To B2B or not 2B

Advertising is a big turnoff. Facebook and Twitter are both learning this as they lose younger users to Instagram and other social media platforms. In an effort to stop the trickle from becoming a flood, they have employed new algorithms to improve user experience.

These changes have limited the organic reach of posts from brands and businesses and made both channels less effective for lead generation.

Fear not, B2B marketeers, as LinkedIn is ripe for generating leads, promoting thought leadership content and driving traffic to company websites.

Why LinkedIn?

Would you be surprised to learn that LinkedIn drives over half of all social traffic to B2B blogs and websites? Savvy B2B marketeers and prospectors are already tapping into this potential.

• LinkedIn is responsible for 64% of all visits from social media sites to corporate websites.

• 78% of B2B marketers now consider LinkedIn to be the most effective site for lead generation.

LinkedIn has over half a billion members, with a good proportion of business decision makers, driving high engagement rates, reducing cost per lead and increasing ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend).

How to get started with LinkedIn B2B marketing?

LinkedIn's members are a tough crowd; professional and discerning, they don't suffer fools. So the golden rule of LinkedIn is to plan, prepare and proof.

Firstly, it's essential to set up your LinkedIn Company Page.

Next, develop a strategy that ensures your marketing is focussed, targeted and with a clear call to action.

You need to identify the decision makers and create relationships with those in specific industries and locations.

Consider your audience and create content that's relevant, interesting and valuable.

Be tactical and plan what, when and where to post content.

Our Top Tips

1. Make content count - plan your objective for each piece of content and ensure that you keep on topic, clearly and concisely.
2. Don’t be that pushy salesman - keep your content interesting and valuable. It shouldn't come across as a sales pitch.
3. Relate to your audience - don't simply write in the third person, show that you're an individual and relate back to your audience.
4. Dripfeed - Don't overwhelm with masses of content, and don't be a stranger. Post little and often.
5. Employ keywords - referring to the "Specialities" section of your LinkedIn Page, use keywords that relate to your specialities and industry so that your content can be found in relevant searches.
6. Create a strong CTA - help to drive profitable consumer action by giving users a clear and compelling call to action.
7. Measure results and engagement - monitor how your content performs so you can identify the most effective subjects and optimise future marketing strategies.