There is more to LinkedIn than resumes and help wanted ads. LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional business network with more than 450 million members in over 200 countries. Professional people are joining LinkedIn at a rate of more than two per second.
In the past couple of years, LinkedIn has enhanced the services available to companies and individuals, including Company Pages, Groups, and LinkedIn Publishing.
1. LinkedIn Company Pages
A LinkedIn company page raises brand awareness, provides updates, promotes career opportunities, and educates potential customers on your products and services. Additional information includes links to your website, the ability of users to follow your company page updates, and analytics.
Company pages are open to the public. This means Google will index the information. This, in turn, means information on your LinkedIn company page will support your broader digital marketing efforts.
Here are a few ideas on what you could post on your company page.
- News and information about your company and executives.
- Job openings.
- Products or services — with photos
- News and information about the manufacturers of your products.
- News and information about your industry.
Regular daily updates, which should take less than 15 minutes, will develop a robust page and will build your brand in LinkedIn.
2. LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups allow you to keep in touch with professionals within your industry. Groups allow you to gain or share knowledge, recruit talent, and show your industry expertise.
Start slow by joining five to 10 groups. It is easy to find groups by using LinkedIn’s search.
If you are feeling bold, create your own LinkedIn Group for any topic. Keep in mind that managing a group takes time and promoting it takes even more time.
Being an active participant in LinkedIn Groups can help you interact with other professionals. Spending about 15 minutes responding to other questions and discussion topics can help raise awareness about you and your company.
Here is a list of LinkedIn Groups related to ecommerce.
- Digital Marketing, 999,000 members.
- Retail Industry Professionals Group, 472,000 members.
- Ecommerce Network, 169,000 members.
- Ecommerce and Online Marketing Experts, 90,000 members.
- Affiliate Marketing Group, 29,000 members.
3. Long-form Posts in LinkedIn Publishing
LinkedIn Posts, another form of content marketing, require you or a staff member to write a fair amount. But the posts can be very useful.
All LinkedIn members can read LinkedIn Posts. You do not have to be connected to other LinkedIn members for them to see your posts, unlike LinkedIn updates, which only your LinkedIn connections can see.
The main reason to use LinkedIn Posts, however, is that the information is open to the public outside of LinkedIn, which means, as with Company Pages, they are open to Google. LinkedIn Posts include a sleek interface, more text and font options, and automatic saving as you compose. You can add photos, images, and videos, too.
LinkedIn has created a presentation to show you how to publish in this new platform.
Do you need to tackle everything at once? Absolutely not. Start with you company page and work your way towards LinkedIn Groups and then LinkedIn Posts.
Use LinkedIn to find new resources, opportunities, affiliates, talent, and much more. LinkedIn helps to build your credibility, build your network, and above all helps you sell. LinkedIn can be a valuable tool in your social marketing arsenal.