LinkedIn has had its ups and downs over the years, and now it’s definitely up, especially when it comes to B2B marketing. LinkedIn is more useful now than ever as a result of recent changes in the social media landscape. You may even call it the unsung hero of the social media world.
What exactly do we mean? Let’s take a look.
7 Reasons Why LinkedIn is Your Go-To for B2B Marketing
1. Your Target Audience is Right There.
The whole concept of B2B marketing is to reach businesses that are interested in your product or service. And who’s on LinkedIn? The owners, managers, and employees of these businesses, of course!
2. It’s More Serious Stuff.
Sure, you can find some quirky posts and comments on LinkedIn every now and then, but truly it’s a mature, professional outlet for your organic posts and pay-per-click campaigns. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use creativity and ingenuity to engage your audience, but you can rely on the fact that LinkedIn users tend to have the same things in mind that you do: success. In other words, LinkedIn isn’t really about fun and games. That’s Instagram (which we love too, by the way).
3. Facebook isn’t Quite the Same as It Was
For years, Facebook was the thing. Both businesses and everyday consumers were all over it. Facebook has changed recently, however, to encourage more paid advertising. Although we think Facebook ads are a great tool for B2B marketing, organic rankings suffer if you rely only on Facebook. You can still use organic marketing strategies on Facebook, but you need to up your game to address the changes in the social media landscape.
Facebook’s security issues also may be scaring away some users, but we won’t get into that. We’re sure you’ve heard all about it.
4. LinkedIn is All About Leadership
The goal of LinkedIn marketing campaigns is for your brand to develop and present itself as a leader in your industry. You might not get as many hits or comments as Instagram, but that’s OK. Consistently posting on LinkedIn is what will set you apart from your competitors, and the keyword there is “consistently.” Why?
Your prospects will regularly see what you post, even though they might not necessarily comment. Eventually, they’ll trust that you know what you’re talking about, and that’s what leadership is all about.
5. It’s a Piece of the Puzzle
The best digital agencies utilize every appropriate resource at their disposal, especially when it comes to social media. The search engines in turn recognize quality posts, timely communications, and steady traffic to your website and social media pages. You have to have smart social media strategies in place, however, in order to determine when, where, and what to post or pay for.
6. You Build Connections
Building professional connections is the foundation of LinkedIn. LinkedIn allows you to maintain important connections in the business world, including those mentors, clients, and coworkers you haven’t communicated with in person for years. Maintaining quality relationships is a sign of a strong business leader, and LinkedIn provides you with the outlet to reach these acquaintances.
Of course, you also get the added bonus of possibly be able to connect with their connections, essentially growing your professional network and viewers.
7. You can Market to a Very Specific Professional Audience
One of our favorite aspects of paid ads on LinkedIn is that you can narrow down your target audience based on very specific details about each group. In other words, with LinkedIn, not only do you get professionals who are interested in your industry, but you get professionals who are interested in your industry who also satisfy a particular requirement. And when you’re talking qualified leads for B2B marketing, you can’t get much more qualified than that.
Navigating LinkedIn
While LinkedIn is a clean, easy-to-use social media site, it does require clever B2B marketing tactics. As with all social media marketing, it’s trickier than it looks. So call us, and we’ll help set you up for success.