With 82% of marketers using LinkedIn as the main source of B2B lead generation, the platform has become more popular than ever with businesses looking to grow.
But lead generation isn’t the only reason your business should be using the professional social network. Here are five other ways you can leverage the power of LinkedIn as part of your B2B marketing strategy.
1) Establish yourself as an authority
LinkedIn is an effective platform to establish yourself as an expert and become the go-to business in your industry. Publish valuable content to your LinkedIn page, such as sharing thoughts and industry insights, and over time you’ll build a following who will trust you and see you as an authority.
Creating a LinkedIn group for your business is also a must if you want to be seen as an industry expert. Here you can lead discussions and become the source of knowledge in your field. However, remember social media is meant to be social. Take time to connect and engage with relevant professionals, conversations and LinkedIn groups.
2) Conduct market research
Want to know how a product might land or assess the demand for a new service? LinkedIn is a great platform for free B2B market research and gaining real feedback from your target audience. LinkedIn groups are the best place to gather your research. Find groups that are relevant to your business and browse for insights, start conversations, and ask for opinions.
Also, as of this month, LinkedIn has started to roll out a polls option, giving you another way to gather instant results.
3) Check out your competition
Gain the edge in your marketplace by using LinkedIn to research your competitors. Analysing your competition will not only show how you stack up in your industry, but it’ll give you a greater understanding of what works for your target market too.
From being inspired by their ideas to avoiding their mistakes, analysing your competitors on LinkedIn can help you adjust your B2B marketing strategy and stay ahead of the game.
4) Build up your credibility
Reassure potential leads that you are at the top of your industry by maximising the use of the recommendations and endorsements function on LinkedIn. Testimonials on LinkedIn are what your connections read to evaluate you and your skills.
Remember to regularly ask clients and suppliers to provide their recommendations as the more you have, the more credible you and your business will appear to prospective customers.
5) Hire new talent
LinkedIn isn’t just great for marketing your business, with more than 675 million monthly users it’s also the ideal place to attract the right candidates. Anyone who is serious about furthering their career will have a LinkedIn profile, so you can access a large pool of talent in one place.
LinkedIn functions allow you to post job adverts and search for professionals that have specific experience to match your requirements. Ask your connections to suggest candidates that might fit the bill too.
Author: Rhianna MacGregor, Account Manager
At onebite, we have vast experience with working with technology companies, from start-ups to SMBs to large scale enterprises, we are proud to work with some of the most innovative B2B brands in the world. If you are looking to develop a B2B social media strategy or create powerful content that will resonate with your target audience, we can help. Please get in touch at hello@onebite.co.uk
