This week we are back to our Social Media Series for Small
Business with an in depth look at LinkedIn. To date, we've talked about which
Social Media sites are best for your business and what good
posting strategies you should be using, and we've taken an
in depth look at Facebook for small business.
Let’s take another look at the enhanced version of our
Social Media for Small Business Infographic.
As we reviewed before, LinkedIn is a business networking
site with about 240 million users. The best use we've seen for LinkedIn is a
networking tool for those out of work or looking to move in a different
direction with their career.
But LinkedIn can also be a great tool for small business.
First, start by
creating a LinkedIn Company Page to raise brand awareness and teach potential
customers about your products and services.
Use your posts to
attract followers to your company page. Followers are key to driving word of
mouth, recommendations and referrals. The more quality followers you have, the more
you will increase your reach and engagement.
You can start
increasing followers by asking your employees to add your company page to their
personal profiles. By doing this they are automatically following your company
page and can like and comment on posts about your company. Do the same from
your personal page and you've just expanded your company page’s reach significantly.
Next, ask your
customers and potential customers to follow your Company Page – include links
to connect on your website and other social media as well as in your email
communications.
Increase your
exposure by posting regularly. Share company news, industry articles and start
key discussions about topics important to your customers and potential
customers. We recommend 2 - 4 times per week; others may recommend daily. Like
every other social media site, the key to success is to have a strategy and be
consistent.
LinkedIn may take a bit more effort to cultivate, but the
opportunities to expand your network may well be worth the investment of your
time.
How are you using LinkedIn to benefit your small business?
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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing, event planning and other support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff. Learn more at www.gettheprofessionaledge.com.
Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing, event planning and other support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff. Learn more at www.gettheprofessionaledge.com.
