LinkedIn Demystified: 5 Best Practices for B2B SMEs to Drive Growth
LinkedIn has become a powerful platform for entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to connect, engage, and expand their professional network. With over 740 million members worldwide, LinkedIn offers immense opportunities for brand awareness, lead generation, and business growth.
But to harness the full potential of this platform, you need a strategic approach and an understanding of best practices:
Profile optimisation
Content strategy
Engagement tactics
As a LinkedIn content strategist and writer for B2Bs and individuals, I have discovered many tricks to make you thrive on this platform. I'll share some of the best LinkedIn hacks for B2B businesses with you here. You'll also find examples of successful LinkedIn strategies from entrepreneurs and B2B SMEs.
Let's begin with your profile.
Profile Optimisation: Making a Memorable First Impression
Your LinkedIn profile is your digital business card; optimising it is crucial for creating a strong first impression. Here are some critical steps to consider:
Craft a Compelling Headline
When crafting your LinkedIn headline, it's important to keep it concise, engaging, and professional.
This headline serves as a brief introduction that appears below your name on your profile, making it one of the first things people see when they come across your profile.
But many profile slogans:
Are worded too awkwardly
Don't take the perspective of the interested party
Only show the position in the company
Are too long and too convoluted
Here are some key elements to include in your LinkedIn headline:
Profession or Job Title: Begin by stating your profession or job title to clearly explain what you do. For example, "Marketing Manager," "Software Engineer," or "Graphic Designer."
Areas of Expertise: Highlight your main areas of expertise or skills relevant to your profession. That helps potential employers or connections quickly understand your core competencies. For instance, "Digital Marketing Specialist | SEO, SEM, Social Media."
Industry or Field: Mention the industry or field you specialise in to narrow your expertise further. It provides context and helps attract the attention of those specifically interested in your industry. For example, "Financial Analyst | Investment Banking, Financial Modeling."
Achievements or Unique Selling Points: Include any notable achievements or unique selling points that set you apart from others in your field. That could be specific accomplishments, certifications, or awards that demonstrate your skills and expertise, like "Award-Winning Web Developer | Certified Scrum Master."
Passion or Mission Statement: If relevant, add a short phrase or statement that conveys your passion or mission in your professional life. This personal touch can help create a connection with your audience. "Helping Businesses Drive Growth Through Strategic Marketing" is a good example.
Remember, your headline has limited space, so prioritise the most impactful and relevant information. Experiment with different combinations until you find one that effectively represents your professional identity and catches the attention of your target audience.
Now, let's look at the visuals.
Use a professional profile picture
Use a high-quality, professional headshot to create a trustworthy and approachable image.
Here's a trick to make your photo more memorable: upload a good profile picture and remove the background with the help of websites like remove.bg.
Then, choose a bright background colour (ideally one of your brand colours) to make your photo pop.
LinkedIn cover
This area is ideal for showing your expertise. Feature a photo of a workshop or training you gave. Or highlight what you have in common with your target audience, such as the city.
You can find free stock photos on sites like Unsplash, but many others use them too. Avoid promoting yourself, as that is offputting for many potential clients.
Stand out with a compelling summary
Write a compelling summary that showcases your unique selling point (USP), achievements, and what you bring to the table. Your USP shouldn't be something like "exellent customer service" - that is a given. Instead, it could be the niche you're serving, the speed at which you solve your customer's problem or the customisable product.
Maybe you have worked in the same area as your client and experienced the same problems, which gives you a unique perspective (a USP popular with B2B coaches and consultants).
If you need to figure out your USP, ask your clients why they chose you or what they love about your services and our product. That is your USP.
Showcase Experience and Skills
Highlight your relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments to establish credibility and expertise. The emphasis here is on "relevant".
Content Strategy: Positioning Yourself as a Thought Leader
LinkedIn is a hub for professional content sharing and thought leadership. Like a good routine, a content strategy will give you direction and anchor your content. There are a few things to keep in mind:
Define your target audience
Understand your target audience's pain points, interests, and challenges to create content that resonates with them. That is easier said than done and something nearly all my clients struggle with. It's why I spend so much time on market research and customer interviews for my clients.
Follow your ideal clients on LinkedIn and observe what kind of content they like and how they interact on the platform. After a few months, patterns will emerge.
Engaging Content Formats
Experiment with various content formats such as articles, videos, infographics, and thought-provoking questions to keep your audience engaged.
Different target audiences prefer different kinds of content. For example, the pharma sector favours long blogs with references, webinars introducing you to your audience, and ebooks to explore a particular topic in depth.
Text posts are still dominant on LinkedIn, so they should form the backbone of your B2B content strategy.
Remember that matter your sector, you will always need to produce multiple LinkedIn content formats.
Consistency and frequency
Regularly share valuable content on LinkedIn to stay top of mind and establish yourself as a trusted industry authority. Twice a week is a realistic schedule for most SMEs.
My LinkedIn Post Package offers you two posts a week plus a detailed content analysis, so your content is always spot-on.
Mix curated and original content
Share a blend of curated content from industry influencers and your unique insights to provide diverse perspectives. Interviews and LinkedIn articles are a great way to connect with others in your industry. If you turn them into blog posts, they can also give you valuable backlinks to your website.
Engagement Tactics: Building Meaningful Connections
LinkedIn is a networking platform; actively engaging with your connections is vital for building relationships and expanding your network. Consider these engagement tactics:
Commenting and Liking
Engage with others' posts by leaving thoughtful comments, asking questions, and showing appreciation through likes and shares.
Only comment when you have something to say; these days, people immediately notice if you only comment for the algorithm.
Join and contribute to groups
Join relevant LinkedIn groups and actively participate by sharing insights, answering questions, and networking with like-minded professionals.
Try out a few- some are just dumping grounds for self-promotion. But good groups can make a real difference for your business if you regularly participate in them. Be helpful and offer advice where needed.
Personalised connection requests
When sending connection requests, personalise your message to explain why you'd like to connect and how you can provide value. If the person connects with you, thank them but don't promote yourself in any way. They will contact you if they find your content valuable and your offer relevant.
Tagging and Mentioning
Tag individuals or companies when sharing content that is relevant to them, as it increases visibility and encourages engagement. It also shows your contacts that you think of them.
Examples of Successful LinkedIn Strategies:
Let's explore some real-world examples of entrepreneurs and B2B SMEs who have successfully leveraged LinkedIn for their business growth:
a. Nicky Curran, Communication Coach at Curran Coaching, regularly shares insightful articles and engages with her connections, positioning himself as an industry thought leader and generating valuable leads.
b. Charlie Hunt, Founder of Proof Content Marketing Agency, uses LinkedIn Groups to connect with potential clients, share her expertise, and build trust within her target market.
c. HubSpot: HubSpot, a leading marketing and sales software company, has leveraged LinkedIn to reach their target audience and drive business growth. They regularly share informative blog posts, industry insights, and educational resources. Through consistent engagement and networking, they have built a strong presence on LinkedIn and acquired many new customers.
Remember, LinkedIn is not just a platform; it's a gateway to endless possibilities for your business. So, embrace it, connect, and thrive!