Devising a B2B marketing strategy that actually works for your business can be demanding. So much so, that when you finally find a system that produces results, it’s tempting to stick to it no matter what.
But as the B2B market accelerates to match the break-neck pace of technological innovation, it’s critical that you update your marketing strategy accordingly – and that includes rethinking how your business uses LinkedIn. Though your company likely already has a presence on the networking site, chances are there’s more you could be doing to use LinkedIn to its full potential.
From targeted content to new methods of measurement, here are five B2B marketing trends on LinkedIn that could help bring your strategy up to speed.
Get Specific
On average, 46% of social media traffic on B2B company sites comes from LinkedIn. While there’s no denying the potential benefit of tapping into such a large source of users, marketers can easily be fooled into over-generalizing their audience in an attempt to drive as many site hits as possible.
Though this “more-is-more” approach to digital marketing might have been effective in the past, today’s B2B marketing trends implore you to specify your audience rather than widen the pool.
Establishing a more targeted audience will result in more qualified traffic – and for B2B businesses, quality beats quantity every time.
Content, Content, Content
Complex products call for smart content – and there’s no better platform for your blog, infographic, or video than LinkedIn.
In fact, the average B2B buyer now reads ten different pieces of content on LinkedIn before moving forward with a purchase. Using your business’s LinkedIn profile to publish informative, forward-thinking pieces will give potential decision-makers the materials they need to fully understand both how your product works and how their company stands to benefit.
Measure What Matters
B2B marketers often use metrics like CTR (Click-Through-Rate) or video views as a barometer for their campaign’s performance.
However, when looking towards new B2B marketing trends on LinkedIn, you should also consider additional forms of measurement – such as Revenue-Per-Lead – as indicators of your strategy’s success. With a longer sales cycle and a more knowledgable buyer than most B2C businesses, taking the time to delve further into your LinkedIn analytics can provide invaluable information for your campaign moving forward.
Don’t Underestimate the Little Guy
B2B marketers regularly target C-suite executives or other decision makers – but perhaps not for long.
On LinkedIn, B2B businesses are given the opportunity to build connections with employees and other lower-level professionals whose opinions wield significant influence over what products, systems, and services their organization uses.
Creating LinkedIn groups or connecting with individual contributors can be a new point of access, allowing you to gain support for your product from within your buyer’s business.
Become a Thought Leader
Don’t limit your LinkedIn marketing strategy to lead generation alone.
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s built-in networking functionality to build brand image and audience trust by sharing market news on your profile, engaging with other businesses, and encouraging your employees to post company content on their own.
Final Takeaways
If you’re thinking about starting a B2B marketing campaign on LinkedIn – or if your current campaign just isn’t up to par – staying up-to-date on the site’s most powerful trends is crucial. It’s time to get LinkedIn working for your B2B business today.
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