LinkedIn has emerged as a powerful platform for business marketing, offering a unique space where professionals connect, share ideas, and build networks. Unlike other social media channels, LinkedIn is specifically designed for professional interactions, making it an ideal place for businesses to establish their presence, engage with industry peers, and attract potential clients. Continue reading for tips on why and how to set up a LinkedIn business page.
Why promote your business on LinkedIn?
By setting up a LinkedIn business page, companies can showcase their brand, share valuable content, and promote their products or services in a professional environment. LinkedIn’s robust targeting capabilities also allow businesses to reach specific audiences, such as decision-makers and industry leaders, making it an effective channel for B2B marketing. Moreover, LinkedIn’s analytics tools provide insights into the performance of your posts and the demographics of your audience, helping you refine your marketing strategy.
In essence, LinkedIn unites clients and companies in a professional setting, offering a direct line of communication and a platform for effective promotion. If you’re looking for advice on how to leverage the power of social media for your company, consider getting in touch with a social media marketing company like Deepbluemedia.
Steps to set up LinkedIn business pages
Creating a LinkedIn business page is a straightforward process, but it’s important to follow the steps carefully to ensure your page is optimised for success. Here’s how to get started:
- Sign in to LinkedIn: Use your personal LinkedIn account to begin the process of creating a business page.
- Access LinkedIn Pages: Click on the “Work” icon in the top right corner of your LinkedIn homepage and select “Create a Company Page” from the dropdown menu.
- Choose the Page Type: Select the appropriate option depending on your business size—either “Small Business,” “Medium to Large Business,” or “Showcase Page” for an existing page.
- Enter Your Business Details: Provide your company name, LinkedIn public URL (which will be your page’s address), and select your industry.
- Upload a Logo and Banner Image: Add a profile picture (your company logo) and a banner image that reflects your brand. Make sure these images are high quality and appropriately sized.
- Complete the About Section: Write a compelling overview of your business, including your mission, values, and services, as well as a link to your website.
- Customise Your Call-to-Action Button: Choose a CTA button, such as “Contact Us,” “Visit Website,” or “Learn More,” to encourage visitor interaction.
- Optimise Your Page Settings: Tailor your page settings to control who can post on your page and manage notifications and other preferences.
- Invite Connections to Follow Your Page: Start by inviting your existing LinkedIn connections to follow your page and help build your audience.
- Start Posting Content: Share your first post, which could be an introduction to your business or a welcome message to your new followers.
Customising your LinkedIn business page
After setting up your LinkedIn business page, it’s important to customise it to reflect your brand’s identity and make it appealing to your target audience. Here’s how to optimise your page for success:
- Design a Professional Banner Image: The banner image is a key visual element on your LinkedIn page. The recommended size is 1128 x 191 pixels. Ensure that it visually represents your brand and aligns with your company’s tone and message.
- Use a High-Quality Logo: Your company logo will serve as your profile picture and should be 300 x 300 pixels. This image will be prominently displayed across LinkedIn, so make sure it’s high quality and easily recognisable.
- Craft a Compelling About Section: Your ‘About’ section is where you can tell your company’s story. Be sure to include information about your company’s mission, values, and services, as well as what sets you apart from competitors. Use relevant keywords to improve your page’s searchability.
- Add Company Details: Include essential details like your company size, industry, and headquarters location. This information helps LinkedIn’s algorithms to categorise your page and improve its visibility.
- Create Showcase Pages: If your company has distinct brands, products, or initiatives, consider creating Showcase Pages. These are sub-pages of your main LinkedIn page that allow you to highlight specific aspects of your business.
- Customise Your Call-to-Action Button: LinkedIn allows you to add a CTA button to your page. Depending on your business goals, you might choose “Contact Us,” “Learn More,” “Visit Website,” or another option that encourages users to engage with your brand.
Optimising and managing your LinkedIn business page
Once your LinkedIn business page is set up and customised, the next step is to optimise it for better performance and manage it effectively. Regular maintenance and updates will help keep your page relevant and engaging. Here’s how to approach it:
- Post Regularly: Consistent posting is crucial for keeping your audience engaged. Share a variety of content, such as industry news, company updates, blog posts, and insights. Aim to post at least once a week to maintain an active presence.
- Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments on your posts, and engage with content shared by your followers. This interaction not only builds relationships but also increases your page’s visibility on LinkedIn.
- Use LinkedIn Analytics: LinkedIn provides detailed analytics on your page’s performance. Regularly review metrics like visitor demographics, engagement rates, and post reach to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Use this data to refine your content strategy.
- Leverage LinkedIn’s Publishing Platform: LinkedIn’s publishing platform allows you to share long-form articles directly on your company page. This is a great way to demonstrate thought leadership and share in-depth insights with your audience.
- Optimise Content for LinkedIn Search: Use relevant keywords in your page’s description, posts, and articles to improve your visibility in LinkedIn search results. Consider what terms your target audience might use to find services like yours.
- Update Your Page Regularly: As your business evolves, so should your LinkedIn page. Update your company information, images, and content regularly to keep your page fresh and relevant.
Promoting your LinkedIn business page
Once your page is optimised and you’re regularly posting content, it’s time to promote your LinkedIn business page to grow your following and increase engagement. Here are some strategies to help you promote your page effectively:
- Invite Your Network: LinkedIn allows you to invite your personal connections to follow your business page. This is a quick and easy way to build an initial following. Make sure to personalise your invites to increase the likelihood of them being accepted.
- Share Your Page on Other Platforms: Promote your LinkedIn business page on your other social media channels, in your email signature, and on your website. Cross-promoting your page helps drive traffic from various sources.
- Encourage Employees to Follow and Share: Your employees are your best advocates. Encourage them to follow your page and share your content with their networks. This can significantly increase your page’s reach.
- Engage in LinkedIn Groups: Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your industry and actively participate in discussions. Sharing valuable insights and linking back to your business page can attract new followers from these groups.
- Utilise LinkedIn Ads: LinkedIn’s advertising platform allows you to target specific demographics with your ads, such as job title, industry, or location. This is a highly effective way to promote your page to a targeted audience.
- Collaborate with Influencers: Partnering with industry influencers or thought leaders can help increase your page’s visibility. Consider co-creating content, hosting webinars, or conducting interviews with influencers in your field.
Engaging your LinkedIn audience
Keeping your audience engaged on LinkedIn is crucial for building a strong online presence and fostering long-term relationships. Here are some strategies to help you maintain and grow engagement on your LinkedIn business page:
- Share High-Quality Content: Focus on sharing content that is valuable, relevant, and engaging for your audience. This could include industry news, thought leadership articles, case studies, or company updates. Ensure that your content aligns with your brand’s messaging and goals.
- Use Rich Media: Posts with images, videos, or infographics tend to perform better than text-only posts. Visual content is more likely to capture attention and encourage engagement.
- Ask Questions and Encourage Interaction: Prompt your audience to engage by asking questions, running polls, or encouraging them to share their thoughts in the comments. The more interaction your posts receive, the more visible they become in LinkedIn’s algorithm.
- Leverage LinkedIn Polls: LinkedIn’s poll feature is a great way to engage your audience and gather feedback. Polls are quick and easy for users to participate in, and they can provide valuable insights into your audience’s preferences.
- Highlight Employee Achievements: Showcasing your team’s achievements or company culture can help humanise your brand and strengthen connections with your audience. Consider sharing employee spotlights, team milestones, or behind-the-scenes content.
- Host LinkedIn Live Events: LinkedIn Live allows you to broadcast live events, webinars, or Q&A sessions to your audience. Live videos tend to generate higher engagement than pre-recorded content and can help you connect with your audience in real time.
- Respond to Comments and Messages: Actively engaging with comments and messages shows that you value your audience’s input and are interested in building relationships. This can also encourage more people to interact with your page.
Leveraging LinkedIn analytics
Understanding your page’s performance is crucial for refining your LinkedIn strategy and ensuring you’re meeting your business goals. LinkedIn Analytics offers a wealth of data that can help you track your progress and identify areas for improvement. Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Monitor Engagement Metrics: Keep an eye on metrics like likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates on your posts. High engagement rates indicate that your content is resonating with your audience.
- Track Follower Demographics: LinkedIn provides insights into the demographics of your followers, including their job titles, industries, and locations. Use this data to ensure you’re reaching the right audience and tailor your content accordingly.
- Analyse Visitor Behaviour: Understand how visitors are interacting with your page. Metrics like page views, unique visitors, and click-through rates can give you insights into the effectiveness of your content and calls to action.
- Review Content Performance: Regularly assess which types of content are performing well and which are not. This will help you focus on creating content that resonates with your audience and drives engagement.
- Set Benchmarks and Goals: Use LinkedIn Analytics to set benchmarks and track your progress over time. This can help you measure the effectiveness of your LinkedIn strategy and adjust it as needed to achieve your business objectives.
Closing thoughts
Creating a LinkedIn business page is an essential step for establishing your brand’s professional presence online. However, success on LinkedIn requires more than just setting up a page and posting occasionally. Here are some final tips to help you make the most of your LinkedIn business page:
- Use the Right Image Sizes: Your banner image should be 1128 x 191 pixels, and your logo should be 300 x 300 pixels. Ensuring your images are the correct size will make your page look polished and professional.
- Post Regularly: Consistency is key on LinkedIn. Aim to post at least once a week to keep your audience engaged and maintain an active presence.
- Create Engaging Content: Focus on sharing content that adds value to your audience. Use images, videos, and other rich media to make your posts more engaging and likely to be shared.
- Optimise Your Page for Search: Use relevant keywords in your page’s description, posts, and articles to improve your visibility in LinkedIn search results.
- Engage with Your Audience: Actively respond to comments, participate in discussions, and engage with other content on LinkedIn. Building relationships is key to growing your presence on the platform.
- Monitor Analytics: Regularly review LinkedIn Analytics to track your page’s performance and make data-driven decisions about your content strategy.
By following these tips and continuously refining your strategy, you can create a LinkedIn business page that not only represents your brand but also drives engagement, builds relationships, and helps achieve your business goals.