How to Use LinkedIn for Business

LinkedIn has become the top online social network for businesses worldwide with over 65 million business professional members and is a fantastic resource for B2B marketing, meeting and finding new employees and gaining advice from others in your field. LinkedIn can be used very creatively to promote your business and its services. Lets take a look at some of the ways you can use LinkedIn to generate leads and engage with your community.

Company Page

The first thing you need to do for your LinkedIn marketing strategy is to create a LikedIn company page where you showcase your business, its aims, focus and ideals. You can set up your company profile through the resume section of your profile and your company page will automatically be linked to your profile. You can tell your employees to add it to their profiles too.

LinkedIn Marketing Tactics

You will find that you use both your personal profile and your company page to promote your business on LinkedIn. Here is a comprehensive list of ways you can promote online.

1) Introduction: LinkedIn is a great way to get introductions to people in your business community without email. You can simply ask them if you can connect with them via your LinkedIn profile. You can reach people you haven't actually met and improve your business reach.

2) Endorsements: On your personal profile there is a tool that allows others to endorse your skills. This is a great resource for showing your community your skills via people who already know you. They act as testimonials for you on your LinkedIn.

3) Status updates: You can set up status updates for both your personal and business pages. You want to keep your business page strictly business posting links to your business blog or relevant articles in your field. You can post status updates about what you are working on or whom you are working for. Your personal blog can be a little more flexible on content.

4) Groups: You can join groups that relate to your niche business community and start conversations related to your work. This increases your exposure but also positions you as a trustworthy expert in your field. It is vital that you do not spam in your groups as you will run the risk of being kicked out and/or you will discredit your reputation and that of your company.

5) Answer/Ask Questions: A great way to build your reputation on LinkedIn is to answer the questions of your community, or ask questions that will get the conversation going. If you are honest and if you discuss your opinion to the best of your ability then the crowd will notice you, engage with you and use you and your business in the future.

6) Advertising: Paid advertising on LinkedIn is a gamble as with any other platforms online but it is worth giving it a go. Look out for deals coming through on your email that give you cheaper options for advertising space on LinkedIn.

7) Upgrade: You can upgrade your LinkedIn profile so you get extra benefits. There are 3 options available and you can choose what will be best for your business. You will have more contact options so you can directly contact people online with many other perks that may be a good match for your business. Go have a look and see what you think.