Tina Clark
Manager, Digital and Social Media Strategy, Roberts Communications
http://www.robertscomm.com/
Linkedin has evolved as a top social channel for business content. Beyond recruiting, it provides a platform for thought leadership and engagement. With over 380 Million members from over 200 countries, LinkedIn is a crucial tool to drive awareness of your company and connect with current and future customers and employees.
Here are some tips and best practices to optimize your company’s LinkedIn presence.
POPULATE ALL VISUALS
Visual provide the opportunity to highlight your brand in a way that will capture attention and turn your page visitors into followers.
Tips:
- Use eye-catching imagery for the cover image.
- Change your cover photo every month or so to prevent it losing its impact.
- Keep copy to a minimum on the cover photo; do not include logo as it is already displayed on the page.
- Make sure images are high quality and look crisp and clear once uploaded.
POPULATE ALL INFORMATION
From Company Name and Description to Year Founded, this information will present a professional presence and provide potential customers and employees with a full picture of your company.
Tips:
- Describe what you do, why you’re different, what services you provide, and your areas of expertise.
- Keep it simple and succinct, not too much copy.
- Express your main message in the first 270 characters so it is visible on screen.
- Verify that all links are working correctly.
- Keep information updated, making changes as appropriate.
- Use industry-relevant target SEO words in your description to show in search results within LinkedIn.
EXTEND YOUR REACH
Add visibility to your LinkedIn presence by sharing the URL across all other assets. Extend your reach even further by encouraging employees to connect, engage and share content.
Tips
- Add LinkedIn logo and link to collateral, email signature, company website, etc.
- Engage employees to follow your page and share updates.
- Mention and link to your LinkedIn page(s) on your Facebook and Twitter channels.
CONNECT AND ENGAGE
Linkedin is a two-way street – it offers the opportunity to engage directly with your customers, fostering interest, enthusiasm and loyalty. Update your page often with posts ranging from company news and blogs (original content) to industry-relevant article links (curated content).
Tips
- Publish regularly – maintain a consistent cadence with a minimum of 2 posts per week.
- Post a mix of original and curated content.
- Post visual content – photos, videos, infographics, SlideShare presentations, etc.
- Be useful – inspire, educate and motivate your audience. Tell stories rather than market. Connect rather than promote.
- Monitor and respond – engage with anyone who asks questions or responds to your updates.
- Use analytics to inform future posts – look for posts with high engagement rates to learn which type of content or writing that resonates with your followers.
- Check your page’s follower demographics for further insight on your customers.
IN SUMMARY
In summary, maximize the benefits of LinkedIn by presenting a complete and active view into your company. Show thought leadership, connect and engage with future employees and customers, and raise brand awareness.