Setting up a company page on LinkedIn is a good way to attract and drive traffic to your website. However, keeping it running and getting the most out of it can be a challenge.
Setting up a page on LinkedIn is not complicated and it can help position you as a thought leader (and a company owner that people would like to work for).
According to sales expert Jill Konrath, 84% of LinkedIn users say they have generated some form of business from the platform, so there is a return on investment. The question is – how do you maximise it?
The answer is useful, insightful content. Great content can turn people into strong advocates of your business and brand.
Ultimately, the more people that visit your website in search of this information, the more sales leads you will acquire.
Making the most of your network
Over three million companies have a LinkedIn company page and 80% of LinkedIn members want to connect with businesses. This is a compelling new marketplace where buyers and sellers can meet to make more informed decisions.
The four steps to setting up
To set up a company page you must:
1: Have a personal profile set up.
2: Status should be intermediate to all-star level of completeness.
3: Have several connections.
4: Have a company email address that is unique to your company.
If another part of your business already has a company page set up using the same domain, but you need to set up company pages as a subsidiary, an alternative is to establish a showcase page. This works like a company page but files it under the main brand company page.
Before you start you need to set up a team to manage the process. A company page is something that needs to be maintained long term.
You should have a social media person who will take ownership of this, and your product manager should help this person find relevant content to post and display.
At times your HR person might like to be involved when it comes to using the company page for attracting candidates and driving recruitment.
What information should you put on your page?
Latest product information, promotions, discounts, entertaining content and customer service information are some of the top reasons people follow brands on social media. Be aware, overly promotional messages that appear too contrived will not engage people with your brand It’s good to share useful white papers, case studies, blog posts and how-to articles. Some good examples of well-crafted LinkedIn company pages include Four Seasons Hotel; HP; and Blackrock. These brands have regular updates, have connected with employees and have a strong brand description.
How to post, when to post
You need to post around 20 times a month to reach 60% of your followers with one or more updates according to LinkedIn, and 20% of members are typically reached with one status update.
The more authentic and engaging you make your posts, the better they will trend. Posts that sound like spam just don’t get shared, but those that are compelling and original do, sharing is a great way of getting new followers, so it is well worth putting in the time.
The best times to post are in the early morning when presumably people are checking their emails and updates before work. But try out different times and see what works best for your business.
And you don’t have to share all your updates with the same audience. Marketers have found that the more targeted you make your communications, the better responses you will get.
It is important to include as many SEO keywords in the content because company pages can help with your SEO and your updates should be short enough to encourage click throughs.
Metrics and measurement
The ratio of clicks, likes, comments and shares should show you the level of engagement your content is creating.
Amplification rate is a measurement of the ratio of likes, comments, and shares to total update impressions. You can use this to understand what kind of content users are finding most interesting.
You should also develop a persona for what your ideal customer looks like and use the information you are getting back from these metrics to craft updates that appeal to this user group.
The conversion rate is another important metric to measure. This should show the number of leads generated from your company pages vs. the number of visits.
You can use the LinkedIn analytics page to keep track of all of this and should tweak your page regularly to ensure you are getting the most out of your efforts.
What kind of content is best to put up?
You should have pages that discuss your products, services, and any events that are coming up.
You can also provide links to lists or other posts of interest. Consider the format of the content you post. Some research has indicated that video is more likely to be shared. It is no harm to invite comments and reviews of your services or of the information you provide. This can encourage third parties to become brand ambassadors for you.
How to attract more followers
Make sure to put a follow button on your website and other marketing material. It is also worth adding a share button so users can share your content.
Consistent posting fosters familiarity and engagement. Try to post at least once every weekday.
