This is an article “Why Every Business Needs A LinkedIn Profile” by Marc Primo
After the 'Great Resignation of 2021' wherein 4.3 million employees quit their jobs in August alone (the highest in 20 years), businesses are struggling to hire new job candidates all over the country. At this point, there's no question how the premier social media platform for professionals called LinkedIn can help. While we understand that every employee needs to polish their profiles now and then, companies are also investing more of their marketing budgets to make their pages more interactive, appealing, and centered on brand reputation these days.
Aside from data, some of today's top commodities also include professional skills, experience, and knowledge. Every company's backbone is its human resources, and hiring the right men and women for the job is as essential as staying afloat. Global businesses and employees found themselves disrupted when the health crisis dealt businesses a big blow last year. Salary cuts paved the way to higher attrition rates, and most small to medium enterprises (SMEs) around the country struggled to keep their doors open for business.
As the economy tries to rise from the ashes, employees are on the job hunt trail once again, and companies are looking to land the best potential candidates. And so, it's easy to anticipate that everyone will be turning in their best portfolios on LinkedIn.
If you're a business that aims to establish a stellar network of professionals and partners, here's how you can get the most out of your LinkedIn profile.
The LinkedIn factor
It's hard to believe that not everyone knows what LinkedIn is all about by now. With 722 million on the platform since it first launched in 2003, 73% of all social media users worldwide trust the company – the most of any social media platform.
Along with the digitalization of work came a dynamic culture of professionalism, wherein the platform focuses its strengths. Work blogs and profiles that display members' credentials, experience, achievements, network, and even best practices make LinkedIn a treasure trove of work resources.
Now that a new startup ecosystem is taking center stage, more businesses are leveraging the platform's advantages. Companies are creating their profiles in a way that promotes brand reputation. And this promotion is not confined to local territories, but internationally as well. It's an excellent opportunity for businesses to position their strong suits worldwide, considering the platform is available in 24 languages. Also, 76% of users on the platform come from outside of the US.
When it first started, LinkedIn was more of a hub for IT specialists. But then it welcomed more enterprises and now even caters to odd job professionals such as electricians or housekeepers. Mainly though, the platform serves as a guide for HR professionals looking for the perfect candidates to fill in a company position and companies looking to expand their networks.
Why do businesses need Linkedin?
LinkedIn allows users to post content on their profiles and even ads for businesses like any notable social media platform. Each ad you post on the platform has a visibility potential of 13%, globally. By the 4th quarter of a pandemic-laden 2020, its ad reach grew by 25 million users.
But content is not the 'be all, end all' of businesses on LinkedIn. Aside from opening up opportunities for brand visibility, thought leadership, and marketing, companies can also drive higher conversions via its free and massive database. With more than 30 million companies on the platform, any business engaged in business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) efforts can quickly look for partnerships, suppliers, investors, or developmental support.
There are also various on-site tools that businesses can use to streamline the processes. From creating a page to adding essential details such as mission, vision, statements, website links, and store or office locations, completing your page gets you a 30% higher chance for more views. Sharing your content and connecting with your internal and external networks are also convenient via the platform.
Grow your audience
It might take a few days to get used to how LinkedIn can work for your business, but here's a cheat sheet on how to grow your audience right away after signing up.
First, plot out your business page's objectives and complete your profile with the necessary content, including company logos, organic posts, or blogs. In completing your profile, create content that audiences can easily absorb – information about your company that even the general public can understand. Keep things professional yet catchy and straightforward so that you create appeal rather than intimidate your visitors.
Your general information can also use some search engine optimization (SEO) keywords that will appear in search engines, but don't overstuff it. Instead, pick out content that will prove to be valuable to your audience, primarily casually written pieces that are not too corporate-centric but still reflect your company's values. Defining your content and being consistent in your posts creates a brand image that makes you unique on LinkedIn.
Manage your content
Once you've got your editorial posts in order, access the platform's scheduling page, select the corresponding times and dates, and click 'schedule.' By mapping out an editorial calendar, you can cover all the bases in your marketing funnel from awareness to conversion.
You'll also get notifications for each one of your posts for better management. Depending on how frequently you see it necessary to post content on the platform, you can analyze how your audience reacts and behaves around your page. Typically, posts are most noticeable between 9 AM to 6 PM on workdays, as businesses log on for networking and communication.
Since videos and mobile are the prime movers in today's social media era, try posting some informational clips on your page. While you're at it, make your page more interactive with functional buttons to your headers or footers that link to your other social media pages and back to your LinkedIn profile.
Most digital marketers review their LinkedIn demographics for better strategies within the platform. Try finding out who you can reach on the platform, or what your competitors are doing. Are they using paid ads? Should you?
Lastly, get a broader reach on the platform by considering algorithm signals, including personal connections, interest relevance, and engagement probability. The platform can show you engagement rate via the total number of your interactions, clicks, and new followers divided by the number of impressions for each post. Start creating content for your employees who can share them on their own social media pages, then branch out to more lookalike audiences that can help boost traffic to your page.