In today’s world most people turn to the internet to research businesses, brands and products. If we need a builder we review them on Checkatrade, if we want to buy a pair of trainers we take hints from friends on Facebook, if we want to buy a car we read the user reviews on the Autotrader website. LinkedIn marketing is another channel brands can use to monitor user generated content.
Of course many businesses need to market products or services that are less fashion and consumer orientated. If we take the example of a commercial data backup business, the chance of them effectively using Facebook to market their products is minimal. It is certainly true that the business’ customers may well be Facebook users, however, the likelihood is that these same users would rather post funny video memes to their Facebook wall rather than whitepapers relating to the best storage devices for commercial data.
This is where LinkedIn comes in. LinkedIn started as a networking tool for individuals who created private profiles much like users do on Facebook. LinkedIn profiles reflect the more professional aspects of the individual, their education, their professional experience and their career ambitions. The idea behind LinkedIn was to create an online community for business people who wanted to interact with others in order to find jobs and create business relationships to increase revenues.
Businesses then started to use the platform to advertise their products and services. This was done through business pages that talked in-depth about the brand and the products or services that they offer. LinkedIn has grown to such an extent that many business people login to the site to actively research companies before they do business with them. For example, the IT Manager for ACME Trading Ltd created a LinkedIn profile two years ago to send his CV out to recruitment agencies and other companies in order to find a new job. That same IT Manager now uses LinkedIn to review companies offering data backup and disaster recovery. This presents advertisers with a perfect platform to showcase products and services to the very people who will be signing off the budget for them.
When you engage effectively with your audience across social media you open up a direct communication channel that helps advertise and sell your products and services.