LinkedIn has often been called the ‘redheaded stepchild’ of social marketing. Although it has millions of people, it rarely gets as much coverage as Facebook or Twitter. However, LinkedIn is really the sleeping giant of social media, and when used correctly, it can get you qualified clients in ways others social media websites cannot.
So why exactly is LinkedIn better? Well, the fact that it doesn’t have as many people on it works to your advantage. LinkedIn is targeted to professionals, so generally it attracts those interested in business, unlike Facebook and Twitter, where you only have to be 13 to sign up for an account. On LinkedIn you will find high-powered decision-makers of large industries as well as smaller entrepreneurs looking to grow their business. If you’re the kind of business that caters to other businesses or the people who run them, then LinkedIn is the very place you want to spend a good portion of your time. This article will take a look at five ways you can use LinkedIn to promote your business to reach these high-level decision makers and other clients.
It all starts with an optimized profile. Google loves LinkedIn and loves putting LinkedIn on the first page when people type in your name. You can actually use keywords very effectively on LinkedIn to attract the attention of not only Google but also people running the search from within LinkedIn itself. A fully optimized profile will attract much more attention than a non-optimized, one and it’s surprisingly easy to do.
If your business already has a blog, there are ways to integrate this blog with your LinkedIn profile so people who follow you can get to know you better as an expert. This will attract not only more followers to your blog, but also give you more to talk about.
The Questions section is one of the most important, but underutilized, parts of LinkedIn. In Questions you can ask or answer a question. Asking a question gives you the advantage of getting relevant useful information you might not have found on your own. Answering the question gives you the chance to look like an expert in front of the people you’re trying to attract. Another advantage of Questions is that it allows you to be contacted by people outside of your network when they have a question about related to your field industry or trade.
Another great way to utilize LinkedIn is to join groups. Groups are where people get together virtually and talk about their favorite topic. Since you’re trying to attract clients, you should join a group where your clients are most likely to go. Add to the conversation regularly and become a real member of this new community. Soon people will recognize you as an expert, and come to you for your particular service that helps the members of that group.
Now that you’ve joined all those groups, used questions, and have become a respected member of the community, it’s time to use events to attract clients. Events are a great way to be seen as an expert, attract attention, and build your list all at the same time.
The most common kind of event on LinkedIn is a free webinar. Simply set up your free webinar and announce it in your group with a link leading back to where people can register. This will help you further your goal of being known as an expert in your field.
There is a lot of potential for LinkedIn and most of it goes unrecognized. Strategically joining groups, asking questions, optimizing your profile, having events and even connecting to your blog can all attract clients in ways you never dreamed possible. LinkedIn is a social network unlike any other because it caters to professionals. If you’re trying to sell to these professionals, then LinkedIn is the place to be.
Adam Chronister is co-founder of Enleaf, an award winning Web Design and Internet Marketing Firm. You can find him on Facebook Facebook and Twitter.