fall flat. I’m sure what pops into your mind is, “I’m already so busy, and now I have to do more work for LinkedIn, in particular?” The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is yes, and it will pay off. Here’s why.Long-Form Educational Content is King on LinkedIn
Long-form, educational content gets the most traction on LinkedIn by far. Whether it’s video, blogs, or simple status updates, content that educates and informs other users wins the day (and the views). In addition to seeking educational content, LinkedIn users are looking for unique perspectives and industry-specific insights. Unlike other social platforms where quick and concise reigns supreme, LinkedIn users are looking for longer-form thought leadership. And if you can do that in a video, even better. Video is one area that LinkedIn doesn’t differ from its social media relatives. Just like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, video content outperforms all other content types. In fact, video content on LinkedIn is five times more likely to start a conversation over other content types. One-to-two minute videos perform the best – and don’t forget subtitles! As many as 85% of videos on LinkedIn are viewed with sound off.Use Personal Profiles to Boost Visibility of Company Content
Another major difference between LinkedIn and its social media neighbors is the importance of personal profiles in promoting company content. While many companies have social media policies that explicitly prohibit employees from mixing their personal and professional profiles, on LinkedIn it’s critical that you engage your high-level leaders in promoting and engaging with people on both the company page and their personal pages. By having company leaders engaged in creating and commenting on content relevant to their industry or job function, it demonstrates online thought leadership, network/community-building, and, simply put, that they’re paying attention to what’s going on around them. Once they create that content, it should be shared both on the company page, as well as with their personal networks. It’s also a good idea for senior executives to join and engage regularly in industry LinkedIn groups – a function not available to business or company pages. Once again, and you’re probably sensing a pattern here, but…thought leadership!More Expensive Advertising Means Better Qualified Leads
Like other social networks, businesses will often find it difficult to build their LinkedIn presence organically. Asking senior-level employees to share relevant company content with their personal networks is one way to start building that audience, but LinkedIn advertising is another important tool. While LinkedIn advertising functions similarly to Facebook and Instagram advertising, it’s significantly more expensive. Don’t let that deter you though. LinkedIn offers some important targeting nuances that aren’t available on other platforms. Sophisticated targeting capabilities like job title, degree, industry, and skill-set allow for a more highly qualified lead pool to get eyes on your content. That also means that these targeting parameters make it a powerful platform for both B2B marketing and recruiting. LinkedIn Advertising also allows you to exclude specific audiences, ensuring more value per click. So while the initial spend on LinkedIn is likely to be higher, the ROI often exceeds other platforms.A Focused LinkedIn Strategy is a Successful Strategy
While it’s clear that a simple repurposing of content from other social platforms is unlikely to succeed on LinkedIn, the steps to building a successful approach are largely similar to other social networks. Define your goals, understand your audience, and develop content that fits their needs. Whether you’re looking to sell, recruit, or simply build brand awareness, LinkedIn is an often overlooked platform that can be an effective tool in your social media toolbox. Not sure where to start for your company’s LinkedIn strategy? Get in touch. We’re here to help.About Ethos Ethos is a multiplatform branding agency that develops and executes integrated marketing campaigns across multiple channels for companies inside and outside of Maine. At Ethos, we believe that the most effective way to set a company’s marketing course is by finding its core truth – its ethos. We know that once we discover and communicate that core truth, we can truly make a difference for each client’s unique marketing and business objectives. With Ethos, you get more than a marketing agency. You get a long-term partner whose goals are your goals.
