Creating a LinkedIn Strategy for Your Business in 2023

linkedin business strategy
21.04.2023

Creating a LinkedIn Strategy for Your Business in 2023

by Emily Maree Johnson

Many brands overlook LinkedIn as an influential and impactful social media platform, but the truth is the trendy trio - Facebook, Instagram and TikTok - are really just the ugly stepsisters of LinkedIn; they get all the attention, content and engagement, but they’re don’t always provide the best results for everyone.

Similar to the Cinderella fable, it all comes down to looking beyond the corporate exterior and getting to know the real capabilities and opportunities that lie beneath the surface!

In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at this somewhat elusive social media platform, explain why you should invest your time and budget, and provide eight (8) easy steps to create an effective LinkedIn strategy for your business.  

Let’s start at the beginning of this rags-to-riches story… 

What is LinkedIn?

If you ask Google or LinkedIn this question, the answer you’ll get is - ‘the world’s largest professional network’ or a ‘social media platform designed specifically for the business community.’ 

No wonder so many brands and businesses overlook LinkedIn as a marketing tool!

A lot of focus is placed on career development, recruitment, professional networking and the sharing of knowledge and skills, BUT there are other under-utilised functions like groups, events, articles and advertising to name a few.

Who Should Use LinkedIn and Why?

The most important thing to understand about LinkedIn is that it’s used by business owners and professionals across a wide range of industries; from engineering to medicine, and all levels; from top CEOs to Office Assistants. 

Basically, if you’re passionate about staying up to date and actively participating in your chosen field of work (or study) and want to connect with a community of like-minded professionals, then you need to be a regular LinkedIn user. 

And here lies the huge and untapped opportunity for successful B2B marketing!

Many LinkedIn users are highly influential or the key decision makers within their organisation. Unlike Facebook and Instagram where your content is being seen (and maybe liked) by thousands of random consumers, the audience on LinkedIn are more specific and engaged. 

It’s all about quality over quantity and channelling your resources into platforms that align with your business and marketing goals. So, if your product or service is targeted at a business or professional audience then it’s time to create a LinkedIn strategy, and keep reading… 

How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Your Business?

  • Organic Content: 

    Posts on LinkedIn can include copy and links, images and video, events, polls and documents (PDFs) too. It can be as simple as sharing your latest company news, events or product launch, and welcoming and profiling staff. 

    Or you can share more in-depth infographics and explainers, links to blog articles or podcasts - even your annual report or other important public documents that may be of interest to your audience. 

    Tip: be strategic and use a balanced and varied combination of different types of content to keep followers interested. 
     
  • Articles: 

    Think of this as another outlet to share longer-form blog style content. Articles can help you showcase products and services, demonstrate your expertise in a particular area and position you as an industry leader. 

    Tips: Remember who your audience is, and what they’re looking for - make sure this content is practical and useful, not salesy or preachy.

    You can share articles and organic posts as an individual or as a company and encourage your staff to share content to their networks too.  
     
  • Groups: 

    Like an online forum for sharing insights and experiences and engaging in discussions, LinkedIn groups are more suitable for service-based businesses looking to build brand awareness and trust. 

    You can set up public (open to everyone) or private (invite only) groups and determine the house rules, ensuring everyone understands the purpose of the group and what’s acceptable behaviour.     

    Tip: remember a group manager/s will need to be allocated to regularly post,    monitor, moderate and reply to comments or questions in a timely manner.
     
  • Advertising: 

    Paid campaigns on LinkedIn can be set up to achieve objectives such as increasing brand awareness, website visits and engagement, generating video views, lead generation and website conversions and even driving more job applications. 

    Similar to Facebook and Instagram ads, you can target a specific audience based on industry, job tile and location. You can boost organic content to increase audience reach and run stand-alone ads too. 

    Tip: there are a range of ad formats to choose from including carousel ads and lead-gen forms. It’s important to understand the purpose and role of each format.  

Develop Your LinkedIn Strategy in 8 Steps:

1. Optimise your company page - make sure your page is set up properly with the correct branding and up to date company information. Encourage and invite staff, clients, suppliers and other professional contacts to follow your page - this will help increase your reach and engagement. 

2. Optimise your individual page - make sure your personal profile is set up properly with a good head shot, up to date information about your role and experience. Connect with staff, clients, suppliers and other professional contacts and invite them to follow you. 

Tip: Make sure your key staff members also have updated profiles if they’re planning on being active on LinkedIn. 

3. Identify and engage with your audience - profile your ideal customer or client; look at who are they (demographics), what do they need/ want, what challenges do they face and how they use LinkedIn? Once you know exactly who you’ll be talking to, look for opportunities to connect and engage with your audience - in groups, using specific hashtags, through future Ads? 

4. Set clear, achievable and measurable marketing goals - be specific and realistic about what you want to achieve. It’s nice to set a goal like increase brand awareness or generate leads, but make sure you set a target such as reach 10,000 followers or engage with 5 potential customers per month. 

5. Create your organic content strategy and plan - what kinds of posts or content will you share, how often will you share it and when (times/ days)? 

Creating quality content (copy, images, video, articles) takes time and money, so make sure the post format and messages are aligned with your audience needs and wants as well as your goals. 

Make sure you have the skills and resources available to create the kinds of content you want to share – or engage an external agency or contractor to help fill any gaps. 

6. Create an advertising strategy plan - once you have your organic strategy, look for opportunities to use paid advertising to help promote key content and achieve your desired objectives. 

Determine which organic posts will be boosted, and if stand-alone ads are needed to support content. How much budget will you allocate to each Ad?

7. Set your campaign timeline and budget - plot out a content calendar and plan at least a month in advance so you don’t miss any key dates or events and can allocate a realistic budget based on Ad duration, as well as the time required for creating and sharing content. Taking a big picture view will save time and reduce the likelihood of last-minute surprises which can lead to cost blow outs or jeopardise the success of your strategy and campaigns. 

8. Monitor, respond, adjust and measure - schedule time to monitor and respond to any messages and comments on all your posts. Monitor your Ads performance and be ready to make any changes to the content and/or budget. 

Measure your final results against your objectives to determine your campaign’s success but also design future campaigns.

Whether it’s online or in person, B2B marketing is all about developing trusting and mutually beneficial relationships. This requires an investment of time and effort into regularly engaging with individuals and businesses that align with your own vision and goals and getting involved in or even leading industry discussions.  

Like all social media platforms, things are constantly evolving on LinkedIn so it’s important not to have a fixed view of how things will go, but to constantly test your marketing activities. Things can change quickly or don’t always work the way you planned, spotting this early is crucial to ensuring a good ROI.  

Does the LinkedIn glass slipper fit your business needs? Could Sentius be your digital prince charming? Give us a call on 1300 818 188 or sign up now to book a 60-minute discovery session and explore your LinkedIn marketing options and potential.  

Senior Writer & Team Lead

Written by Emily Johnson

Senior Writer & Team Lead

As Senior Writer and Content Team Lead, Emily is responsible for the creation of all written content created for Sentius clients and overseeing the content team. Creating great content requires creativity, research, and passion – Emily understands this and endeavours to bring all three to everything she writes. Her favourite part of her job is fostering a positive environment in which her team can flourish both professionally and personally. She holds a Bachelor of Art and a Master of Journalism, over her years of studying she gained an appreciation of the power of the written word and the skills required to wield it. Rather than keep this knowledge to herself, Emily happily shares it with clients, her team, and any passer-by who happens to need writing advice.  

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn
Senior Writer & Team Lead

Written by Emily Johnson

Senior Writer & Team Lead

As Senior Writer and Content Team Lead, Emily is responsible for the creation of all written content created for Sentius clients and overseeing the content team. Creating great content requires creativity, research, and passion – Emily understands this and endeavours to bring all three to everything she writes. Her favourite part of her job is fostering a positive environment in which her team can flourish both professionally and personally. She holds a Bachelor of Art and a Master of Journalism, over her years of studying she gained an appreciation of the power of the written word and the skills required to wield it. Rather than keep this knowledge to herself, Emily happily shares it with clients, her team, and any passer-by who happens to need writing advice.  

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn