NEWS / INSIGHT
More than just a CV depository
Customers are basing purchasing decisions not just on what you sell, but how you sell it. The way you come across in all different corners of the internet is increasingly important.
The chances are you’re on Twitter and Facebook, and have a decent idea what you’re doing over there, but what about a LinkedIn Company Page? Do you really need one? What would you use it for?
Historically, we’ve treated LinkedIn as a place to pop our CVs & look for jobs, but there’s a opportunity you may be missing.
What’s the point of getting your company on LinkedIn?
To showcase your brand, in two parts:
1) To attract talent - Convince really talented people that your company is the best place to work.
2) To attract customers - Continue the good work you do on other social media platforms – distinguishing your company from its competition.
What goes on a LinkedIn company page?
It’s made up of four tabs:
1) Overview - An introduction to your business. Think carefully about the description of your business and its mission – members (people who “follow” your page) and potential members will be able to read this at all times. Showcase what makes you unique.
2) Products & Services - This is where customers go to see what you’ve got on offer. For each product and service, you can really go to town – add descriptions, images, videos, sales contacts and special offers. You can use audience segmentation to personalise what people see.
3) Careers - More than 75% of all jobs are posted on LinkedIn. But as far as your page goes, the careers tab isn’t just a job board – it’s the place to put employee testimonials and other rich content that will attract top talent.
4) Analytics - This tab’s where you can learn about your following – who they are and what kind of content they’re enjoying.
What do you need to know about posting content on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has a blogging tool built into it. This is the formula they suggest for a perfect post:
Top – the visual
Beginning – Share what the reader can expect to learn
Middle – 3-6 paragraphs is best
End – Use a Call To Action (CTA), linking to a piece of content elsewhere, usually your website.
And to maximise views, comments and shares, these are LinkedIn’s top tips:
1) Write often and publish when it’s timely. Share insights and perspectives on a current event or news.
2) Write what you know. Use details from your life to help others be better in theirs.
3) Use clear headlines. Use puns and jokes sparingly since a misinterpretation or misunderstanding might keep someone from reading your post at all.
4) Beware of listicles (list-articles). While fine for raw clicks, they don’t encourage engagement.
5) Share! - Share your posts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter; tweet it via LinkedIn
Pulse; and let friends, colleagues, and employees know so they can amplify the reach.
For more advice like this, you might like to download LinkedIn’s Content Marketing Workbook.
Down to business. Can LinkedIn help you sell?
Something we’re thinking about a lot at the moment is how sales teams can use LinkedIn to build robust sales pipelines, as an alternative to spending all their time on the phone. If that’s something you’re thinking about too, we recommend this LinkedIn guide to social selling.
